Job Information
CN Expert Product Management in Montreal, Canada
Job Summary
The incumbent is accountable for assessing and translating business needs into clear, actionable product requirements that align with CN’s strategic objectives. The role requires a strong combination of business acumen and technical understanding to evaluate trade-offs, prioritize product features, and maintain a roadmap that delivers maximum business value. Working closely with Business and Information & Technology (I&T) stakeholders, the Product Manager supports the end-to-end lifecycle of assigned products, from initial development through ongoing evolution and enhancement. The role actively incorporates customer and stakeholder feedback to continuously improve product performance, user experience, and overall satisfaction, ensuring that solutions address real customer needs, operational pain points, and organizational priorities.
Main Responsibilities
Build and sustain strong partnerships with business leaders and internal stakeholders to identify product opportunities and ensure alignment on business outcomes
Lead the end-to-end intake, evaluation, and prioritization of product initiatives, enhancements, and defect fixes within the assigned product area
Elicit, analyze, and document business requirements, translating them into clear, actionable product features and backlog items
Develop, maintain, and communicate product roadmaps that align with business strategy, delivery capacity, and technology direction
Own and manage the product backlog, ensuring continuous refinement, prioritization, and readiness for delivery teams
Collaborate closely with Product Owners, architects, and delivery teams to support solution design, development, testing, and deployment activities
Support Agile ceremonies and planning activities, including Program Increment (PI) planning, backlog refinement, sprint reviews, and retrospectives
Define and monitor value metrics, benefits realization, and performance indicators to assess product effectiveness and business impact
Assess and communicate the impacts of changes related to scope, timelines, cost, dependencies, and delivery risks
Act as a key point of escalation to resolve cross-team dependencies, conflicting priorities, and scope-related issues
Ensure products and related enhancements meet regulatory, cybersecurity, architectural, and governance requirements
Conduct market research and industry analysis to inform product decisions and identify innovative or competitive opportunities
Engage with vendors and third-party partners to support product delivery and understand evolving technology capabilities
Support business case development, funding requests, and annual budgeting activities related to assigned products
Facilitate stakeholder communication by providing regular updates on product progress, risks, milestones, and decisions
Participate in product demonstrations, release activities, and post-implementation reviews to drive continuous improvement
Support ongoing product lifecycle management, including operational readiness, sustainment activities, and planned enhancements Working Conditions The role has standard working conditions in an office environment with a regular workweek from Monday to Friday. The role requires occasional business travel (up to 20%) in accordance with CN policy for meetings within Canada and the United States (U.S.). Due to the nature of the role, the incumbent must be able to meet tight deadlines, handle pressure, and stress. Requirements Experience
Minimum 10 years of overall professional experience
Minimum 5 years of experience in product management, business analysis, or a related role
Demonstrated experience working with senior leaders and diverse stakeholder groups to support informed decision-making
Proven experience shaping, building, scaling, and sustaining products throughout their lifecycle
Experience working across business and technology functions, with increasing levels of responsibility
Minimum 3 years of experience working within Agile, Lean, or iterative delivery environments Education/Certification/Designation Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or Business Administration or an equivalent combination of education and experienceProduct Management or Business Analysis certificationsAny designation for these above would be considered as an asset **Competencies
Demonstrates strong business acumen and the ability to connect product decisions to strategic and operational outcomes
Communicates effectively with executives, business stakeholders, and technical teams, adapting messaging to diverse audiences
Exercises leadership and influence without direct authority to align stakeholders and drive outcomes
Collaborates effectively across business and I&T functions to deliver integrated solutions
Applies sound judgment and analytical thinking to solve complex problems and balance competing priorities
Demonstrates agility and adaptability in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
Plans, organizes, and executes work effectively while managing multiple initiatives concurrently
Facilitates discussions, workshops, and decision-making forums to achieve alignment and clarity
Technical Skills/Knowledge
Strong knowledge of product management and business analysis practices, methodologies, and tools
Experience developing business requirements documents, statements of work, and supporting capital planning activities
Understanding of Agile, Lean, and DevSecOps delivery principles and practices
Ability to define product vision, roadmap, and value propositions and execute against them
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to assess cost-benefit trade-offs and value realization
Technical understanding of cloud platforms, data strategies, and modern enterprise systems
Familiarity with system architecture concepts and system engineering practices
Experience working with complex, business-critical systems
Knowledge of process improvement methodologies and continuous improvement practices
Industry experience in transportation, logistics, telecom, or railroad operations*
*Any designation for these above would be considered as an asset
Organizational Impact
Decision Making & Impacts
The incumbent works with all levels of the organization, particularly senior decision makers in the CN business and I&T organization. The role is responsible for making recommendations that influence the technology and product roadmaps. Furthermore, the incumbent is expected to use their discretion on when to escalate decisions or issues for management review and input. The role holds decision-making authority on prioritization of technical features in products and changes made as part of product evolution.
Level of Interaction/Influence
The incumbent interacts with individuals internal to CN. More specifically, the incumbent liaises with Business and I&T colleagues including Product Owner, Business Architect, Release Train Engineer, Senior Delivery Manager, Program Manager, as well as senior CN executives at the Vice President (VP) and Senior Vice President (SVP) level.
Employees Supervised/Organizational Structure
The role has no supervisory responsibility.
About CN
CN is a premium railroad that sustainably generates value for our customers, shareholders, employees, and stakeholders with an unwavering commitment to safety and service. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. CN's network connects Canada's Eastern and Western coasts with the U.S. South through a 20,000-mile rail network. CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN powers the North American economy and is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship.
At CN, we are dedicated to building North America's safest (https://www.cn.ca/en/safety/) , most inclusive (https://www.cn.ca/en/careers/inclusion) and sustainable (https://www.cn.ca/en/delivering-responsibly/environment/) railroad, which includes reflecting the communities in which we operate. Research shows that candidates often don't apply unless they feel they fit the job posting at 100%. To all potential applicants, even if you don't meet every job requirement listed in a posting, we still encourage you to apply. If you require an accommodation for the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials, accessible meeting rooms or other accommodations), please get in touch with our team at cnrecruitment@cn.ca .
As an equal opportunity employer, qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.
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