Director, Labs

Axonify is the frontline operations platform for customer-facing businesses. We began by reinventing frontline learning and earned unmatched engagement with global brands. Now, we're evolving into an automated frontline ops excellence solution that connects people, tasks, communication, and outcomes to deliver consistent, brand-building experiences.
More than 4 million employees across 160+ countries rely on Axonify today. It's an exciting time to join as we transform the company and build what's next
We're a team that thinks deeply, moves with intention, and embraces new ideas. We learn quickly, keep a sharp focus on real-world impact, and take meaningful action to drive progress. And we do it as one team, with openness, creativity, and a shared drive to keep pushing what's possible
The Role
Axonify Labs is a small, dedicated team within Product Development focused on innovation and growth outside of the core product roadmap. This group experiments with new ideas, explores emerging markets, and identifies potential opportunities to expand Axonify's business. Axonify Labs expands on our commitment to innovation, ensuring we're constantly learning, testing, and validating new ideas.
As a foundational member of the new Axonify Labs team, you will play a pivotal role in the discovery, validation, and commercial strategy for our next generation of innovative products. This is an exciting opportunity for a product-focused leader who can wear many hats, owning the end-to-end lifecycle of new ideas from initial concept to validated MVP and business case.
This role requires an innovative problem-solver who can think outside the box and push boundaries to find solutions to intractable problems. You must bring deep "Zero-to-One" product expertise, a passion for hands-on market discovery, and the high EQ needed to build trust with potential customers. Success depends on combining these skills with modern go-to-market acumen, a knack for growth marketing, and strong business acumen. A genuine passion for emerging technology, particularly AI, is essential to identify how new developments can be leveraged to create novel business opportunities. Finally, you must be intellectually honest and resilient in the face of failure, motivated by finding truth in the market.
What You'll Build
Contribute significantly to every stage of the innovation lifecycle, from initial concept and validation to MVP, through to a full market launch.Develop deep market expertise and customer empathy by building authentic relationships with users and conducting continuous primary research to gather candid feedback.Collaborate with technical partners to create low-fidelity prototypes and concepts, and utilize them to gather user feedback and validate ideas.Define and validate potential go-to-market strategies for new products, including product-led growth (PLG), freemium, or other non-traditional models.Apply a strong commercial lens to new product ideas by understanding market size and unit economics.Drive early-stage demand and interest for new concepts using lean, low-cost growth marketing tactics.Work in rapid, iterative cycles to test hypotheses, using data-driven feedback to pivot or persevere on new ideas.Partner closely with technical counterparts in Axonify Labs.
What You'll Bring
10+ years of work experience with 6 years of product or development/development management or other technical execution experience is a must.Technical aptitude gained through post-secondary education, experience or a combination of both. Demonstrable experience taking new software products from concept to initial launch.Experience with modern go-to-market strategies (PLG, freemium) and lean marketing tactics preferred but not required.Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to build rapport and trust with diverse audiences.Strong critical thinking skills and a data-driven, hypothesis-led mindset.High tolerance for ambiguity and comfort working in a fast-paced, experimental environment.A natural curiosity and passion for technology, particularly the application of AI to solve business problems.Bonus if you have experience working in the CX or retail innovation space, with a strong understanding of shopper journeys and the ability to leverage data and feedback loops to elevate customer experience.
It's ok if your experience doesn't check every box If you check off more than a few - great We'd welcome a chance to get to know what you can bring, how you can add to our culture, and hear your unique story.
Work Location
The Director, Axonify Labs may be based near our Waterloo or Toronto offices to support in-person collaboration and participate in "Work from Work Wednesdays," or located in New York or Boston. Candidates must be able to work Eastern Time hours and be available to travel to our Waterloo or Toronto offices to support in-person collaboration.
For our hybrid employees, Wednesdays hold a special place in our calendar as Axonifers gather together in one of our offices for "Work from Work Wednesdays." These face-to-face interactions energize our week with meaningful connection and foster collaboration and innovation. Let's chat more about our flexible working arrangement 
You will be provided with the tools, resources and support to ensure your success.
What You'll Love About Axonify:      
We offer a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and overall success. Here's what you can expect:
Competitive Compensation: Competitive salary and an incentive plan aligned to your role, which may include annual or variable incentives. We take a thoughtful, market-based approach to compensation. The estimated base salary range for this role is $182,000 CAD - $207,000 CAD - $232,000 CAD for Canadian locations and $205,000 USD - $230,000 - $255,000 USD for US locations and reflects growth from building capability in the role to fully excelling over time, with most new hires joining near the midpoint. Actual salaries may vary within the range, or above or below it, based on factors such as experience, skills, location, and business needs. Comprehensive Health Benefits: Health benefits from day one to support your overall wellbeing. Generous Time Off: 4 weeks of vacation, 7 Life Care Days, and a flexible holiday program to choose the religious, spiritual, and cultural holidays that matter most to you. Wellbeing Support: Wellness Spending Account to support whatever wellbeing looks like for you. Home Workspace Set-Up: Home Office Spending Account so your workspace works for you. Family & Future Support: Parental top-up, New Parent Days, and matched retirement savings for a secure future. Growth & Learning: Professional Development Budget to learn new skills and grow your craft. Community Impact: Paid Volunteer Time to give back to the causes that matter to you. In-Office Connection: Tasty Tuesdays in the office every other week because good food brings people together.
AI at Axonify
We believe AI should help people do their best work, not replace the human judgment, creativity, and connection that make us who we are. AI is a tool we use to learn fast, elevate our craft, and focus on the work that truly creates impact. That shows up in our hiring process too.
We use AI-assisted tools to create a smoother, more organized, and ultimately more human candidate experience. These tools allow our team to spend more time on real conversations and thoughtful decision-making, the things that matter.
What AI doesn't do at Axonify is make hiring decisions. Every decision is made by real people, using real judgment and grounded in our values.
Here's what that means for you as a candidate:Feel free to use AI to support your thinking - not replace it. We use AI to learn and level up, and you can too.Be open about how you use AI if asked. Transparency helps us understand your process and how you approach problem-solving.Stay authentic. We're hiring people, not prompts, your ideas, your experiences, and your voice are what matter.
Diversity & Accessibility
We believe our team's unique experiences, backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, and abilities add richness to our culture and depth to our ideas. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion creates an environment that supports, empowers, and delivers a sense of belonging for all team members.
We want to remove any barriers that may limit you from joining Axonify. Email  to let us know how we can support you with reasonable accommodations throughout the candidate journey.
What's Next?
Apply. Our Talent Acquisition team is committed to providing an outstanding experience throughout your journey with us.
Learn more about Axonify

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