Application Guide

How to Apply for Lead Product Manager

at Workiva

🏢 About Workiva

Workiva is unique as a leading platform specifically focused on integrated ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting, helping organizations achieve transparent climate impact measurement and regulatory compliance. Unlike generic SaaS companies, Workiva operates at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and financial reporting, making it ideal for professionals passionate about driving meaningful environmental and social impact through enterprise software.

About This Role

As Lead Product Manager at Workiva, you'll define and drive the product vision for ESG reporting solutions, owning multi-year roadmaps and leading execution across multiple development teams. This role is impactful because you'll directly shape how organizations measure and communicate their climate impact, influencing global sustainability practices through Workiva's platform.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve collaborating with engineering teams on ESG feature development, analyzing product telemetry to identify usage patterns, meeting with compliance experts to understand regulatory changes, and presenting roadmap updates to executive stakeholders. You'd balance strategic planning for multi-year initiatives with tactical decisions about current sprint priorities.

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🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For

  • Has 8+ years in Product Management with proven experience leading complex, multi-team product initiatives in enterprise SaaS, preferably in ESG, sustainability, or financial reporting domains
  • Demonstrates ability to use both quantitative data (product telemetry, financial metrics) and qualitative evidence to drive product decisions and measure success
  • Possesses strong leadership skills with experience influencing cross-functional teams (engineering, design, marketing, sales) without direct authority
  • Shows deep understanding of how to translate regulatory compliance requirements (like ESG frameworks) into user-friendly product features

📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva

1

Highlight specific experience with ESG, sustainability reporting, or compliance software in your resume - Workiva's niche makes domain expertise particularly valuable

2

Quantify your impact in previous roles using metrics relevant to Workiva's business: user adoption rates, revenue impact, compliance outcomes, or carbon measurement accuracy improvements

3

Research Workiva's existing ESG products (like their ESG reporting solutions) and suggest one specific enhancement in your cover letter that aligns with their mission

4

Prepare examples of how you've led product decisions using both qualitative user feedback and quantitative data, as this is explicitly mentioned in their requirements

5

Demonstrate understanding of Workiva's B2B enterprise model by highlighting experience with complex stakeholder management across large organizations

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your experience with ESG, sustainability, or compliance reporting platforms and how it applies to Workiva's specific mission", 'Specific examples of leading multi-year product roadmaps across multiple teams in complex enterprise environments', "How you've used data-driven decision making to measure product success and financial impact in previous roles", 'Your approach to influencing without authority across engineering, design, and business teams in matrixed organizations']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Workiva's specific ESG reporting solutions and how they compare to competitors like Salesforce Sustainability Cloud or SAP Sustainability Control Tower
  • → Recent ESG regulations affecting US companies (SEC climate disclosure rules, California's climate laws) that impact Workiva's customers
  • → Workiva's customer case studies to understand how organizations like Ford or Coca-Cola use their platform for ESG reporting
  • → Workiva's recent product announcements and earnings calls to understand their strategic priorities and growth areas

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach defining the product strategy for a new ESG reporting feature that needs to comply with evolving regulations like SEC climate disclosure rules?
2 Describe a time you led a complex product initiative across multiple teams - how did you manage dependencies and ensure alignment?
3 What metrics would you track to measure success for Workiva's ESG reporting products, and how would you use that data to inform future decisions?
4 How do you balance the needs of different stakeholders (compliance teams, sustainability officers, executives) when designing ESG reporting features?
5 Walk us through how you would prioritize features on a multi-year roadmap given Workiva's focus on both innovation and regulatory compliance
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Focusing only on consumer product experience without demonstrating understanding of enterprise B2B complexities and long sales cycles
  • Presenting generic product management approaches without tailoring examples to ESG, compliance, or sustainability contexts
  • Failing to show how you use both qualitative and quantitative data in decision-making, as this is explicitly required in the job description

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Workiva!

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