The posting
Join Proton and build a better internet where privacy is the default
Proton was founded in 2014 by scientists from CERN on a simple truth: privacy is a fundamental human right. Since then, we've built the world's largest encrypted email service (Proton Mail) and expanded into Proton VPN, Proton Drive, Proton Pass, and Proton Calendar — tools used by millions globally to protect their freedom, fight censorship, and keep their data safe. In some situations, Proton has literally helped save lives.
We are profitable, independent (no VC control), and selectively hire from the top ~1% of applicants. Our 700+ team members across 50+ countries come from leading organizations and elite academic backgrounds. We move fast, keep hierarchy light, and prioritize impact over optics. If you want to do meaningful work with exceptionally high-caliber people, this is it. Check our open-source projects here.
The Role
We're building something new at Proton and we're hiring a Senior PM to lead it from the front.
This role sits at the intersection of product strategy, community dynamics, and Proton's mission to give people back control over their digital lives. You'll own the roadmap and execution for a product that brings privacy-first community experiences to millions of users. The team is small and senior; the scope is large. You’ll turn an ambitious product direction into clear strategy, crisp requirements, shipped experiences, and measurable outcomes.
We're looking for someone who has lived inside communities products: who understands how engagement compounds, why moderation decisions shape culture, and how trust is built (and destroyed) at scale. If you've helped build or grow a platform where users interact, organize, and belong and you want to do it in a way that doesn't exploit the people using it, this is the role.
What You'll Own
- Define and drive the product strategy and roadmap end-to-end — from first principles through to shipped features — without waiting for direction from above
- Own the metrics that matter: activation, engagement, retention, and community health. Set the targets, instrument the product to track them, and course-correct fast when signals shift
- Translate deep knowledge of how online communities work — growth loops, moderation, network effects, content dynamics — into a clear product point of view and a prioritized execution plan
- Lead cross-functional execution across a team of 6–12 engineers plus design, data, and growth — maintain velocity, surface blockers early, and keep the team focused on outcomes over activity
- Drive structured discovery: user research, competitive analysis, and direct feedback loops that keep product decisions grounded in real behaviour, not assumptions
- Represent the product externally when needed — to users, partners, and internal leadership — with clarity and confidence
Who You Are
- 10+ years of product management experience, with meaningful time spent on a social, messaging, or community platform
- Deep understanding of community product mechanics — you can reason clearly about engagement loops, content moderation trade-offs, trust and safety, and network effects without needing it explained
- Analytically sharp: you define success in numbers, run structured experiments, and make data-informed calls without losing sight of user intuition
- Strong, direct communicator — you write and speak with precision, push back when something doesn't make sense, and keep stakeholders aligned without over-meeting
- Proven ability to lead a product autonomously: you identify the right problem, build the case, and drive it to shipped — without a roadmap handed to you
Nice to Have
- Experience building privacy-respecting alternatives to mainstream social or community platforms
- Familiarity with open-source community protocols (atproto, IETF MLS, Matrix, etc.)
- Background scaling a community product from early traction to millions of active users Mainstream community platforms often optimize for attention, ads, and control. Proton has a different opportunity: to build community communication around privacy, user agency, and trust. This role is for a PM who understands the mechanics of social and community products, but wants to apply them in a way that respects the people using them.
What We Offer
- Work that Matters: Millions of people trust Proton with their privacy. We answer only to our users — not advertisers, not investors with conflicting agendas, not governments.
- A Great Team: Diverse, collaborative, and tight-knit, with people from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Caltech, Cambridge, ETH, and more.
- Technology: The right hardware and software to do your best work.
- Learning & Development: We invest in your growth. Proton is one of the fastest ways to accelerate your career — real challenges, real ownership, from day one.
- Employee Benefits: Strong health coverage, solid retirement options, generous leave, and wellness support.
- Stock Options: From day one, you have a real stake in what we're building. When Proton wins, you win.
- In-Person Collaboration: Offices across Geneva, Zürich, Barcelona, London, and more. You'll spend most of your time collaborating face-to-face.
- Food: Lunch and snacks on us every day in the office.
- Transport: We cover public transport, bike allowances, or parking — whichever works for you.
- Flexible Working: You own your schedule. Outcomes matter more than clock-in times.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
At Proton, we believe diversity drives innovation and strengthens our mission to provide privacy as a default for all. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals — regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical ability, or socio-economic background — feel valued and empowered.
If you need any extra support or reasonable adjustments during the hiring process, please let your talent partner know.
Candidate Privacy Notice
When you apply for a position at Proton Technologies AG, your information is stored in Greenhouse in accordance with its Service Privacy Policy. This information is used to evaluate your suitability for the posted position and may be retained for future roles.
If we no longer have a legitimate business need to process your information, we will either delete or anonymise it. For questions about your data, contact: [email protected]
Proton does not accept unsolicited CVs from any sources other than directly from candidates.
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