Associate Director, PM Genomics USA
The client
Watchmaker Genomics
Watchmaker Genomics is a life science company based in Boulder, Colorado with another location in Cape Town, South Africa. Our team is passionate about innovation and values collaboration, creativity, and scientific rigor. We believe the intersection of biology, engineering, and computer science presents exciting opportunities for developing novel technologies that promote research and improve human health. Watchmaker specializes in the design, development, and production of DNA- and RNA-modifying enzymes that enable high-growth applications in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and personalized medicine.
About this role
Watchmaker Genomics is seeking a strategic and collaborative Associate Director, Product Management (MDx & Enzymes) to lead our MDx & Enzymes product management team. This individual will play a critical role in advancing product strategy across core molecular diagnostics application specific reagents —including qPCR, RT-qPCR, PCR, and isothermal amplification—and enzyme technologies supporting both MDx and NGS workflows.This leader will manage a growing team of Product Managers who drive individual portfolio strategies. While each PM leads their respective portfolio strategy team, the Associate Director will act as a strategic sponsor, ensuring alignment, momentum, and cross-functional connectivity. The role also plays a key part in commercialization planning, customer-centric innovation, and early product discovery within Watchmaker’s Product Engine.This is a highly collaborative role with broad influence across Marketing, R&D, Commercial, and Executive teams. The ideal candidate is a domain expert in MDx and enzymology, an empowering team leader, and a strategic thinker who thrives in fast-paced and OEM environments.
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Who are we looking for...
- MS and +12 years of relevant industry experience, including 2–4 years in people management and a proven track record in product strategy and leadership
- Minimum of 12 years of relevant industry experience in life sciences, diagnostics, or biotechnology.
- 2–4 years in people management
- Demonstrated Product Management experience, with a strong preference for roles involving cross-functional product development and commercial launch.
- Experience participating in or leading NPD core teams is required.
- Customer-facing experience (e.g., field application, sales, customer discovery) is a plus.
- Experience dealing with OEM customers and processes
- Experience in collaboratively developing portfolio strategy.
- Deep expertise in MDx applications and enzyme technologies
- Strategic mindset with strong analytical, market research, and opportunity prioritization skills.
- Strong strategic thinker with a demonstrated ability to define and execute long-term growth strategies.
- Proven leadership and team development capabilities.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills across functions and leadership levels.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity, prioritize with clarity, and drive business results.
- Willingness to travel up to 30% (domestic and international).
- Excellent organizational, prioritization, and decision-making skills.
- Capable of translating complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights and differentiated product value propositions.
- Proven team leadership, with the ability to coach, develop, and motivate high-performing contributors.
- Customer- and market-focused mindset with strong commercial acumen.
what you can expect...
- Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of Product Managers across the MDx & Enzymes portfolio.
- Set clear goals, drive accountability, and foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and customer centricity.
- Support your team in leading their respective portfolio strategy teams, serving as a strategic sponsor to ensure focus, execution, and alignment with business priorities.
- Own the overarching MDx & Enzymes product strategy, spanning applications such as qPCR, RT-qPCR, PCR, isothermal amplification, and enzyme use in MDx and NGS workflows.
- Guide multi-year portfolio planning and investment prioritization in partnership with Commercial, R&D, and Executive teams.
- Ensure strategies reflect the needs of key market segments (e.g., point-of-care, decentralized testing, centralized labs) and relevant clinical indications (e.g., infectious disease, oncology).
- Contribute to Watchmaker's Product Engine by supporting market research, customer segmentation, competitive landscaping, and new product opportunity identification.
- Sponsor early-stage discovery efforts, helping your team define unmet needs and align scientific feasibility with market demand.
- Drive clarity and alignment across both MDx and NGS innovation areas.
- Guide your team in planning and executing effective product and commercial launches with differentiated positioning, clear messaging, and commercial alignment.
- Partner cross-functionally to ensure go-to-market readiness and long-term product success.
- Support lifecycle management and continuous portfolio optimization to drive sustainable growth.
- Guidance and execution of processes and products to support our OEM channels.
