Product Manager, Learning Applications

Overview

At Pearson, we’re bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for innovations around the globe.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and a member of E-Verify. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Learning Applications

Learning Applications is a digital product portfolio within Pearson’s Higher Ed global product group. Learning Applications are discrete, end-to-end products that provide value anytime, anywhere by increasing confidence & outcomes associated with a specific learning activity or skill and benefit multiple disciplines in a standalone or integrated capacity.

The Learning Applications category is focused on delivering applications quickly to address newly evolving needs of students and instructors. As the number and usage of Learning Applications is growing, an immediate priority is to improve and increase usage of our existing portfolio, while planning and laying a strong foundation for future Learning Applications.

The Role: The Learning Applications team comprises a number of products that add specific instructional value, either on their own or alongside other Pearson products. Product Managers are directly responsible for multi-function end-to-end product development teams (e.g., Development, Learning experience & design, UX, QA), including identifying, incubating, and leading innovative product ideas through to launch and subsequent delivery of long-term value. As part of the broader Learning Applications team, Product Managers also are expected to think and connect beyond their individual products – to look across products, work with third parties, and drive connections with other teams across Pearson. They also are accountable for their product P&L as well accessibility compliance and partnerships.

The Candidate: We are seeking a candidate who has a background in product management and has demonstrated a passionate interest in working alongside customers throughout the entire product development process. The person thrives in a highly collaborative environment and wants to rethink higher education. We’re looking for a Product Manager to partner with engineers and designers to develop great solutions as well as manage a product category plan throughout the product lifecycle, including idea generation, prototype exploration, user testing validation, and go to market activities such as pricing and stakeholder involvement.

Main activities/responsibilities:

Product Management

  • Product Manage all facets of a Learning Applications product
  • Lead activities across the product lifecycle including product vision, strategy, development, planning and execution
  • Responsible for budgetary compliance for product, including product P&L.
  • Optimize features and content for teaching / learning experience based on data as well as learning design and customer feedback; Reports on the performance within market, meeting efficacy requirements.
  • Work collaboratively with customers (instructors, students) and members of the Learning Applications team as well as sales, editorial, engineering, quality assurance, architecture, design, other product teams, and project management on opportunities to accelerate growth
  • Synthesize customer insights from multiple sources and own the subsequent product strategy and feature prioritization based on inputs from customers, markets, and segments
  • Use qualitative and customer research and data analysis to communicate product vision to senior management and various stakeholders
  • Manage all aspects related to product pricing and positioning, especially being the protector/steward of the product’s value proposition

Skills and Experience:

  • Prior experience working as a Product Manager or in an equivalent capacity in a large enterprise or startup.
  • Able to create and lead connected communities of individuals who previously were not familiar to each other and establish on-going dialogue and participation
  • Skilled at bringing together diverse and different opinions to form a consensus or at least an agreed upon approach that moves multiple functions and products forward
  • Self-motivated with an appreciation for the balance between innovation and commercial needs, able to “see” the future and determine which opportunities to explore vs. those to pass over
  • Anticipates external or internal obstacles to products delivery or profitability and ensures that product teams work within parameters of budget
  • Excellent writing and presentation skills to senior management and stakeholders, with the ability to lead meetings and initiatives
  • Experience in working with an environment likely to change (e.g. apply lessons learned to relentlessly try again)
  • Appreciation of digital trends and developments

Education, Personal Qualities and Special Training

  • 2-5 years of experience working with product managers, product strategy, or product marketing at a large consumer-facing technology company
  • Knowledge of the process to deliver products from concept through launch
  • Ability to balance & manage multiple projects simultaneously
  • Experience with Agile and iterative product development processes and methodology
  • Ability to lead and/or work within cross-functional virtual teams to drive internal consensus and common goals
  • Ability to build strong support base for their ideas internally and externally
  • Proven creative problem solving and innovative mindset
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  • Self-motivated worker with entrepreneurial passion and ability to effectively multi-task