JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Instant Product is accountable for the strategic leadership, innovation, and growth of the instant ticket portfolio for the Kentucky Lottery Corporation (KLC). This role develops and executes comprehensive product strategies aimed at driving market expansion, player engagement, and revenue growth across all instant products. Leads cross-functional collaboration and utilizes research, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and technology to inform decisions that optimize product performance and identify growth opportunities.
Responsibilities include managing the complete product lifecycle from concept through retirement, monitoring performance and inventory levels, creating and monitoring product development schedules, and ensuring adherence to timelines. Provides strategic leadership to drive product transformation and secure a competitive advantage through innovative product portfolio management. Leads internal and external teams to ensure that product design, mix, and launch schedules align with strategic guidelines.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, sales or related field preferred. Relatable experience may be substituted in lieu of a degree. MBA or other advanced degree a plus.
• Minimum seven years’ marketing, products, or related experience. Minimum five years’ lottery or gaming experience preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience. Minimum five years’ experience in a managerial position including effective performance management, coaching, and counseling.
• Proven proficiency utilizing AI technologies to enhance business processes and drive innovation highly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of inventory management systems and supply chain optimization.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, complex product portfolio management, risk management, and cross-functional leadership in dynamic marketing environment.
• Proven track record of developing and executing growth strategies that deliver measurable results. Demonstrated ability to understand, formulate, and execute against strategy to meet both short-term and long-term objectives.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently under minimal supervision within a team environment. Must be proactive and diligent to manage ticket vendors and product requirements.
• Strong problem-solving skills and sound judgement, including root cause analysis and process-oriented solutions.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional, multi-discipline projects and processes to completion within established deadlines, driving consensus across diverse teams to support product launch.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to provide effective presentations to a variety of audiences. Must possess strong influence and negotiation skills with internal and external partners. Must be able to work and communicate effectively with a diverse range of thinking and personality styles.
• Advanced analytical skills with experience in data-driven decision making and predictive modeling.
• Excellent computer skills required with proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to lift up to 10 pounds: Occasionally
• Standing or sitting: Continuously
• Moving: Occasionally
• Reaching, writing, typing: Continuously
• Talking and hearing: Continuously
• Seeing: must be able to read reports and use a computer: Continuously
• Sitting for long periods of time: Continuously

OTHER DUTIES:

• Serves as a leader and mentor within the Product Department, guiding and developing team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance, and collaborating on special projects and the development of the long-term product roadmap to ensure alignment with organizational growth objectives.
• Serves as a change agent, fostering product transformation and future-forward thinking across all departments.
• Collaborates with IT and analytics teams to develop predictive models and business intelligence dashboards.
• Maintains industry contacts to stay apprised of product and marketing efforts for instant games and responds to industry requests for such game information.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Sr. Product Specialist
• Dotted line: Product Operations Specialist