Product Manager

About APPLY

APPLY is the Agentic Customer Experience (ACx) partner for the world’s most ambitious consumer and entertainment brands. We combine deep domain expertise across Retail, CPG, Sports, and Media with AI-native delivery capabilities, designing and delivering agentic solutions that transform CX vision into commercial reality. We are the partner of choice for brands like Arc’teryx, NFL, Lululemon, and Kraft Heinz. Learn more at applydigital.com.

The Role

As a Product Consultant embedded with our client in sports entertainment, you will drive the delivery of world-class video and advertising experiences across web, mobile, and connected devices. This technically demanding space involves live streaming infrastructure, video delivery pipelines, and programmatic advertising. You'll work closely with engineering teams, evaluate technical tradeoffs, and engage with vendors and architects. Collaborating with the Product Manager on the Video team and Director of Product on the Ads team, you will own roadmap execution and daily delivery for Video and Ads, ensuring high-quality and rapid releases.

You will be an active contributor to product strategy, leading roadmap conversations, identifying opportunities, developing use cases, and defining initiatives from inception. You’ll manage significant scope across the product lifecycle, from discovery and problem definition through launch, with direct exposure to and influence with Product and business leadership at a top sports entertainment brand.

Location

APPLY is hybrid/remote-friendly. The preferred candidate should be based in the Greater Los Angeles area, with working hours aligning to PST. This is a hybrid role requiring at least 3 days a week on-site at our client’s office.

Responsibilities

Delivery & Execution

• Own the operational health of the video and ads backlogs, including grooming, ticket hygiene, user stories, sprint tracking, and release readiness across two squads.
• Lead coordination across a vendor ecosystem including video player, encoding/pipeline, video analytics and observability, casting, and cross-device continuity partners, ensuring accountability and evaluating technical tradeoffs.
• Translate product direction into well-scoped product specification documents and maintain their accuracy.
• Own release tracking and delivery reporting, proactively identifying and communicating risks and blockers.
• Serve as the daily connective tissue between platform teams, engineering, QA, design, and external partners.

Strategy

• Drive roadmap and strategy conversations across Video and Ads, leading opportunity identification, initiative sizing, and prioritization.
• Partner with the Ads Product Director to develop and maintain the ads roadmap, shaping its content.
• Identify new product opportunities in streaming and monetization, bringing structured thinking to early-stage ideas and developing business cases.
• Stay abreast of industry trends in streaming media, programmatic advertising, and emerging platforms, influencing team direction with relevant insights.

Stakeholder & Product Development

• Build and maintain direct relationships with client stakeholders across product, engineering, ad ops, and business teams.
• Lead the development of user-facing features, gathering requirements, synthesizing feedback, and defining success metrics.
• Drive new initiative discovery through interviews, use-case development, and competitive research.
• Own product areas end-to-end, from problem definition through launch.

What You Bring

• 3 to 5 years of product management experience on a digital product team.
• Strong understanding of video streaming technologies, CDNs, encoding, playback optimization, and digital video advertising.
• Sharp product instincts, capable of leading roadmap discussions, identifying gaps, and advocating for product integrity.
• Proven experience coordinating with external technical vendors or partners, holding them accountable to commitments.
• Clear, precise written communication skills for tickets, PRDs, and updates.
• Track record of taking products from concept to launch.
• Curiosity about the business context behind product development.

Nice to Have

• Hands-on experience with ad insertion platforms or DAI/SSAI workflows.
• Experience with video analytics (QoE) or observability platforms (Mux, Conviva, etc.).
• Ability to analyze product data and translate insights into actionable improvements.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including with senior client leadership.
• Familiarity with third-party streaming platforms, analytics tools, and player integrations.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards, internationalization, and content rights management.
• Working knowledge of AI productivity tooling (prompt engineering, AI-assisted research/writing, LLM tools) and interest in applying them to PM workflows.
• Prior consulting or embedded client engagement experience; comfort in a matrixed environment.

Why This Role?

• Work embedded within one of the most recognized sports leagues globally, impacting a product used by tens of millions of fans.
• Gain deep exposure to a sophisticated technology stack in live streaming, video delivery, and digital advertising, accelerating your PM career.
• This role offers a clear growth path, with opportunities for increased ownership, scope, and responsibility as you demonstrate product leadership.

Compensation

$100,000 - $130,000 a year

Life at APPLY

APPLY prioritizes its people, providing modern tools, systems, and approaches while valuing time, safety, and health. We foster a thriving work community with benefits including:

• Agentic Delivery: Broaden skills on engagements with international brands.
• Inclusive and Safe Environment: A culture where everyone is celebrated, welcome, and safe.
• AI & Strategic Upskilling: Generous training budgets and mentorship focused on Agentic AI expertise and future-of-work human skills.
• Generous Vacation Policy: Flexible Personal Time Off (PTO) to promote well-being.
• Customizable Benefits: Tailor extended health and dental plans.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Options for remote, in-office, or hybrid work.

APPLY is committed to equal opportunity and fostering a workplace where everyone belongs. For recruitment accommodations, please email [email protected].

Note: AI tools may be used to assist in the hiring process, but final decisions are human-led.