Head Of Product

Role Overview

Job Title: Head of Product

Industry: Internet Application

Location: Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Department: Information Technology

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / Founders

Work Arrangement: Full-time / Remote (with relocation requirement for on-site presence)

Role Objective

The Head of Product will serve as a founding executive responsible for building and leading the companys entire technology function from the ground up. This role blends hands-on technical execution with strategic leadership requiring a high-calibre individual who can architect the core platform write and ship production code in the early stages and progressively transition into managing a high-performing engineering and technology operations team.

The Head of Product will play a pivotal role in developing the companys peer-to-peer car rental application MVP establishing the technical roadmap and aligning it closely with business objectives user needs and product-market fit. Alongside product development the Head of Product will oversee all operational aspects of the technology function including system performance uptime backend processes infrastructure management and vendor integrations.

In addition the Head of Product will actively contribute to investor discussions product positioning strategies and long-term scalability planningensuring that the technology vision is not only innovative and agile but also commercially viable and operationally sound.

Key Responsibilities

The Head of Product will play a dual role as both the technical architect and operational leader guiding the company through its foundational build-up and future scaling journey. This includes full-stack product development infrastructure oversight operational ownership team formation and strategic alignment with business goals and investor expectations.

Phase 1: Product Build & MVP (Initial Stage)
(Remote or Hybrid according to business needs)

Architect and Build the MVP:

• Take full ownership of the technology stack and code base.

• Design develop and deploy the initial version of the mobile and/or web-based peer-to-peer car rental application.

• Implement core features such as user registration real-time ride matching route optimisation driver/rider ratings and payment integrations.

Operational Setup:

• Establish and manage core operational workflows for backend systems

  hosting infrastructure server uptime and database reliability.
• Set up automated deployment pipelines logging monitoring and alerts to support a responsive development and support environment.
• Oversee IT operations processes such as bug tracking load testing backup policies and basic customer support tool integrations.

Technology Strategy & Execution:

• Establish a lean efficient technology roadmap that supports rapid prototyping and market testing
• Select the most suitable development tools frameworks and infrastructure (e.g. Firebase AWS or similar).

Founding Team Collaboration:

• Work closely with the CEO and co-founders to align technology with go-

  to-market and operational strategies.
• Participate in early-stage discussions around pricing growth and market positioning from a product/tech standpoint.

Hands-on Development & Testing:

• Lead by example by guiding the development team in best practices strategies and performance optimization ensuring the delivery of an optimal and user-friendly interface.
• Set up initial testing frameworks CI/CD pipelines and basic security protocols.

Early Talent Hiring:

• Hire and mentor the first set of developers or freelancers.

• Establish a collaborative engineering-first culture focused on speed quality and accountability.

Phase 2: Growth Scaling & Investor Engagement

(Hybrid or on-site according to business needs)

Scalable Architecture:

• Refactor and scale the product to support increasing user loads geographic expansion and more complex feature sets.
• Implement robust backend systems data management solutions and scalable APIs.

Operational Excellence:

• Build and manage an operations-focused technology layer including DevOps security incident response and systems scalability.

• Monitor and improve system uptime API performance and service

  level agreements (SLAs).
• Ensure ongoing compliance with app store policies and local regulations (e.g. Saudi Arabian data handling requirements).

Leadership & Team Building:

• Build out a full-stack engineering team and technical leadership structure.
• Establish responsibilities and KPIs across the technology function and evaluate performance.

Product & Business Integration:

• Collaborate with product managers and UX/UI designers to refine features based on user feedback and market fit.
• Contribute to strategic business decisions from a technology perspective (e.g. white labelling B2B integrations or fleet management features).

Investor Relations & Funding Support:

• Serve as the technology voice in investor pitches and due diligence meetings.
• Prepare technical documentation architecture blueprints and innovation roadmaps for venture capital presentations.

Governance Risk and Compliance:

• Introduce scalable governance documentation and cybersecurity measures.
• Ensure compliance with relevant local regulations and app store standards (e.g. Apple Google Play).

Innovation & Vision:

• Stay ahead of mobility trends and emerging technologies to ensure long-term competitive advantage.
• Drive continuous innovation exploring opportunities in AI predictive routing or dynamic pricing as the business evolves.

Key Decision-Making Powers

• Full autonomy to select the programming languages frameworks platforms and infrastructure required to build and scale the product.
• Authority to define the system architecture and development methodologies (e.g. agile CI/CD).

• Lead decisions on technical priorities feature timelines and release strategies in collaboration with the CEO and Product stakeholders.
• Determine MVP scope and future iterations based on technical feasibility business needs and user feedback
• Authority to recruit structure and manage the engineering team including developers DevOps QA and other technical roles.
• Define job descriptions set performance standards and decide on outsourcing or in-house development as required.

• Input into the annual technology budget and responsibility for allocating resources across infrastructure tools staffing and vendor contracts.

• Final authority on third-party service providers SaaS tools cloud solutions and payment gateways integrated into the platform.

• Decision-making power on the implementation of cybersecurity measures data protection protocols and regulatory compliance standards.
• Influence over technical elements presented to investors including architecture plans scaling strategies and tech-enabled monetisation models.
• Represent the technical team in board-level and investor meetings as required.
• Freedom to initiate and lead innovation efforts in emerging technologies (e.g. AI-based route matching data analytics user personalisation).

Person Specifications

Educational and Professional Requirements:

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science Engineering Information Technology or a related technical field is preferred. A Bachelors degree is the minimum requirement.
• Proven track record of successfully leading the development of mobile or web-based applications from concept to launch preferably in a startup or fast-paced digital environment.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in software engineering architecture or product development.
• Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional teams and directly influencing business outcomes through technology.
• Strong background in modern technology stacks cloud platforms (e.g. AWS GCP Azure) mobile app development and system architecture.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate high-level business objectives into executable technical strategies.
• Hands-On Technical Expertise: Deep coding proficiency and willingness to lead by example during the early stages of development.
• Leadership & Team Building: Proven ability to recruit develop and inspire technical teams; strong mentoring and communication skills.
• Product and User Orientation: Comfortable working closely with product teams to ensure the technology aligns with user needs and market expectations.
• Execution Focused: Start-up mindset with the agility to deliver under tight deadlines and limited resources.
• Stakeholder Communication: Skilled in articulating technical ideas to non-technical audiences including founders investors and board members.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and troubleshooting abilities to address complex technical and operational challenges.
• Adaptability & Resilience: Thrives in a dynamic evolving environment with shifting priorities and high levels of uncertainty.

Compensation & Benefits

While specific figures will be discussed during the final stages of the selection process the successful candidate can expect a comprehensive and competitive offer:

The compensation and benefits package will include:

• Base Salary: Competitive monthly salary.

• Equity Options: Founding-level equity stake to reflect long-term contribution and commitment to the companys success.
• Relocation Support: Assistance with relocation to Riyadh including accommodation guidance and settling-in support if required.
• Remote Flexibility: Hybrid or on-site work model according to business needs.
• Annual Leave: Generous annual leave entitlement and public holiday observance.
• Technology Budget: A dedicated allowance to equip the Head of Product with the necessary tools and software for efficient work.
• Future Growth Benefits: As the company matures additional executive perks and performance-based incentives will be introduced in line with leadership performance and company milestones.