Staff Product Manager (CDC)

About Skylight

Skylight is a digital consultancy using design and technology to help government agencies deliver better public services. We’re at the forefront of a civic movement to reinvent how all levels of government serve families, patients, and many others in today's digital world.

If you want to play a part in driving this critical movement forward, we’d love for you to join our growing team of public interest technologists. The work we do matters.

About the job

At Skylight, product managers are responsible for strategy, planning, execution, stakeholder management, and team health. Product managers partner with researchers, designers, engineers, client stakeholders, and others to inform their product decisions. At a high level, it’s the product manager’s job to figure out what to build next and why.

In this role, you’ll work closely with leading public health experts and technologists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help build a modern, response-ready public health data system. You'll be part of a dynamic initiative developing open-source, modular tools that empower public health agencies to enhance data collection, processing, and analysis — ultimately strengthening their ability to respond to public health threats. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a national effort that will shape the future of public health data infrastructure.

What you’ll do

• Lead a cross-functional team of researchers, designers, engineers, and subject matter experts to build and ship user-centered, scalable products and services
• Translate user and stakeholder needs into clear product strategies, defining vision, success metrics, roadmaps, and prioritized backlogs
• Manage the direction, scope, and priorities of product initiatives from early user research and minimum viable products (MVPs) to mature, scalable solutions
• Write, prioritize, and maintain user stories, plan product releases, and continuously iterate based on user feedback and technical constraints
• Use qualitative and quantitative data to inform strategic decisions and prioritize work based on user and stakeholder value
• Facilitate team ceremonies (e.g., sprint planning, stakeholder syncs, retrospectives)
• Navigate organizational complexity, remove bureaucratic barriers, and advocate for agile, user-first practices
• Manage client, stakeholder, and third-party relationships effectively to build trust, alignment, and healthy team environments
• Conduct outreach to public health jurisdictions and stakeholders to foster product adoption
• Ensure product solutions integrate seamlessly with existing government systems, processes, policies, and security requirements

What we're looking for

Minimum qualifications

• Proven ability to define and implement outcome-driven product strategies grounded in problem framing, stakeholder goals, and user research
• Experience using human-centered design methods to inform, test, and iterate product direction
• Strong understanding of lean product principles (e.g., MVP) and their practical application throughout the product lifecycle to mitigate risk and validate assumptions
• Ability to break down complex product initiatives into manageable deliverables, prioritize effectively, and execute against evolving goals
• Experience working with agile and lean delivery methods (Scrum, Kanban, etc.) and knowing when and how to apply each effectively
• Demonstrated adaptability managing both new ("greenfield") products and existing, mature product environments
• Strong collaboration skills across disciplines, especially design, engineering, acquisition, and client stakeholders
• Ability to work successfully within a professional services environment (e.g., can communicate effectively with clients)
• Passionate about creating better public outcomes through great government services
• A mindset and work approach that aligns with our core values
• Ability to travel for work from time to time

Nice-to-have qualifications

• Active federal public trust (tier 2)
• Experience supporting public health initiatives or working with CDC stakeholders
• Prior software engineering or engineering management experience
• Prior experience working in the civic tech space
• Experience working in a remote-team environment

Don’t meet 100% of the criteria but think you can do the job? We’d love to chat anyway! We’re on a mission to build diverse teams, and studies have shown that women and marginalized folks are less likely to apply to jobs if they don’t check every box.

Other requirements

• All wor