Research & Discovery Product Manager

Trident Consulting is seeking a "Research & Discovery Product Manager” for one of our clients. A global leader in business and technology services.Job Title: Product Delivery Manager III (Research & Discovery Product Manager)Location: Rosemead, CA (Hybrid – Onsite Tue/Wed)Job type: Contract w2 roleSchedule: M–F, 8 AM – 5 PMDuration: Full-time, 40 hrs/weekPay rate : $60 – 70/hr on w2Job SummaryThe Product Delivery Manager III (Research & Discovery Product Manager) is responsible for transforming unclear business needs into clear, validated, and actionable problem definitions. This role is focused exclusively on research and discovery—not delivery management or people leadership. The ideal candidate will lead early-stage product exploration, customer research, journey mapping, and creation of Discovery Packets used by IT teams for accurate estimation and by leadership for investment decisions.Key Responsibilities1. Strategic Discovery & Problem FramingConvert ambiguous business problems into fully defined opportunities with customer, business, and regulatory context.Develop “shovel-ready” Discovery Packets to support IT estimation, capital approvals, and prioritization.Collaborate with Senior Product Manager to create ROI models when needed.Translate scattered backlog items into structured strategic themes.2. Research & Validation LeadershipLead customer research including interviews, usability tests, validation sessions, and prototype concept testing.Utilize call center data, QM analytics, and operational insights to validate root causes.Identify regulatory and compliance constraints in partnership with Senior Product ManagerCreate service blueprints, journey maps, business rule definitions, and low-fidelity prototypes.3. Stakeholder Alignment & Scope ManagementWork closely with Domain Product Managers to understand cross-channel impacts and early-stage constraints.Support definition of MVP boundaries to ensure IT estimates align with validated scope.Ensure discovery artifacts are consistent, complete, and transition smoothly into the estimation or execution phases.Required Qualifications·Bachelor’s Degree in a business, technical, or related discipline (or equivalent experience).·5+ years of experience in Discovery, UX Research, Product Strategy, or Service Design.·Expertise in journey mapping, service blueprinting, and early-stage prototyping.·Strong analytical, synthesis, facilitation, and problem-solving capabilities.·Ability to translate user needs and operational insights into measurable business value.Preferred QualificationsExperience working in large-scale, regulated enterprise environments.Familiarity with customer research methodologies and data-driven decision-making.