Vice President of Product Management

About Nava

Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. Since 2015, federal, state, and local agencies have trusted Nava to help solve highly scrutinized technology modernization challenges.   As a client services company, we guide agencies constrained by legacy systems to a future with sharp user experiences built on secure, reliable, fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure. We bill for our time, offering our expertise and problem-solving approach to help our government partners enhance their digital products and services. People are at the heart of our work, from members of the public who rely on benefit programs to government agency staff. Through human-centered design and modern engineering best practices, we help our government partners understand user needs and deliver on their missions more effectively. This focus gives everyone at Nava the opportunity to do work that is meaningful, impactful, and deeply connected to public good.   

Position overview

The Vice President of Product is a company-level leader who is the head of Nava’s product practice, a core member of Delivery leadership, and a member of Nava’s executive team. This leader directly shapes Nava's competitiveness and the quality of the outcomes we deliver for government clients and for the public. 

The VP sets the strategic direction for Nava’s Product practice, a department of 75+ product managers and policy strategists who work across over two dozen federal and state government contracts. They work closely with two Product Directors to build Nava’s product management practice, oversee hiring and staffing decisions, and coach Nava delivery teams. As a product leader, the VP ensures that Nava stays at the forefront of how modern product teams work, shaping how the practice builds with AI in regulated public sector environments, and directing product strategy for capabilities and solutions that differentiate Nava in the government market.  

The VP of Product operates within a matrixed organization where successful delivery outcomes depend on close coordination across:

• Program Delivery for multiple portfolios 
• Product, Engineering, and Design practices
• Delivery Operations
• Finance, People Operations, and Business Development

Rather than relying on direct authority over every product team, the VP succeeds by ensuring that product managers know how to maximize the value their teams deliver, modeling and coaching strong cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring that teams understand how their work connects to company goals. 

What you’ll do

AI leadership and the future of the practice

• Set and own the strategy for how Nava's Product practice adopts AI, including identifying opportunities, sponsoring pilots, scaling what works, and embedding AI-informed workflows across product teams
• Lead Nava's point of view on AI in government product delivery, including how product competency is evolving as AI blurs the lines between product, design, and engineering
• Shape how AI products and services are developed and governed in regulated public-sector environments
• Keep the practice at the forefront of how modern product teams work, translating emerging methods into repeatable capabilities

Product strategy and go-to-market

• Own product strategy for capabilities and solutions that differentiate Nava from competitors 
• Set direction for the go-to-market strategy for Nava's solutions, driving decisions and holding the work accountable end-to-end
• Oversee activities to establish product-market fit for new offerings and reusable assets
• Decide where the practice should invest to grow its expertise, methods, and capabilities 

Growth and business development

• Translate delivery insight into opportunity shaping and Nava's competitive positioning
• Contribute product expertise to growth opportunities including organic expansion and formal procurements 
• Identify and staff subject matter experts from the Product practice to support business development proposals

Delivery partnership

• Ensure teams apply Nava's cross-functional delivery model to build modern, user-centered products that achieve strong client outcomes
• Partner with portfolio VPs/directors and program managers in Program Delivery to ensure smooth delivery and effective staffing across contracts
• Serve as a senior escalation point for product management performance and delivery concerns

Practice and people leadership

• Set the standards of excellence, leveling, and career direction for product management and policy strategy at Nava
• Lead Product Directors who carry day-to-day management, mentoring, staffing, and development across the practice
• Accountable for retention, engagement, performance, and a healthy leadership pipeline
• Foster a culture of ownership, learning, and continuous improvement

Stakeholder engagement and communication

• Partner with the Chief Delivery Officer and executive leadership on product strategy and the direction of the practice
• Build trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders where product leadership is the differentiator
• Represent Nava externally as a credible voice on product delivery and AI in government

Required skills

• 10+ years in product management, with at least 5 years leading product leaders (not only individual contributors)
• Experience leading a large team or department through hiring, staffing, performance management, and career development
• Proven success establishing product-market fit and shaping go-to-market strategy for new products and platforms
• Strong analytical, strategic-thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Experience with agile methodologies and modern product management practices

Desired skills

• Demonstrated AI leadership in a product organization: setting and executing AI strategy, scaling AI workflows across multiple product teams, and building AI products
• Experience in digital services, software delivery, or government modernization programs
• Experience leading billable or client-deployed staff in a professional services model
• Experience working across federal, state, and/or local government programs

Leadership characteristics

• Strong communicator who engages executive, client, peer, and team audiences with clarity and credibility
• Skilled facilitator and influencer who can align stakeholders across a matrix, navigate competing priorities, and build forward momentum for company priorities 
• Client-centered leader who understands that product excellence and delivery excellence are inseparable
• Credible external voice who can shape Nava's point of view in the market and with clients
• Empathetic, transparent people leader who sets a high bar for collaboration, speed, and quality   

Compensation$250,000—$275,000 USD

Other requirements

All roles at Nava require the following: Legal authorization to work in the United States Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract  

Perks working with Nava

Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through UnitedHealthcare’s virtual visit program Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest 401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs  Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care  

Location

We have fully remote options if you reside in one of the following states:    Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin   *If you are not living in one of the states listed above, unfortunately, you will not be considered for a position at this time.   

Stay in touch

Sign up for our newsletter to find out about career opportunities, new partnerships, and news from the broader civic tech community.   Please contact the recruiting team at recruiting@navapbc.com if you would like to request reasonable accommodation during the application or interviewing process.     We participate in E-Verify. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.   

Equal Employment Opportunity

Nava is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, gender and/or gender identity or expression, color, creed, religion, religious creed, age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, reproductive health autonomy, pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, genetic information, domestic violence victim status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Nava prohibits any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all employees, applicants, contractors, and temporary workers of Nava.