Innovating at the Intersection of Ops and Product

This month we had the pleasure of chatting with Dhia, ProductOps manager and data analyst.

Hi Dhia! Let's kick off by starting from the beginning: what's your role, and how would you summarize what you do?

Hi! Since September 2022, I have been a ProductOps Manager & Data Analyst at GitGuardian. It’s a hybrid role between the Ops and the Product team, which is very interesting. Another aspect that I find exciting about the position is that it’s a new role within GitGuardian but also an emerging one in France, which leaves room for creativity in defining the scope and missions related to the function.

My role is basically threefold: first, I’m in charge of leveraging product data to get insights about how our customers are interacting with our products and how we can better address their needs.

Second, I intervene in initiatives around efficiency and enablement. In short, I’m in charge of building the right system to help product managers and designers work more efficiently and have a bigger impact through continuous improvement of our tools and processes.

Third, I work on program management and alignment. For example, I intervene in strategic cross-department projects involving the product to make sure that all the stakeholders are aligned on the objectives and that all impacts on the different teams are assessed and well managed through shared responsibilities. In short, I ensure that there is a 360° vision during the entire project.

The product team was GitGuardian’s fastest-growing team in 2022 (quadrupled from 3 to 12!), so there is a lot going on. We have 2 open positions at the moment, so we encourage you to apply!

What does your daily routine look like?

Well, I can describe what my weekly routine looks like! Each week starts with meetings with the Ops, Data, and Product teams to discuss the progress of the different projects and the planning of the week. Then, about 50% of the time is devoted to individual progress on tasks and deliverables, while the other half is dedicated to collaborative working sessions with the different stakeholders, for example working in pairs with the data engineering team on the design of our target data model or animating workshops with the product managers to define a target process.

Important to note that 50% of my objectives and key results (OKRs) are oriented towards longer-term structural projects involving planning over multiple quarters. The other 50% are focused on short-term objectives that have a quick impact, especially on smaller projects.

What’s your favorite part of the job?

My favorite part of the job is working with a diverse set of stakeholders, such as product managers, designers, data engineers, operations, sales, and even legal and finance teams. The continuous interaction with a wide range of people makes my work very interesting and engaging.

Additionally, being part of a new and growing department is very exciting as I get to witness its growth and see the impact that it has on the company.

I also enjoy the combination of technical and soft skills that are required in my role. The position requires not only a deep understanding of the product features and a strong mastery of data analysis skills but also strong communication and relational skills. This balance between technical and interpersonal skills keeps my work dynamic and challenging, which is something I really appreciate.

What’s the most exciting thing you are working on right now?

Currently, the most exciting project I'm working on is leveraging our product data for business use cases by building the appropriate dashboards for the product and customer success teams. We have a lot of product data at our disposal, and the challenge lies in leveraging it in a meaningful way. The project requires a deep understanding of the product to make sure the data we're collecting is reliable and is used in a valuable way.

We are also in the process of building a data warehouse from scratch, which is incredibly interesting. This is a strategic project that will have a positive impact on our company in the upcoming years by unlocking the full potential of our cross-department data. While it is certainly a challenging project, it's also incredibly rewarding to see the progress we're making and to know that the work we're doing will help our company in its fast growth path.

How does your current job compare with the previous jobs you’ve had?

Before my current job, I worked as a strategy and transformation consultant, where I was part of an internal consulting team in an internationally listed company. My main tasks were to conduct analyses, hold workshops, and make recommendations to improve performance and enhance efficiency. Both my current job and previous job have a common focus on problem-solving and working across different areas. However, my current job is much more product-focused, which allows me to develop deeper expertise in this area.

I work for a smaller company now, which means that I am more involved in the operational side of things, especially the execution of projects. Working in a startup environment is quite different as it is more flexible, but the expectations are higher, and things move very fast. The key to success is being a true business partner catalyzing the efforts, and offering support to move the needle forward.

The challenge here is to maintain agility and the ability to adapt quickly. Remaining hands-on and having the willingness to learn new things is essential in this environment.

What’s the best advice you can give to someone who wants to work for us?

The best advice I can give to someone who wants to join us is to stay curious. There is so much to learn, and it's important to take advantage of every opportunity to deepen your knowledge and understanding of the subjects at hand. By staying curious, you will be able to see the big picture and make more informed decisions that will ultimately contribute to the success of the company. Additionally, this mindset will help you stay motivated and engaged in your work, which is essential for professional growth and job satisfaction. So, my advice is to stay curious and continue to learn as much as you can!

Thank you for your time!

Thanks!