About Protocol Labs

Protocol Labs is an innovation network of more than 600 teams, projects, and movements, focused on R&D and deploying network protocols. Our teams are purpose-aligned and share a common mission: To drive breakthroughs in computing to push humanity forward. For us, decentralization is more than just a rallying cry; it’s an operational ethos and a belief system baked into the products we develop. Network members have been responsible for creating and building many of the core primitives that power the decentralized web: IPFS, IPLD, Filecoin, libp2p, and more. Even more, our focus goes beyond web3 protocols and spans a wide range of technologies, including neurotech, AI, virtual reality, and more. For more information on Protocol Labs and our focus areas, please watch Juan Benet’s talk from PL Summit 2023 and the 2024 PL Summit Video (Remote Update).

About Polaris

As an innovation network rooted in a culture of collaboration, Protocol Labs requires a fresh approach to advancing emerging technologies. Polaris builds the infrastructure that enables Protocol Labs teams, projects, and movements, and members to flourish. Our key focus areas include digital human rights, upgrading economies and governance systems, safe AI, and neurotech. We create the programs, tools, and events that connect, strengthen, and build the teams that drive breakthroughs in computing to push humanity forward. We manage network membership and track network data to continuously gauge the growth and state of maturity of Protocol Labs across a number of critical pillars, and manage the Protocol Labs brand and strategic marketing initiatives. At the core of everything Polaris does, is the Protocol Labs mission and the desire to progress innovation.

About the Alignment Asset Working Group

The Alignment Asset Working Group is a cross-functional team dedicated to designing, developing, and iterating on the Alignment Asset (AA)—a novel tokenized incentive model designed to align contributors and organizations within the Protocol Labs ecosystem. By rewarding valuable contributions and fostering collaboration, the AA aims to strengthen network effects and drive long-term innovation.

The working group brings together experts in governance, finance, tokenomics, legal, and incentive design, ensuring that the Alignment Asset is both scalable and compliance-forward. Together, the Alignment Asset Working Group is pioneering the next evolution of equity, tying individual and organizational success to the growth of the broader Protocol Labs network.

About the Role - Product Manager

We are seeking a Product Manager to lead the development, adoption, and optimization of the Alignment Asset. This role sits at the intersection of technical infrastructure, incentive design, growth strategy, and regulatory compliance, requiring deep expertise in tokenized assets, network-driven ecosystems, financial partnerships, building user-friendly regulated products, and incentive mechanisms. As a Product Manager, you will own the end-to-end product strategy and execution of the Alignment Asset, working closely with members of the Alignment Asset Working Group, senior leadership, and a diverse community of users. Your primary objective will be to drive participation, ensure a seamless contributor experience, and balance regulatory compliance with scalability and availability of the Alignment Asset to all network members.

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Execution

• Drive the long-term vision for the Alignment Asset, ensuring alignment with the CEO’s (Juan Benet’s) objectives.
• Develop the roadmap and product strategy for the Alignment Asset.
• Act as the primary interface between technical, business, and user needs, ensuring that all perspectives are considered in product decisions.
• Lead product discovery efforts, translating complex incentive mechanisms into a compelling user experience.
• Drive feature prioritization, product metrics, and iterative improvements based on user adoption data and regulatory requirements.
• Identify and evaluate potential platform providers globally, ensuring scalability, security, and compliance.
• Oversee platform transitions and integrations if provider changes are needed.

Incentive Design & Adoption Growth

• Support development and refinement of incentive mechanisms to maximize contributor engagement while ensuring economic sustainability.
• Analyze KPI-driven rewards structures and optimize token distribution models to align participation with network growth.
• Work with Protocol Labs teams to drive awareness, participation, and adoption of AA.

International Expansion & Partnerships

• Lead the global expansion strategy for the Alignment Asset, ensuring that it is accessible and compliant across multiple jurisdictions.
• Identify high-value partnerships to expand AA’s availability.
• Manage relationships with prospective and current partners, ensuring alignment with long-term growth objectives.
• Work with legal and regulatory teams to assess risks and opportunities in new market entry and cross-border tokenized asset issuance.

Regulatory Compliance & Governance

• Collaborate with Surus Trust Company (Trustee, Token Issuer - Oversees trust operations, token issuance, and regulatory compliance) and the legal team to ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks, including securities laws and governance models.
• Partner with finance and tax teams to integrate compliance requirements into AA’s issuance, redemption, and financial reporting.
• Provide strategic input to platform partners on eligibility criteria, onboarding processes, and KYC/accreditation requirements.
• Assist in designing transparent and audit-ready financial mechanisms for token allocation, buybacks, and market openings.

Collaboration with the PL Membership Team

• Partner with the Membership team to ensure that Alignment Asset incentives and Membership incentives across the Protocol Labs network are strategically aligned, fostering a cohesive contributor experience.
• Support the development of automated contribution tracking, enabling seamless integration between Membership participation and AA rewards.
• Help refine tiered engagement models, ensuring that contributors can progress through Membership levels while maximizing their participation in the Alignment Asset program.
• Work cross-functionally to simplify contributor pathways, making it clear, rewarding, and intuitive to earn AA tokens and Membership benefits simultaneously.

User Experience & Contributor Success

• Ensure a frictionless user experience for contributors earning and redeeming AA.
• Develop feedback loops, surveys, and analytics to track participation, sentiment, and adoption trends.
• Work cross-functionally with the user community, vendor partnerships, and marketing teams to optimize contributor engagement.

What We’re Looking For

Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in product management, ideally in fintech, tokenized assets, Web3 incentives, or network-driven ecosystems.
• Proven track record of launching innovative incentive or rewards-based products in blockchain, fintech, or marketplaces.
• Proven experience in international business development and partnerships, ideally in fintech, blockchain, or decentralized ecosystems.
• Experience navigating regulated financial products with governance, compliance, or legal teams.
• Strong background in growth strategies, user engagement, and behavioral incentives.
• Strategic thinker with strong execution skills, balancing market expansion, compliance, and incentive-driven product growth.

Skills & Capabilities:

• Deep understanding of tokenomics, incentive design, and decentralized networks.
• Ability to translate complex economic and legal structures into intuitive user experiences.
• Global business development and partnership management
• Strong data-driven decision-making skills—comfortable working with KPIs, analytics, and incentive performance metrics.
• Experience working with smart contracts, blockchain infrastructure, and on-chain finance tools (a plus).

Mindset & Approach:

• Strategic, visionary leader with a bias for experimentation and iteration.
• Collaborative, comfortable working with technical, legal, and community-driven teams.
• Excited about pioneering new economic models that push the boundaries of network collaboration and incentive design.

Why Join Us?

• Be at the forefront of building the next generation of incentive-aligned ecosystems.
• Work with a pioneering team of builders and leaders shaping the future of network-based value creation.
• Have the autonomy to lead, experiment, and iterate on a groundbreaking incentive model.