We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Product Management to join our team and lead the strategic development and execution of our product roadmap. The successful candidate will lead our Higher Education Math and Physical Science portfolio and report to the General Manager, Math and Science. As the Director of Product Management, you will play a critical role in defining and delivering innovative digital products and experiences that enhance our customers' engagement and drive business growth. This role is accountable for defining the discipline strategy, managing portfolio investment and return, identifying and driving new growth opportunities, as well as representing Math and Physical Science as a key stakeholder and collaborator in application roadmaps (MyLab, Revel etc.). The Director will lead a distributed team of commercial product managers and content strategists in the development of products that drive better learning experiences and outcomes, and delight customers in margin enhancing ways. We are looking for a highly effective cross-team collaborator who along with the ability to build trust and lead through change, will be dedicated to providing high-quality, informative, and engaging content to learners worldwide. With a diverse portfolio spanning digital media, print publications, and emerging platforms, we are committed to shaping the future of publishing through innovation and creativity.

Key Responsibilities

Lead annual product planning process for Math & Physical Science to define strategic priorities at the title, discipline and portfolio level.

Advocate the unique needs of the Math & Physical Science educator and learner customers while recognizing cross discipline similarities as a key stakeholder in application roadmap prioritization activities.

• Identify portfolio gaps and opportunities with in-depth analysis of the market, product performance metrics, and input from key stakeholders across the business.
• Cultivate a collaborative, customer-obsessed culture where data and customer context inform all decision making.
• Prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion to ensure our products are representative of the educators and learners we serve.
• Synthesize customer feedback and data to identify and prioritize key problems to solve.

Ensure alignment with key stakeholders in Sales, Marketing, Production, and Application Product Management on planning and execution of key strategies and product initiatives.

• Build and maintain high-trust and positive-sentiment relationships with authors and creative talent.
• Develop a strong and diverse creative-talent pipeline fit-for-purpose with an increasingly digital product portfolio.
• Work with Efficacy&Research to commercialize research and evidence-based features, content and pedagogical models that improve product efficacy.
• Recruit, retain and develop top product management & content strategy talent.

Promote a culture of partnership, teamwork, innovation and diversity, equity, and inclusion

Product Strategy and Roadmap Development:

• Lead the development of a comprehensive product strategy aligned with business objectives and market trends.
• Define and prioritize features and enhancements based on user feedback, data analysis, and market research.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including editorial, technology, marketing, and sales to ensure alignment and execution of product initiatives.
• Product Lifecycle Management:
• Oversee the end-to-end product lifecycle from concept to launch and beyond.
• Develop product requirements, user stories, and specifications to guide the development process.
• Work closely with engineering teams to ensure timely and quality delivery of product releases.

User Experience and Design:

• Champion a user-centric approach to product development, advocating for intuitive and engaging user experiences.
• Collaborate with design and UX teams to create wireframes, prototypes, and design concepts that meet user needs and business goals.
• Conduct user testing and gather feedback to iterate and improve product features and designs.

Data-Driven Decision Making:

• Utilize data analytics and insights to track product performance, identify opportunities for optimization, and make data-driven decisions.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure product success and drive continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Management and Communication:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for product-related inquiries, updates, and communications.
• Effectively communicate product vision, strategy, and roadmap to internal stakeholders, executive leadership, and external partners.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to foster collaboration and alignment across teams.

Key Collaborations / Interfaces

• Customers – Instructors, Institutions and Learners
• Application Product Management
• Production & Digital Studio
• Sales & Marketing
• Strategy, Planning & Operations
• Customer Service & Success
• Efficacy & Research
• Higher Education, International
• Product Management and Content Strategy Leadership across all portfolios

Expected Results

• Customer-centered, future focused product pipeline delivering license to win
• Clear definition of content and digital priorities to drive B&E growth.
• Meet/exceed revenue, profit, and subscription growth targets and other key KPI’s.
• Maximize customer value while effectively managing multi-million dollar cap dev budget.
• Motivate and retain a high performing team of product managers and content strategists.
• A more diverse and inclusive network of authors and creative talent.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Math, Science or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• Extensive product management and/or content/portfolio strategy experience
• Proven track record of success in product management roles
• A minimum of 5 years experience as a director in product management.
• Digital product management preferred.
• Ability to inspire and motivate internal teams and external stakeholders (authors, creative talent, customers)
• Ability to execute against strategy and pivot in real time as needed
• Strong learner/educator empathy and ability to translate customer insights into winning product strategies
• Relationship management skills and the ability to use them to drive value both within Pearson and externally

Robust decision making - based on evidence and data

• Strong commercial understanding: financially fluent and with a facility for data and its interpretation to commercial advantage
• Curiosity, critical thinking, and a passion for learning
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, analyze market trends, and make data-driven decisions.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence and inspire cross-functional teams.
• Passion for innovation, creativity, and delivering exceptional user experiences.

Competencies:

• Advocate: Champion your customers, authors and team wile seeking multiple perspectives to drive smart decisions.
• Digital Transformer: Continuously improving and learning, able to identify and create real-time, iterative solutions to external or internal obstacles.
• Understand the Business: Has/develops a knowledge of Pearson’s business and product strategies. Brings digital mindset and product management experience to bear in solving challenges and capturing opportunities.
• Drive focus on learner outcomes: Understands and supports the delivery of learner outcomes and experience led product development; leads teams to embed efficacy and learning research capabilities when building content, assessment and technology capabilities and approaches to implementation
• Collaboration: Engages with key internal and external stakeholders with shared focus on delivering value to the customer.
• Synthesis: Leverage multiple qualitative and quantitative inputs to create deep understanding of customer and elevate the voice of the customer in all decision making activities.

Compensation at Pearson is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, and specific location. As required by the Colorado, California, Washington State, New York State and New York City laws, the pay range for this position is as follows:

The minimum full-time salary range is between $150,000 - $160,000.

This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, and information on benefits offered is here.

What to expect from Pearson

Did you know Pearson is one of the 10 most innovative education companies of 2022?

At Pearson, we add life to a lifetime of learning so everyone can realize the life they imagine. We do this by creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are on a journey to be 100 percent digital to meet the changing needs of the global population by developing a new strategy with ambitious targets. To deliver on our strategic vision, we have five business divisions that are the foundation for the long-term growth of the company: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Workforce Skills and Higher Education. Alongside these, we have our corporate divisions: Digital & Technology, Finance, Global Corporate Marketing & Communications, Human Resources, Legal, Strategy and Direct to Consumer. Learn more at We are Pearson.

We value the power of an inclusive culture and also a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced, opportunities are accessible, consideration and respect are the norm and all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential. Through our talent, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the center, and we are committed to building a workplace where talent can learn, grow and thrive.

Pearson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We want a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We strive for a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities.

To learn more about Pearson’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, navigate to: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Pearson.

If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing TalentExperienceGlobalTeam@grp.pearson.com.

Note that the information you provide will stay confidential and will be stored securely. It will not be seen by those involved in making decisions as part of the recruitment process.

Job: PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

Organization: Higher Education

Schedule: FULL\_TIME

Workplace Type: Remote

Req ID: 15923

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