Director of Product, Lab

Fundraise UpFundraise Up·Remote(Georgia)
Product
GTM

WFA Digital Insight

As the demand for innovative product leaders in the digital fundraising space continues to grow, with over 25% of nonprofits investing in digital transformation, Fundraise Up is ahead of the curve. With a strong focus on product quality and performance, this company has established itself as a leader in the industry, boasting a 4.9/5 rating across top review platforms. The Director of Product, Lab role is particularly interesting in the current remote job market, as it requires a unique blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and creative vision. Candidates with a proven track record in 0→1 product development, GTM strategy, and AI-driven product exploration will be well-suited for this role. Before applying, candidates should be prepared to showcase their ability to drive learning velocity, decision quality, and team leverage, as well as their experience in managing high-risk product bets and experimenting with AI tools.

Job Description

About the Role

The Director of Product, Lab is a key role at Fundraise Up, responsible for building and leading the company's Lab function. This role is focused on investigating opportunities driven by new technologies, AI, data, and infrastructure shifts, and finding, validating, and handing off high-potential product bets to the core product team. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in 0→1 product development, with a strong ability to reduce uncertainty and drive decision quality.

As a player-coach role, the Director of Product, Lab will personally own 1-2 of the highest-leverage bets, while also leading a team of product managers and cross-functional stakeholders. This role requires a unique blend of technical expertise, business acumen, and creative vision, as well as the ability to communicate complex ideas and results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

The Lab function at Fundraise Up operates ahead of the roadmap, exploring new ideas and opportunities that could define the future of digital fundraising. This requires a high degree of autonomy, flexibility, and adaptability, as well as a willingness to take calculated risks and experiment with new technologies and approaches.

What You Will Do

  • Own the Lab bet portfolio, sizing opportunities, setting entry/exit criteria, and making decisive scale/iterate/kill calls
  • Maintain a visible exploration backlog, prioritizing ideas based on potential impact, feasibility, and alignment with company goals
  • Frame experiments around the single riskiest assumption, defining kill criteria before building, and choosing the right fidelity (prototype, spike, wizard-of-oz, no-code, live pilot)
  • Ship fast and protect learning speed, with a focus on reducing uncertainty and driving decision quality
  • Synthesize results into opinionated recommendations, communicating what was tested, learned, and what remains unknown
  • Kill zombie initiatives, ensuring every experiment ends with a decision
  • Hand off validated hypotheses, evidence packs, risks, and proposed scaling models to the core product team
  • Source and close lighthouse pilots with clear scope, metrics, and off-ramps, identifying enabling partners and joining strategic calls to move pilots to business validation
  • Build a repeatable Lab Operating System (pipeline reviews, kill reviews, demo days, post-mortems), with a focus on compounding learning and driving team leverage
  • Use AI tools to accelerate research, synthesis, and prototyping, exploring AI-enabled product ideas with a realistic lens on cost, data, and accuracy
  • Publish decision memos and share failed experiments openly, driving transparency and accountability across the organization

What We Are Looking For

  • 8-10+ years of experience in Product, with a proven 0→1 track record and a strong ability to drive learning velocity and decision quality
  • Personally owned multiple high-risk bets with explicit go/kill decisions, with a focus on reducing uncertainty and driving business outcomes
  • 3+ years of experience managing product managers (player-coach or group lead), with a strong ability to communicate complex ideas and results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Fluency across validation tools (discovery, prototypes, engineered MVPs), with a strong understanding of when each is appropriate
  • Cross-functional leadership experience across Engineering, Design, Analytics, and GTM, with a comfort in pre-sales/pilot settings
  • Experience with AI and technical judgment, including hands-on experience using AI as a product-building and exploration tool
  • Ability to prototype with LLMs, APIs, or modern tooling, and ship a functional prototype quickly
  • Strong understanding of GTM strategy and partnerships, with experience sourcing and closing lighthouse pilots and driving business validation

Nice to Have

  • Experience with cloud-based technologies and infrastructure, including AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud
  • Familiarity with data analytics and science tools, including SQL, Python, and data visualization platforms
  • Experience with product design and development methodologies, including Agile, Scrum, and Lean
  • Strong understanding of fundraising and nonprofit industry trends, with experience working with UNICEF, the Alzheimer's Association, or other global NGOs

Benefits and Perks

  • Competitive salary and equity package, with a focus on driving business outcomes and growth
  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, with a focus on supporting the well-being of our team members
  • Generous PTO and holiday policy, with a focus on supporting work-life balance and flexibility
  • Remote work stipend and home office setup, with a focus on supporting our team members' ability to work from anywhere
  • Access to cutting-edge technologies and tools, including AI, data analytics, and cloud-based infrastructure
  • Opportunities for professional growth and development, including training, mentorship, and career development programs
  • Collaborative and dynamic work environment, with a focus on driving innovation and creativity

How to Stand Out

  • Develop a strong understanding of GTM strategy and partnerships, including sourcing and closing lighthouse pilots and driving business validation
  • Showcase your ability to drive learning velocity and decision quality, including reducing uncertainty and driving business outcomes
  • Highlight your experience with AI and technical judgment, including hands-on experience using AI as a product-building and exploration tool
  • Emphasize your ability to communicate complex ideas and results, including experience communicating with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Be prepared to discuss your experience with cross-functional leadership, including experience working with Engineering, Design, Analytics, and GTM teams
  • Research the company's approach to digital fundraising and nonprofit partnerships, including their work with UNICEF, the Alzheimer's Association, and other global NGOs
  • Prepare to talk about your experience with data analytics and science tools, including SQL, Python, and data visualization platforms

This is a remote position listed on WFA Digital, the platform for professionals who work from anywhere. Browse more remote jobs across all categories.