I applied for the VP of Product and Consumer Experience role and was contacted for an initial phone interview approximately six months after submitting my application. While timelines can vary, the delay felt notable for a senior leadership position. The first scheduled interview was missed without advance notice. It was later rescheduled, and the interviewer joined the second meeting about 10 minutes late. During the conversation, she turned off her camera while I was speaking without explanation, which made it difficult to gauge engagement. For an executive-level discussion, I would have expected a more professional and attentive dynamic. When describing the role, it appeared she was reading from prepared notes. Preparation is appreciated, but the exchange felt somewhat transactional and surface-level. The questions were largely generic and did not meaningfully explore product strategy, consumer experience leadership, or operational complexity. There was repeated emphasis on the company being “a logistics company, not a food company.” While that distinction may be important internally, the framing felt overly simplistic given the realities of operating in a hybrid model. The discussion lacked the strategic depth one would expect at this level. The outlined hiring process includes multiple additional stages, including a take-home project and several on-site interviews. Due diligence is certainly appropriate for a VP role. However, when combined with the six-month delay, a missed interview, late arrival, camera disengagement, and a highly complex process, it raised concerns about internal alignment and respect for candidates’ time. Overall, the experience suggested an organization that may still be working through process clarity and executive alignment.

So many red flags. This role has been open for approximately 9 months. There is so much product talent in the market right now, if this role is actually still open it’s because 1) it’s a vanity/shell posting to make it look like they’re expanding their team; 2) they aren’t clear about what they need; 3) The CTO doesn’t want to hire a product leader; 4) All of the above. My take? #4 After telling me there are approximately 6 rounds to the interview process, the recruiter said they’ve taken several candidates to final round with no offer. I asked what the biggest gap was with candidate fit, not sure, ask the HM. HM interview starts with her apologizing for being late, she was in a final interview for the role. I roll with it. She starts telling me to ask questions before any discussion. Odd but fine. I ask the same question - what has been the biggest challenge in finding the right person. She ignores my question completely and proceeds to tell me about the role. I’ve worked in product for a long time with a lot of different technical leaders. She’s one that does not respect the product role. It became very clear, very quickly that no product leader will ever be good enough for her or this role. Red flags all throughout the interview. Bizarre questions. “Which type of PM leader are you, you must pick one” and proceeds to give me three very stereotyped definitions of what she sees as product leader archetypes, none of them favorable. When I tried to explain what type of product leader I am in reality, she still wanted me to “just pick one.” Bizarre. I should’ve probably just ended the interview at that point. Clear disdain for product. Not interested in talking about what she actually needs from the role or where gaps exist and why it’s been open for so long. Applicant beware, this may be a ghost posting that will waste your time with a dead-end interview. Did I get a follow-up interview you ask? I don’t think so, but I wouldn’t know because I never heard back. Red flags all around.