VP Product

Job description

The VP Product will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our products. You will be responsible for driving product vision, strategy, and execution, ensuring that our offerings not only meet but exceed market demands and technological advancements.

You will work closely with the wider technology team, including Engineering, Algorithm and Architecture, Commercial and Marketing, to deliver innovative solutions that align with our company’s goals and objectives.

Job requirements

Essential

• Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Electronics, Photonics, or a related technical discipline.
• 15+ years' Product Management or Product Leadership experience within AI infrastructure, networking, photonics, semiconductors, HPC, or other deeptech industries.
• Proven track record of defining product strategy and commercialising complex hardware and platform technologies.
• Strong understanding of AI infrastructure, networking architectures, high-speed I/O interfaces (e.g. PCIe, CXL, Ethernet, InfiniBand), photonics, and semiconductor technologies.
• Experience translating advanced R&D into market-ready products and leading the full product lifecycle.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience in product strategy, go-to-market, pricing, and customer engagement.
• Proven leadership of high-performing product teams with excellent executive stakeholder management.

Desirable

• Master's degree, PhD, or MBA.
• Experience within a start-up or scale-up environment.
• Knowledge of cloud infrastructure, AI accelerators, or Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs).
• Experience working with hyperscalers, strategic technology partnerships, or enterprise customers.
• Exposure to fundraising, investor engagement, or Board-level strategy.

Personal Attributes

We're looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about emerging AI technologies.
• Naturally curious and motivated by solving complex technical challenges.
• Comfortable working across multiple disciplines and teams.
• Customer-focused with excellent relationship-building skills.
• Able to balance technical excellence with commercial awareness.
• A strong communicator who enjoys explaining complex ideas.
• Adaptable and comfortable operating in a fast-moving deep-tech environment.
• Self-motivated, collaborative and proactive.

What Success Looks Like

Within your first 12–18 months you will have:

• Develop a unified product strategy aligned with the company's commercial objectives.
• Deliver a prioritised multi-year product roadmap integrating AI software, photonics hardware, and platform capabilities.
• Build strong relationships with key customers, partners, and industry stakeholders.
• Introduce robust product management processes and metrics.
• Improve cross-functional collaboration between Product, Engineering, and Commercial teams.
• Launch or advance commercially significant AI and photonics products.
• Establish the company as a recognised product leader within the AI infrastructure and photonics ecosystem.

Job responsibilities

Product Strategy & Vision:

• Define and communicate the product vision and strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives, customer needs, and market opportunities.
• Drive the product strategy for next-generation AI infrastructure, photonic computing, high-speed networking, and I/O interface technologies.
• Identify emerging technologies, market trends, and customer pain points to develop differentiated, commercially successful products.

Roadmap Development & Execution:

• Define and manage the product roadmap, ensuring timely and successful delivery of key milestones.
• Collaborate with the wider technology team to translate product vision into actionable plans and specifications.
• Own the product portfolio and roadmap across photonic computing hardware, networking, high-speed I/O interfaces, and supporting software platforms.
• Partner with Engineering and Research to translate breakthrough technologies into commercially successful products, ensuring interoperability with industrystandard networking and interface technologies.
• Prioritise investments that strengthen system performance, scalability, connectivity, and customer adoption.

Market & Customer Insights:

• Develop a deep understanding of AI infrastructure, networking ecosystems, hyperscaler requirements, and data centre architectures.
• Build strategic relationships with customers, partners, and technology providers to shape product direction and future networking and interface standards.
• Monitor market trends, competitive technologies, and customer insights across AI accelerators, optical networking, high-speed interconnects, and semiconductor markets to inform product strategy.

Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Lead and inspire a high-performing product team, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Work closely with the wider technology team and other departments to ensure seamless execution and alignment of product initiatives
• Establish product management processes, governance, and prioritisation frameworks.
• Lead product planning, portfolio reviews, and executive reporting.

Stakeholder Communication:

• Communicate product strategies, goals, and progress to stakeholders, including executive leadership, investors, and key partners.
• Provide regular updates on product performance, market reception, and development progress.

Performance Metrics & Analysis:

• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure product success and drive continuous improvement.
• Use data-driven insights to make informed decisions and optimise product features and strategies.

Job benefits

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Salary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes equity, comprehensive health care plan, retirement savings matching program, generous time off, annual performance-based bonus, and other rewards that recognise your impact and contribution.

Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Optalysys recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.