Associate Director, AI Platform & Product

Company: Avanade
Location: Schiller Park
Posted on: April 4, 2026

Job Description:

Avanade is a global leader in digital and cloud services, jointly owned by Microsoft and Accenture. We help organizations modernize their technology and transform how they work. Were building an Agentic Platform that enables mid-market companies to deploy AI agents at scale. The platform delivers both off-the-shelf agentic solutions and supports end-to-end transformations. Built on the Microsoft technology stack, its live with paying customers and generating revenue. Were now focused on scaling the product and driving ARR growth. Were hiring a Head of Product (Associate Director level) to lead product strategy and execution for the Agentic Platform. Youll own the end-to-end product vision, strategy, and execution for our AI platform. Youll lead our product management and design teams, drive the roadmap, and make calls on what we build and ship. This role requires both strategic thinking and technical depth. You’ll sit at the intersection of AI, engineering, design, and customers, shaping what we build, why we build it, and how it wins in the market. You’ll need to understand AI platform architecture, make sound product investments, and execute with precision. You’ll work closely with engineering on technical decisions, coordinate with our Scale team on adoption, and partner with GTM on go-to-market strategy. You’ve launched products before, learned from the messy middle, and know how to make smart tradeoffs at startup speed. This role is equal parts strategist, builder, and operator. Key Responsibilities Product Vision & Strategy • Own the product vision and roadmap for the Agentic Platform • Translate business objectives into clear product strategy, prioritized bets, milestones, and outcomes • Identify where the AI ecosystem is heading and position the platform ahead of the curve, working closely with Microsoft engineering and product roadmaps • Product Execution • Lead product management and product development end-to-end, from discovery to launch • Partner with engineering leadership to ship high-quality, scalable AI-powered products through effective prioritization and technical tradeoffs • Establish and run disciplined product processes including roadmap planning, reviews, and sprint cycles • Drive ruthless prioritization across new capabilities, platform infrastructure, and customer requests • Use data and customer feedback to guide decisions and course-correct quickly AI Platform Leadership • Build and evolve platform capabilities including agent frameworks, orchestration, integrations, governance, and developer experience • Understand and navigate the modern AI stack (models, tooling, infrastructure, APIs, safety, and governance) • Balance innovation with reliability, security, and responsible AI practices • Make informed build/buy/partner decisions for platform components • Stay current on the AI landscape and identify opportunities to differentiate the platform Customer & Market Insight • Be the voice of the customer across technical and business buyers • Engage directly with customers, partners, and early adopters to validate direction and identify usage patterns • Work closely with GTM teams on positioning, pricing, and launches • Translate customer value drivers into roadmap and product capability updates Team & Culture • Build and lead a high-performing product organization as the platform scales • Provide direct people leadership, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and career development • Establish strong product management rituals, standards, and decision frameworks • Foster a culture of ownership, experimentation, learning, and accountability Qualifications Required Skills • 10 years of product management experience, including prior experience as a Head of Product, Group PM, or senior product leader in a high-growth or high-velocity environment • Prior people management experience, with demonstrated success leading and scaling teams • Experience building and launching SaaS and PaaS platforms or cloud-native products • Experience with AI platforms, ML products, or agent-based systems • Strong product management fundamentals: discovery, roadmapping, execution, analytics, and lifecycle management • Technical fluency with the ability to evaluate architecture decisions and make informed tradeoffs with engineering • Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-changing environments and make decisive calls • Platform mindset with experience building developer-facing products, APIs, or ecosystem platforms • Data-driven decision-making skills with a track record of driving measurable business outcomes (ARR, adoption, retention) Preferred Skills • Direct experience with agentic AI, agent frameworks, or autonomous systems • Background building on or partnering within the Microsoft / Azure ecosystem • Experience serving both technical and business buyer personas • Understanding of enterprise AI requirements including governance, security, and compliance • Experience scaling products from early customers to broader market adoption Location & Travel • This role is remote; however, candidates must reside within commuting distance of an Avanade office and be able to attend in-person meetings as required • Occasional business travel and in-person meetings may be required, up to 15%, based on business needs What You’ll Bring • Systems thinking with an ability to execute incrementally • Strong opinions balanced with openness to feedback • Bias toward shipping, learning, and iteration • Ability to balance speed with long-term product integrity • Comfort engaging in both customer conversations and deep technical discussion

Keywords: Avanade, Oak Park , Associate Director, AI Platform & Product, IT / Software / Systems , Schiller Park, Illinois