Senior Manager, R&D Product Enablement
Axon · Boston, United States +3 · 13h ago
Join Axon and be a Force for Good.
At Axon, we’re on a mission to Protect Life. We’re explorers, pursuing society’s most critical safety and justice issues with our ecosystem of devices and cloud software. Like our products, we work better together. We connect with candor and care, seeking out diverse perspectives from our customers, communities and each other.
Life at Axon is fast-paced, challenging and meaningful. Here, you’ll take ownership and drive real change. Constantly grow as you work hard for a mission that matters at a company where you matter.
Your Impact
As the Senior Manager, R&D Product Enablement, you will own how Axon's product knowledge reaches customers. You will lead a team of ~8 direct reports, aligned to various Axon product lines, that produces and governs the content customers rely on to understand, adopt, and get value from Axon products: release notes, help and technical documentation, localized content, and the communications that accompany product launches and updates.
You will partner closely with Product, Customer Success, Support, Professional Services, Marketing, and Training to make sure the right information gets to the right audience at the right time, at global scale and with consistent quality. You will also help shape how AI is used to create and maintain that content, making the team faster and more effective.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy and Roadmap
- Own the Product Enablement strategic plan and annual roadmap, bringing a clear point of view on where the function is headed and why
- Translate operational work (documentation, release communications, localization, AI investment) into a coherent narrative told in terms of business impact, including adoption, support deflection, and customer satisfaction
- Build and maintain relationships with senior leaders across Product and customer-facing pillars, and represent Product Enablement in strategic planning forums
- Establish prioritization frameworks that align content investment to the highest business and customer needs across product pillars
Product Documentation and Help Content
- Lead the team responsible for the Help Site, technical documentation, and product knowledge content across Axon's product portfolio
- Set quality standards, style guidelines, and standard operating procedures for content creation, review, and maintenance
- Ensure content is accurate, timely, and kept current as products evolve, in partnership with Product and Engineering
Release Communications and Governance
- Own the Release Notes process and governance, including the internal-only Release Notes Hub, so that customers and internal teams receive clear, consistent, and timely information on product changes
- Establish and run regular stakeholder communications for major product areas and launches, including quarterly updates
- Lead content and communications response for high-visibility product events and incidents, maintaining quality while managing competing stakeholder priorities
Localization
- Own the sequencing and delivery of localized content, including the Help Site, working with Axon's Localization Center of Excellence and external vendors
- Balance global market needs, budget, and release timing to deliver accurate translated content on schedule
AI-Enabled Content Operations
- Drive responsible adoption of AI tools (e.g., Claude) across content creation, review, and maintenance workflows
- Document use cases, define guardrails and best practices, and lead cross-team forums that share learning and raise AI fluency across content-producing teams
- Identify opportunities to use AI to increase throughput, consistency, and quality
People Leadership
- Directly manage a team of ~8 direct reports (technical writers, instructional designers, and/or program managers) aligned across various product lines
- Ensure each product line has clear content ownership, consistent standards, and appropriate coverage, and balance team capacity across software and non-software products as priorities shift
- Lead, coach, and develop the team, building product and role-specific expertise
- Build a deliberate delegation and ownership model so every workstream has a clear owner and the team scales without depending on any single person
- Manage performance, compensation, career development, and retention; advocate for your team with data and a clear narrative
- Onboard new team members and integrate newly acquired or transitioning teams
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Partner with Product Managers, Engineering, Customer Success, Support, Professional Services, Training, and Marketing to gather inputs, resolve blockers, and align on timelines
- Manage intake, tracking, and prioritization of content work using Jira and related tools, with clear visibility into status and risk
- Handle escalations and stakeholder concerns with tact, clarity, and accountability
Your Day-to-Day
As Senior Manager, Product Enablement, you will:
- Set priorities and review progress across documentation, release notes, localization, and communications workstreams
- Lead and coach your direct reports across multiple product lines and remove blockers so work keeps moving
- Meet regularly with Product, Customer Success, Support, and pillar leaders to align on upcoming releases and content needs
- Monitor quality, timeliness, and customer feedback metrics, and adjust the team's approach accordingly
- Communicate status, risks, and impact clearly to senior leadership
- Explore and pilot new tools, workflows, and AI use cases that improve how content is produced and delivered
This role requires strong consultative and execution skills, exceptional people leadership, and the ability to build and develop relationships across Axon.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of experience in technical documentation, product content, product communications, enablement, or program management
- 2+ years of experience as a people manager
- Experience leading a team of 8 or more direct reports, ideally spanning multiple product lines or content domains
- Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams and stakeholders simultaneously in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment
- Experience owning content or communications quality standards and governance processes
- Experience using project and work-tracking tools (e.g., Jira, Smartsheet) and ensuring on-time delivery
- Clear, concise, and effective communicator, written and verbal, including with senior stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to partner across teams and hold others accountable to a plan
- Occasional travel may be required
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience managing technical writing or documentation teams
- Experience leading content for Saas, hardware, or software products
- Experience with localization and translation programs, including working with vendors or a Localization Center of Excellence
- Hands-on experience applying generative AI tools to content workflows
- Experience with release communications for SaaS, hardware, or software products
- Experience in a product or customer enablement function
- Experience leading teams through organizational change or transition
- Experience working with public safety customers
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
Benefits that Benefit You
- Competitive salary and 401k with employer match
- Discretionary paid time off
- Paid parental leave for all
- Medical, Dental, Vision plans
- Fitness Programs
- Emotional & Mental Wellness support
- Learning & Development programs
- Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
- And yes, we have snacks in our offices
Benefits listed herein may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the location where you work.
Axon is a total compensation company, meaning compensation is made up of base pay, bonus, and stock awards. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: level, function, training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs, geographic market, and often a combination of all these factors. Our benefits offer an array of options to help support you physically, financially and emotionally through the big milestones and in your everyday life. To see more details on our benefits offerings please visit https://www.axon.com/careers.
Don’t meet every single requirement? That's ok. At Axon, we Aim Far. We think big with a long-term view because we want to reinvent the world to be a safer, better place. We are also committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve.
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they check every box in the job description. If you’re excited about this role and our mission to Protect Life but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed here, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Important Notes
The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. The job description may change or be supplemented at any time in accordance with business needs and conditions.
Some roles may also require legal eligibility to work in a firearms environment.
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Axon’s mission is to Protect Life and is committed to the well-being and safety of its employees as well as Axon’s impact on the environment. All Axon employees must be aware of and committed to the appropriate environmental, health, and safety regulations, policies, and procedures. Axon employees are empowered to report safety concerns as they arise and activities potentially impacting the environment.
We are an equal opportunity employer that promotes justice, advances equity, values diversity and fosters inclusion. We’re committed to hiring the best talent — regardless of race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances — and empowering all of our employees so they can do their best work. If you have a disability or special need that requires assistance or accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please email recruitingops@axon.com. Please note that this email address is for accommodation purposes only. Axon will not respond to inquiries for other purposes.
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