Product Strategist

Product Strategist (Workforce Development Domain Expertise)

Role Summary

The Product Strategist (Workforce Development) is responsible for shaping the vision, strategy, and roadmap for products that serve the workforce development ecosystem—including workforce boards, education providers, apprenticeship sponsors, employers, and government agencies. This role blends product strategy, labor‑market expertise, and programmatic knowledge (WIOA, apprenticeships, sector strategies) to design solutions that improve service delivery, compliance, and employment outcomes.

The strategist ensures that product direction aligns with market needs, policy shifts, and user workflows across the workforce system.

Core Responsibilities

1. Product Vision & Strategy

• Define and maintain the long‑term product vision, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and workforce‑system needs.
• Conduct market analysis to identify opportunities, unmet needs, and emerging trends in workforce development.
• Develop strategic product roadmaps that balance customer feedback, regulatory requirements, and business priorities.
• Translate complex workforce challenges into clear product strategies and solution concepts.

2. Solution Design & Concept Development

• Lead ideation, solution design, and high‑level architecture for new features or products serving workforce programs.
• Define user personas (participants, case managers, employers, training providers) and map end‑to‑end workflows.
• Validate concepts through advisory groups, pilot programs, and structured proof‑of‑concept initiatives.
• Ensure solutions support compliance (WIOA, TAA legacy, SNAP E&T, Apprenticeships) and operational realities of workforce boards.

3. Domain‑Driven Product Leadership

• Apply deep knowledge of workforce development programs, funding streams, and service models to guide product decisions.
• Identify opportunities to improve case management, eligibility workflows, employer engagement, and reporting.
• Translate policy changes (federal/state guidance) into product requirements and roadmap adjustments.
• Serve as an internal subject‑matter expert on workforce development trends, regulations, and best practices.

4. Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with engineering, UX, data, sales, and customer success teams to ensure strategic alignment.
• Provide clear strategic direction and handoff to product managers and development teams.
• Collaborate with marketing on go‑to‑market strategies, messaging, and product positioning.
• Engage with customers, workforce boards, and industry stakeholders to gather insights and validate product direction.

5. Data, Insights & Market Intelligence

• Analyze labor‑market data, program performance metrics, and customer usage patterns to inform strategy.
• Develop business cases, ROI analyses, and growth assessments for new product opportunities.
• Monitor competitor offerings and adjacent markets (HR tech, EdTech, case management systems).

6. Product Lifecycle Leadership

• Lead strategic planning for product commercialization, growth, maturity, and retirement.
• Ensure product decisions are grounded in measurable outcomes and clear success criteria.
• Advocate for continuous improvement and innovation across the product portfolio.

7. Product Implementation & Customer Solution Leadership

• Lead and support product implementation initiatives for workforce development customers and partners.
• Work closely with customers to understand operational processes, business requirements, and program goals.
• Serve in a Business Analyst (BA) and/or Project Management (PM) capacity during implementations.
• Translate customer requirements into scalable solution designs aligned with product capabilities and roadmap direction.
• Guide customers through solution configuration, workflow alignment, implementation planning, user adoption, and go-live activities.
• Provide consultative recommendations based on workforce domain expertise and prior implementation experience.
• Identify implementation gaps, operational risks, and opportunities for process improvement.
• Support customer training, stakeholder alignment, and change-management activities during implementations.
• Ensure implemented solutions align with compliance requirements, reporting needs, and operational best practices within workforce programs.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business, Workforce Development, Education, or related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.

Experience

• 10 years in product strategy, product management, or solution design.
• 3 years in workforce development, or related domain.
• Experience with WIOA programs, apprenticeships, sector strategies, or workforce technology platforms.
• Strong implementation planning and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to balance customer needs with product scalability and standardization.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and the ability to spot future trends.
• Strong communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to translate complex domain knowledge into actionable product direction.
• Data‑savvy with strong analytical and market‑research capabilities.
• Experience defining workflows, personas, and solution journeys.