Product Operations Manager at Lifewave Inc – IT, Utah

POSITION SUMMARY

The Product Operations Manager owns the end-to-end management of run of business work intake for the Product Team and oversees the UAT process across both run of business work and large initiatives. This role leads a small operational team responsible for intake, execution flow, and UAT coordination, ensuring predictable throughput, quality execution, and clear accountability across product, development, QA, and business stakeholders.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has supervisory responsibilities. The Product Operations Manager directly manages and develops Product Technicians, UAT / Support Technicians, and contractors.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Work Intake & Triage Ownership

· Own the Product Team intake queue for all run of business tickets.

· Define and enforce intake standards, templates, and required information.

· Review and triage incoming requests to ensure appropriate categorization and routing.

· Distinguish between execution-ready tickets suitable for direct development and requests requiring product scoping, discovery, or requirements definition.

· Escalate complex work to the appropriate Product Manager with clear context and recommendations.

· Act as a gatekeeper to protect Product, Development, and QA teams from unclear or under-scoped work.

Execution Flow & Delivery Coordination

· Route approved tickets into the development queue with appropriate readiness and prioritization.

· Coordinate closely with Development and QA to resolve questions during implementation, prevent rework and execution delays, and maintain steady throughput.

· Track work progress across intake, development, QA, and UAT.

· Proactively identify risks, blockers, and dependencies and drive resolution.

· Ensure run of business work does not disrupt priority roadmap or project delivery.

UAT Process Ownership (run of business + projects)

· Own the UAT process and standards across the Product organization for running business work and large projects and initiatives.

· Partner closely with the UAT / Support Technician to execute day-to-day UAT activities.

· Define UAT readiness criteria, workflows, timelines, and communication standards.

· Coordinate UAT planning and execution with business stakeholders, QA, Development teams, and Product Managers and Project Leads as applicable.

· Ensure clear ownership of test validation, question resolution, and acceptance confirmation.

· Drive timely UAT completion to avoid bottlenecks, missed releases, or rework.

Operational Performance Management

· Define, manage, and report on metrics for intake review and triage turnaround, open ticket volumes and backlog health, time-to-resolution, and UAT cycle time.

· Monitor aging tickets and execution trends.

· Take corrective action when capacity or throughput targets are at risk.

· Use data to identify systemic issues and continuous improvement opportunities.

Product Partnership & Escalation

· Serve as the primary operational partner to Product Management teams.

· Escalate work requiring product input, trade-off decisions, or requirements definition.

· Ensure smooth handoffs between intake, product discovery, and execution.

· Protect Product Manager capacity by absorbing operational coordination and noise.

Process Improvement & Continuous Optimization

· Continuously refine intake, execution, and UAT workflows to improve throughput and quality.

· Identify recurring issues driving ticket volume or UAT friction and develop targeted solutions.

· Propose and implement process, tooling, and documentation improvements.

· Partner with Product, Development, and QA leadership on operational best practices.

· Maintain clear documentation and transparency across intake and UAT processes.

People Leadership

· Lead, coach, and develop team members with a strong emphasis on ownership, accountability, and delivery of business outcomes—not just activity or output.

· Establish clear expectations, successful metrics, and performance standards for direct reports; hold individuals accountable for commitments, decision quality, and stakeholder communication.

· Provide direct, timely, and constructive feedback; actively address performance gaps and take decisive action to ensure consistent product quality and execution rigor across the portfolio.

· Foster a culture of continuous improvement, learning, and professional growth while maintaining high standards for execution, judgment, and results.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

· Education: Bachelor’s degree in business, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field; or equivalent work experience.

· Experience: 5+ years of experience in product operations, project/program management, business analysis, QA, or a related operational role within a technology or product organization.

· People Management: 2+ years of direct people management experience, including setting goals, coaching, and performance management. Fostering a culture of ownership, responsiveness, and operational excellence.

· Work Intake / Triage: Demonstrated experience managing and triaging work intake queues, including categorization, routing, and escalation in an Agile or similar delivery environment.

· UAT Coordination: Hands-on experience coordinating or owning User Acceptance Testing processes across both operational and project-level work.

· Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to partner effectively with Product, Development, QA, and business stakeholders to drive execution and accountability.

· SLA & Performance Management: Experience defining, tracking, and reporting on SLAs, throughput metrics, and operational KPI’s.

· Tools: Proficiency with project/work management tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar platforms. Familiarity with dashboarding and reporting tools is a plus.

· Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate operational data into clear, actionable insights for stakeholders and leadership.

· Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to identify systemic process issues and implement practical, scalable improvements.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

LifeWave will operate as an in-office organization, and all employees are required to work onsite in alignment with corporate policy. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to work at a computer workstation and be mobile within the office. Occasional movement of up to 25 pounds may be required.

LifeWave is committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity and promotes equal opportunities for all. We embrace the principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and strive to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.

In our pursuit of building a diverse and talented team, we encourage candidates of all abilities to apply for positions at LifeWave. If you require accommodation during the application or interview process, please inform our HR department, and we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.