Founder’s Associate - Product

Job description

**This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Founder’s Associate - Product based in South Africa.** Join a fast-growing technology company as a Founder’s Associate - Product, working at the intersection of product management, artificial intelligence, and revenue operations. In this role, you will collaborate closely with the founders to shape product strategy and turn complex customer challenges into intuitive, impactful solutions. You will engage directly with sales and Revenue Operations teams to understand their workflows and identify opportunities for improvement. From defining AI-powered features to translating user insights into product specifications, you will contribute throughout the product development lifecycle. Working alongside engineering, design, and go-to-market teams, you will help deliver high-quality features and measure their impact. This is an opportunity for an ambitious, curious professional to take ownership, develop strong product leadership skills, and grow within an innovative, remote-first environment. ### Accountabilities: As a Founder’s Associate - Product, you will progressively take ownership of a product area, contributing to discovery, strategy, execution, and continuous improvement. You will work closely with company leadership and cross-functional teams to ensure that product decisions address real user needs and deliver measurable business value. Your main responsibilities will include: - Take end-to-end ownership of a product area, progressing from discovery and research to development, launch, and iteration. - Engage with sales representatives and Revenue Operations professionals to understand their workflows, challenges, and use of Salesforce. - Translate customer insights and complex business processes into clear product opportunities and actionable decisions. - Help define AI-powered features, determining how artificial intelligence can capture, summarise, and surface relevant information while minimising unnecessary noise. - Write clear product specifications, user stories, and acceptance criteria to guide engineering and design teams. - Coordinate cross-functional execution across engineering, design, and go-to-market teams to ensure timely, high-quality product delivery. - Define key performance indicators (KPIs), monitor product adoption, and evaluate feature performance using data. - Gather feedback, analyse results, and continuously refine product functionality and user experience. - Contribute to product strategy, roadmap prioritisation, and quality standards while developing an independent product management perspective. - Collaborate closely with the founders, bringing initiative, structured thinking, and a strong focus on customer value to product decisions. **Requirements:** The ideal candidate is a proactive, intellectually curious professional with strong analytical and communication skills and a genuine interest in product management, technology, and AI. You should be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, taking initiative, and moving from ambiguous problems to practical solutions. The following qualifications and skills are expected: - Excellent academic background in economics, business, industrial engineering, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated ability. - Previous experience in a high-growth startup, venture capital, consulting, or another environment requiring independent execution and broad responsibilities. - Exceptional written communication skills, with the ability to express complex ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively. - Strong curiosity, independent thinking, and well-developed opinions about effective product management. - Ability to learn quickly, adapt to changing priorities, and proactively identify the next steps without requiring constant direction. - Strong interest in technology, UX/UI, user research, and the intersection of product management and engineering. - Experience working on a product is a significant advantage. - Analytical thinking and the ability to use data, customer feedback, and business insights to inform product decisions. - Strong organisational and collaboration skills, with the ability to coordinate work across multiple teams. - Fluency in English. - Motivation to work closely with founders, take ownership of meaningful projects, and contribute directly to product outcomes. **Benefits:** - Annual salary ranging from €50,000 to €65,000, depending on experience and location. - Equity participation, aligning your contribution with the company's long-term growth. - Fully remote working arrangements, with regular in-person team meetups. - Direct collaboration with the founders on a product with established product-market fit and demonstrated traction. - Significant ownership of the product roadmap, strategy, and quality. - High-quality equipment to support your work. - Opportunities for rapid career progression and professional development. - A hands-on role offering meaningful responsibility and exposure to product strategy, AI, and cross-functional execution. - Opportunities for both high-potential early-career candidates and professionals who want to remain closely involved in operational product work.