Associate Product Manager

Farmer’s Fridge makes fruits and vegetables accessible and approachable for everyone. We offer a variety of fresh, healthy, ready-to-eat meals and snacks through our fresh food vending machines, wholesale partners, and our office pantry solution — providing chef-curated meals to customers within seconds. Today, we operate a network of Fridges and partner with clients nationwide in high-foot-traffic areas, such as airports, hospitals, universities, and large office buildings — where there is limited accessibility to fresh, healthy, grab-n-go options.

We care deeply about what we’re creating and aspire to make sure our customers feel that through every touchpoint. This shows up in many ways across the business. We are committed to prioritizing food safety, we are passionate about product quality, we value our employees, we champion the best idea no matter where it comes from, and we’re committed to making an overall positive impact as we scale. 

About this Role: The Associate Product Manager (APM) will be a key player in driving seamless execution and delivery across Fridge Tech-owned applications (Mobile App, Fridge UI, and internal systems). Reporting directly to the Sr Manager Product & Design, the APM will work closely withEngineering, Design, and cross-functional teams to launch and improve features while supporting operational needs.This role is designed for someone who thrives in execution-focused environments, is a strong communicator (verbal and written) and problem solver, and has a solid product management foundation with particular emphasis on iterative & agile practices.

This role is based in our Chicago, IL, office and requires in-person collaboration with our team.

What You’ll Do...

Product Execution:

• Lead delivery of product features by executing against defined priorities, creating clear and actionable documentation (user stories, requirements, timelines), and collaborating with the team to ensure smooth and timely execution.
• Own sprint ceremonies (e.g. planning, retros, project kick offs) in partnership with the engineering manager.
• Manage & maintain a well-prioritized backlog to enable effective engineering and design execution.
• Prioritize tasks and manage trade-offs between scope, quality, and timelines while maintaining a focus on delivering value.
• Proactively identify and resolve blockers or risks that could impact delivery.
• Triage and resolve bugs/issues responsibly by collaborating with the engineering team to understand & prioritize, communicate updates to stakeholders, and ensure timely resolutions.
• Support UAT of product features to maintain high standards of deliverables.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Provide consistent and clear status updates to cross-functional teams via written and verbal communication, ensuring transparency on progress, addressing any roadblocks, and engaging the correct cross-functional partners at the right time to ensure smooth delivery.
• Proactively resolve unknowns or ambiguities by engaging the appropriate stakeholders/team members and asking the right questions to drive clarity and executional decision-making.
• Act as a reliable point of contact for execution-level issues, facilitating effective communication and timely resolutions to keep initiatives on track.

Data-Driven Decision Making:

• Leverage tools like Mixpanel to monitor product performance and inform prioritization.
• Collaborate with the engineering and design teams to measure the success of features post-launch and iterate based on insights.
• Use data to assess operational efficiency and identify areas for improvement in team workflows.

Ownership & Autonomy:

• Operate with independence and make execution-level decisions in collaboration with the engineering manager, such as refining sprint priorities, resolving trade-offs between scope and timelines, and addressing stakeholder feedback during development cycles.
• Escalate to the Senior Manager, Product & Design when necessary, ensuring continuity in team operations and decision-making.
• Continuously refine and optimize product development processes to enhance efficiency.

Who You Are:

• Undergraduate degree in a technical or analytical field such as Business, Mathematics, Economics, etc., with 1-3 years of experience in product management or related roles (Design, Project Management, Tech Support, Customer Success, etc.).
• Familiarity with Jira, Figma, and Mixpanel (or similar tools) for managing workflows, collaboration, and analytics.
• Strong understanding of Agile processes and ability to run sprint ceremonies effectively.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Clear and concise communication skills, with the ability to align cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• A data-informed mindset, with experience analyzing metrics to inform decisions.
• Collaborative, self-starting, and proactive, with a strong sense of ownership over their work.

Benefits at Farmer's Fridge:

In This Together - We stay connected, whether in person or virtually. We encourage business transparency through monthly town hall meetings and weekly financial updates. We set out to make the best product on the market, and we believe we’ve done it. We value your input in the new menu creation process. From regular tasting panels, where employees provide new menu feedback. 

Happier Workdays - Each day at work should fill you with joy. We're a fun and passionate group, and we don't take ourselves too seriously. Bring your unique self to work, dress comfortably, and always feel free to share your thoughts and opinions. We encourage curiosity; there's no hierarchy here when we're all swapping ideas.  

Never run on empty - Daily Farmer's Fridge meal and office snacks are just some of the offerings to make sure you aren't distracted by a growling stomach. Recharge with our paid sabbatical program after four years of service. 

Innovate & Elevate - We're all teachers and learners. You'll grow and help grow the company through cross-functional collaboration, open access to leadership, and regular business updates. You have a direct impact on the company’s bottom line. You can also impact your bottom line by participating in our 401(k) plan that includes a company match with immediate vesting.

Farmer’s Fridge Diversity Statement:

"Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Farmer’s Fridge, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.”

Farmer’s Fridge is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices, including hiring, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. View our disclosures related to External Agencies and Applicants below: https://www.farmersfridge.com/careerdisclosures