Director Product Management – Rail Infrastructure

**Job Purpose** Own and continuously improve the end\-to\-end Product Management operating model and core processes (e.g., portfolio planning, product lifecycle governance, VOC/market insights, business case development, stage\-gate governance, roadmap management, pricing inputs, launch readiness, and post\-launch performance management). This role sets standards, defines controls and decision rights, partners with cross\-functional leaders to implement changes, and ensures consistent adoption through documentation, training, metrics, and governance. **Req ID** 12004BR **City** Albertville **State:** Alabama **Company Description** Progress Rail stands at the intersection of legacy and innovation—driving the future of rail with a pioneering spirit. Since its founding in 1983, the company has grown to become one of the world’s largest and most trusted providers of railroad products, services, and technologies. Today, Progress Rail delivers a comprehensive portfolio of cost\-effective solutions to railway customers around the globe. From the rails themselves to the EMD® locomotives that ride them, the company’s products are in operation across more than 100 countries—powering progress and connecting communities. In 2006, Progress Rail joined Caterpillar Inc., further strengthening its ability to lead the rail industry with cutting\-edge technology, unmatched expertise, and a commitment to excellence. At Progress Rail, the team is not just building the future of rail—they are making history every day. **Key Job Elements** * Serve as the process owner for the Product Management operating model, including defined decision rights, governance cadence, inputs/outputs, and handoffs across Sales, Engineering, Finance, Operations, and Aftermarket. * Define and maintain standard work for core Product Management processes (portfolio planning, lifecycle reviews, stage\-gate governance, roadmap management, launch readiness, and post\-launch reviews), ensuring clarity of roles (RACI), artifacts, and approval paths. * Lead cross\-functional workshops to identify pain points, risks, and bottlenecks; perform root\-cause analysis; and prioritize improvements based on business impact, customer value, and feasibility. * Establish and run Product Management process governance (intake, prioritization, roadmap for improvements, stakeholder alignment, and change control), including executive\-ready reporting and decisions. * Define process KPIs and health measures (e.g., cycle time to approve business cases, on\-time stage\-gate deliverables, roadmap stability, launch readiness, VOC coverage, portfolio value realization) and drive actions when performance is off\-track. * Partner with IT and analytics teams to translate process needs into system requirements (PLM/ERP/CRM), streamline data flows, and improve transparency through dashboards and standardized artifacts. * Own the process documentation repository, including document control, versioning, approvals, ...