VP, Product - Global Accountancy
3 days ago
Slough
About IRIS IRIS Software Group is a leading global provider of mission critical software and services, and one of the UK’s largest privately held software companies. IRIS provides software solutions and services for finance, HR and payroll teams, educational organisations, and accountancy firms that improves efficiency and productivity, taking the pain out of processes and letting professionals focus on the work they love. Our operational software is the invisible, but essential, beating heart of our customers’ businesses, supporting them in a range of objectives, from maintaining legislative compliance, to boosting engagement with stakeholders, to enhancing productivity. It’s vital these mission critical functions work first time, every time. The Role & Purpose We are seeking an exceptional VP, Product - Global Accountancy to lead our product strategy across UK, US, and international markets. This role combines deep accounting domain expertise with strategic product leadership, requiring someone who can translate complex accounting workflows into innovative AI-enhanced product solutions. You will be the strategic thought leader for IRIS's accounting product portfolio while building and leading a high-performing team in a collaborative two-in-a-box partnership with Engineering leadership. The Role in Detail Strategic Thinking & Thought Leadership • Drive product vision and strategy across global accounting markets, staying ahead of regulatory changes, industry trends, and customer needs, • Lead AI transformation strategy for accounting workflows, positioning IRIS products at the forefront of AI evolution in bookkeeping, financial reporting, and compliance, • Serve as the authoritative voice on accounting practices across multiple markets, translating domain knowledge into product roadmaps, • Establish thought leadership through industry engagement, white papers, and strategic partnerships with accounting bodies on the future of AI in accounting, • Build and lead an exceptional product organization including Product Directors, Product Managers, and Product Owners across multiple regions, • Transform product management practices by integrating AI tools for market research, feedback analysis, and roadmap optimization, • Form strategic partnership with VP Engineering, Accounting and VP Engineering, Americas to create seamless product development through shared accountability for outcomes, • Lead executive presentations on product strategy and commercial outcomes while partnering closely with Engineering to present integrated product-technology narratives on delivery progress and AI transformation, • Collaborate on technical architecture decisions that impact product capabilities, scalability, and AI implementation possibilities, • Co-lead strategic delivery planning including quarterly roadmap execution, major release orchestration, and AI model deployment strategies, • Maximise P&L for the global accounting product portfolio, driving growth while delivering on PE investor expectations and value creation milestones, • Lead product discovery and validation with focus on ROI and growth metrics critical to PE stakeholders, • Manage strategic partnerships with key ecosystem players to accelerate market penetration and revenue growth, • Lead acquisition integration from a product perspective, ensuring rapid value realization consistent with PE investment thesis, • Deliver regular reporting to PE stakeholders on product performance and progress against strategic growth initiatives Requirements : Strategic & Domain Experience • 10+ years of product management experience with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles managing global portfolios, • Private Equity portfolio company experience with proven ability to drive accelerated growth and value creation under PE ownership, • Deep accounting domain expertise including GAAP, IFRS, and regulatory requirements across UK, US, and international markets, • Demonstrated success leading large product organizations (20+ people) across geographic regions, • Proven experience in two-in-a-box partnership models with Engineering leadership, showing shared accountability for outcomes, • Strong technical acumen for architectural discussions and product-technology tradeoffs in AI implementations, • Private Equity environment experience including PE reporting, growth acceleration strategies, and acquisition integration timelines, • AI/ML product experience highly desirable, • International business experience navigating different regulatory environments and cultural contexts, • Strategic thinker who anticipates trends and translates them into value-driving product strategies, • Private Equity mindset with commercial acumen, growth urgency, and ability to balance long-term vision with near-term value creation, • AI-forward mindset with curiosity about AI's impact on both customer workflows and product management practices, • Data-driven decision maker balancing quantitative analysis with customer insights and PE-relevant growth indicators, • Excellent communicator capable of inspiring teams and articulating business impact to senior stakeholders and PE investors