How to apply for Founding Product Manager

About Lumen Energy

Lumen Energy is the modern solar broker for commercial real estate, using data-driven analysis to turn rooftops into revenue for property owners. Backed by top VCs like Lowercarbon Capital and Designer Fund, they are one of the fastest-growing companies in their category. This is a chance to join a mission-driven team at the intersection of clean energy and real estate, with a focus on profitable decarbonization.

About the role

As the Founding Product Manager, you will be the first dedicated PM at Lumen, responsible for building the product function from scratch. You'll work closely with internal teams and customers to create structure, drive product vision, and deliver solutions that scale clean energy adoption. This is a high-impact, high-visibility role for someone who thrives in ambiguity and wants to shape the future of a growing startup.

A typical day

You might start your day with a stand-up with engineering to prioritize features, then meet with the sales team to gather customer feedback. In the afternoon, you could analyze usage data to inform a product decision, and end the day drafting a product roadmap to share with the founders. Expect a mix of strategic planning, hands-on execution, and cross-functional collaboration.

Who Lumen Energy is looking for

• You have 5+ years of product management experience, ideally in a startup or high-growth environment, with a track record of launching products from 0 to 1.
• You are comfortable with data analysis and can build conviction with incomplete information, using tools like SQL or analytics platforms to inform decisions.
• You have domain knowledge or strong interest in energy, real estate, or climate tech, and can quickly grasp complex industry dynamics.
• You are a self-starter who can create structure where none exists, and you excel at collaborating with cross-functional teams and customers to drive alignment.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any experience you have in building product processes from scratch, especially in a startup or founding PM capacity.
• Demonstrate your ability to work with data by including specific examples of how you used analytics to drive product decisions.
• Show your passion for Lumen's mission by referencing their unique position as a solar broker for commercial real estate and how you can contribute.
• Emphasize your comfort with ambiguity and your ability to operate as a partner to both internal teams and customers.
• If you have experience in energy, real estate, or climate tech, make sure to call it out and connect it to Lumen's business model.

What to cover in your cover letter

In your cover letter, focus on: 1) Your experience as a founding or early PM and how you built product processes from scratch. 2) A specific example of using data to make a product decision under uncertainty. 3) Your motivation for working at Lumen specifically, showing understanding of their business model and mission. 4) How you would approach the first 90 days as the first PM, including how you'd prioritize and build relationships.

Research before applying

• Research Lumen Energy's business model as a solar broker for commercial real estate, including how they generate revenue and their key differentiators.
• Learn about the commercial solar industry, including common challenges for property owners and developers, and how software can address them.
• Look into Lumen's investors (Lowercarbon Capital, Moxxie Ventures, Designer Fund) to understand their focus and how Lumen fits into their portfolios.
• Explore Lumen's website, blog, and any press coverage to understand their product, customers, and recent milestones.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you build the product management function from scratch at Lumen? What would your first 90 days look like?
• Describe a time you had to make a product decision with incomplete information. How did you build conviction?
• How would you prioritize features when balancing internal team needs and customer requests?
• What metrics would you track to measure the success of Lumen's product? How would you set up a data-driven process?
• How would you collaborate with sales, engineering, and customers to ensure product-market fit in the commercial solar space?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Avoid generic product management advice or frameworks without tailoring them to Lumen's specific context and stage.
• Don't focus solely on your past experience without connecting it to how you'd solve Lumen's unique challenges as a founding PM.
• Avoid showing discomfort with ambiguity or a lack of initiative; this role requires someone who can create structure and drive outcomes independently.