Director, Product Management - Early Cancer Detection (ECD) Software

Director, Product Management - Early Cancer Detection (ECD) Software

Position Summary

Natera is at the forefront of personalized genetic testing, transforming the management of disease worldwide. We are at the cusp of a new inflection point with the development of our Early Cancer Detection (ECD) product that detects cancer earlier than ever before.

We are seeking a seasoned and visionary Director of Product Management to lead the software product strategy and development for our ECD software portfolio. You will own the product roadmap for the full software stack, from sample ordering to report delivery, acting as the bridge between cutting-edge R&D, operations, and engineering.

This role requires a leader who thrives in a "Zero-to-One" environment, possessing the strategic vision of a product leader combined with masterful execution. You will live the ethos of agile, user-centered development with high agency and urgency, driving the team to navigate ambiguity and deliver critical milestones in a highly regulated field.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision

• Define the ECD Software Vision: Develop and execute the multi-year software product roadmap for the ECD business unit, balancing the need for rapid prototyping with long-term commercial stability and regulatory compliance.

• Founder’s Mindset: Champion a culture of "high agency" and urgency, driving the team to make quick, data-driven decisions in ambiguous situations and deliver critical milestones in a fast-paced environment.

• Technical & Clinical Translation: Serve as the product expert for the ECD software suite, translating complex scientific, clinical, and regulatory requirements into robust, scalable software product requirements.

• Roadmap Alignment: Ensure the software roadmap aligns with broader business goals, R&D timelines, and commercial launch strategies.

Product Development & Execution

• End-to-End Product Ownership: Lead the "Zero-to-One" product development lifecycle for ECD software solutions, covering the full stack from sample receipt to report delivery.

• User-Centered Focus: Passionately advocate for the needs of internal users (lab scientists, accessioning teams) and external customers (clinicians, patients), ensuring software solves real problems.

• Project Delivery: Drive project execution with the rigor of a seasoned project manager, ensuring cross-functional teams (Product, Engineering, R&D, Lab Ops, Commercial Ops) stay on track to meet critical deadlines.

• Agile Leadership: Expert in Agile methodologies and software development lifecycles. Own the product backlog and drive Agile ceremonies, ensuring clear requirements, acceptance criteria, and timely feature delivery.

• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex ideas for diverse audiences and influence stakeholders at all levels.

• Systems Thinking: Ability to see the "big picture" and understand how software systems interact across the entire sample lifecycle.

Regulatory & Quality Excellence

• Regulatory Compliance: Partner with Quality and Regulatory (RA/QA) teams to ensure all software products comply with FDA (PMA/510k), IEC 62304, ISO 13485, HIPAA, and GDPR standards.

• Risk Management: Proactively identify and mitigate product and project risks, ensuring robust documentation and compliance without compromising development velocity.

• Data Integrity: Champion data integrity, traceability, and operational efficiency in all ECD software initiatives.

Team Building & Mentorship

• Team: Recruit, mentor, and retain a world-class team of product managers.

• Culture Building: Foster a product culture of accountability, user experience rigor, and cross-functional collaboration within the ECD unit.

• Mentorship: Mentor and guide product managers and cross-functional team members, instilling best practices in product management and agile development.

Qualifications

• Experience: 10+ years of product management experience in healthcare IT, biotech, or software, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.

• Zero-to-One Track Record: Proven experience building and launching "Zero-to-One" software products in a startup or internal incubator environment.

• Regulated Industry Expertise: Deep experience in a highly regulated environment, with specific expertise in SaMD (Software as a Medical Device), FDA design controls, and HIPAA/GDPR compliance.

• Domain Knowledge: Familiarity with NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing), liquid biopsy, or oncology diagnostics is highly desirable.

• Project Management Prowess: Demonstrated ability to drive complex projects to completion, managing timelines, dependencies, and stakeholders effectively.

• Technical Aptitude: Strong ability to understand technical complexities and communicate effectively with engineering and scientific teams.

Education: BS/MS in a relevant technical, scientific, or quantitative discipline (MBA or PhD is a plus).

Compensation & Total Rewards

This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the base pay we reasonably expect to offer at the time of hire. Final compensation will vary based on experience, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.

This position is also eligible for additional compensation and benefits through Natera’s robust Total Rewards program, including:

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Annual performance incentive bonus

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Long-term equity awards

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Comprehensive health benefits (medical, dental, vision)

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401(k) with company match

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Generous paid time off and company holidays

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Additional wellness and work-life benefits

Compensation Range
$206,600—$258,300 USD

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.

The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!

For more information, visit www.natera.com.

Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.

Link: https://www.natera.com/notice-of-data-collection-california-residents/

Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.

For more information:
- BBB announcement on job scams
- FBI Cyber Crime resource page