Assistant Manager Product

Job description / Role

Key responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into technical specifications and product roadmaps.
• Lead software implementation programs from concept through deployment, ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery across multiple retail locations and systems.
• Evaluate and integrate AI/ML technologies, APIs, and third-party solutions into our retail tech stack; assess build vs. buy decisions.
• Manage product lifecycle: conduct market research, define success metrics, gather requirements, prioritize features, and measure product performance and ROI.
• Drive adoption of new solutions across retail teams; create change management strategies and provide training/documentation to stakeholders.
• Identify and mitigate technical risks; troubleshoot implementation issues and coordinate with support teams to resolve blockers.
• Monitor industry trends in AI, retail technology, and digital transformation; present competitive insights and recommendations to leadership.
• Act as a bridge between business stakeholders and technical teams to ensure alignment and clear communication throughout the product lifecycle.

Required qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in product management, technical product management, or solutions engineering roles.
• 4+ years of hands-on experience building, architecting, or deploying AI/ML solutions in production environments.
• 2+ years of experience leading enterprise software implementations, preferably in retail, e-commerce, or related industries.
• Strong technical foundation: understanding of machine learning concepts (supervised/unsupervised learning, model training, validation), APIs, databases, and cloud infrastructure.
• Demonstrated experience with retail business processes: merchandising, inventory management, point-of-sale systems, supply chain, and customer analytics.
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects with competing priorities and tight timelines.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences and vice versa.
• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Proficiency in using Claude/Chat GPT to automate workflows and build agents.
• PMP, Agile, or Scrum certification.

Core competencies

• Technical acumen: deep understanding of AI/ML, software architecture, and implementation methodologies.
• Strategic thinking: ability to align technology initiatives with business objectives and competitive positioning.
• Project management: strong planning, execution, and risk management skills.
• Cross-functional leadership: ability to lead and influence teams without direct authority.
• Problem-solving: analytical mindset with creative approach to complex challenges.
• Customer focus: obsession with understanding end-user needs and delivering value.
• Adaptability: comfort with ambiguity and rapid change in a dynamic retail environment.
• Communication: clear, compelling communication with ability to translate across business and technical domains.

About the Company

The Apparel Group is a global fashion and lifestyle brand conglomerate residing on the crossroads of a modern economy - Dubai, UAE. The mercurial growth in the last 17 years has been by acquiring a host of world class fashion labels from around the world - Nine West, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Aldo & Tim Hortons just to name a few.

Today the group caters to thousands of eager shoppers through its over 1530 stores, 75 International brands and employing 12,000 multi cultural staff in over 4 continents. Apparel believes in turning dreams in to reality and we give everyone - our customers, our stakeholders, our employees - an equal opportunity to do so.

Apparel group has carved its strong presence not only in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia but opened thriving gateways to market in India, South Africa, Poland, Singapore, Jordan, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Additionally, clear strategies are in place to enter emerging markets such as Hungary, Pakistan, Egypt and Philippines.