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Senior Director, Product Operations

RemoteWashington, District of Columbia, United StatesProduct

Job description

Great Minds, a rapidly growing, mission driven Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) that develops high quality knowledge building curricula for grades PK-12, is seeking a Senior Director, Product Operations to join our growing Product team.

Company Profile

Great Minds brings teachers and scholars together to craft exemplary instructional materials that inspire joy in teaching and learning. Our curricula, Wit & Wisdom ®; Geodes; Eureka Math™; and PhD Science™ all support teachers as they take students beyond rote learning to provide a deeper, more complete understanding of the humanities, mathematics, and sciences. Founded in 2007, Great Minds now employs more than 1100 people.


For additional information please visit: www.greatminds.org



Our Market Position



Great Minds’ Eureka Math™ is the most widely used curriculum in the history of American education. It enjoys an unrivaled 40+ Net Promoter Score ™ Eureka Math™ and its sister products, Wit & Wisdom® and PhD Science ™, embrace much higher expectations for all students and all teachers. In a market dominated by scripted, procedural materials that drive expectations down, Great Minds produces curricula that celebrate knowledge, respect the craft of teaching, and acknowledge the true capabilities of students.



Position Summary

The Senior Director, Product Operations works closely with the Chief Product Officer (CPO) and Chief Knowledge Officers (CKO) to provide exemplary product management best practices and processes to support the growing enterprise Great Minds’ product portfolio. The Great Minds approach is collaborative and unique, calling for entrepreneurial methods to product development and management that are consistent with its authentic, effective challenger brand. The Senior Director, Product Operations will leverage and shape the product operations and product management teams to develop, coordinate, and execute product strategies that grow market share and revenue from schools and districts.


This role is an exciting opportunity for an experienced product management leader with a passion for high-quality, knowledge-building curriculum and the belief that every child is capable of greatness. The ideal candidate will also have experience growing and leading high achieving teams in a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and rapid growth environment while remaining committed to the Great Minds’ organizational mission. While the work is remote and the ideal candidate will work well independently, this will also be a highly collaborative position, necessitating a strong sense of teamwork and cooperation.


Reports To: Chief Product Officer

Responsibilities

  • In close partnership with the CPO, lead strategic planning initiatives with other stakeholders to set goals and prioritize initiatives that yield constant improvement of product offerings, product usage, and quality of implementation through new product or feature development, marketing, product positioning and sales opportunities 
  • Work effectively with the CPO and other stakeholders to create alignment on strategies, roadmaps, and portfolio tradeoffs
  • Lead consensus building and decision making related to cross-product features and strategies that optimize the impact of Great Minds products toward its mission by balancing instructional effectiveness with market expectations and a consistent and positive user experience for single and multi-product users  
  • Introduce best product management practices and processes across the Product Teams that enable the overall product strategy and product lifecycle from conception through market release and into efficacy and enhancements, aligning with Great Minds’ philosophies and structures
  • Enable the Humanities, Math, and Science product management teams to serve as the key interface for products across the organization as they work with content, editorial, program management, digital, production, marketing, and legal teams, and external partners to drive the execution of the product roadmap in alignment with key requirements, ensuring readiness for each product launch 
  • Promote and communicate organizational norms for conducting, socializing, maintaining and utilizing comprehensive product ROI analyses; Collaborate with Finance to establish processes for engaging Finance in the product life cycle to conduct and support the use of meaningful ROI analyses
  • Proactively identify and resolve strategic and tactical issues that may impair the organization's ability to meet its strategic, financial, and technical goals 
  • Create and lead effective communication cadences across teams and with stakeholders and executive teams.
  • Maintain a single, accessible source of truth for accurate and timely data relevant to product scope and release dates; produce and present accurate and timely data to support risk mitigation, on-going decision making, and strategic planning
  • Cultivate strong working relationships with leaders and professionals throughout the organization to ensure Enterprise and product team alignment with the Great Minds knowledge building vision
  • Build, lead, coach, mentor, and develop a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and collaborative team of product managers, user researchers and data analysts who support the CPO and CKOs in executing the vision for the product portfolio through best-in-class product management processes and ways of working
  • Foster a healthy, strong team culture that values humility, feedback, and alignment to Great Minds mission, including knowledge-building and high-quality instructional materials

Job requirements

Requirements

  • At least 10 years of experience working in product management or operations publishing with a track record of success in product development, digital product management, curriculum development, and/or project management, and at least 5 years supervisory experience leading and developing teams
  • Strong background in product management and/or product development, preferably products in K-12 education
  • Deep respect for and alignment to the philosophy, instructional design, and pedagogy of Great Minds’ knowledge-building vision
  • Ability to navigate the Great Minds climate, where leadership often drives product vision and roadmap decisions
  • Possessing a leadership style that is collaborative and inclusive, creating the conditions, structure, and the framework leading to optimal levels of trust, efficiency, and success
  • Excellent stakeholder management skills, including customers, sales team, content development teams, software engineers, and senior leadership that require a sophisticated level of sensitivity and excellent judgment
  • Strong analytical thinking and decision-making skills to anticipate challenges, issues, or opportunities
  • Proven track record of leading cross functional efforts with a collaborative approach, equally comfortable talking content development with writers, tech with developers, user experience with designers, copy and positioning with product marketers, numbers with finance and marketing, and strategy with executive leadership
  • Experience in K-12 edtech, proficient in practices such as Agile and human-centered design
  • Strong business acumen, with the ability to think about ROI, strategic pricing, and the potential value of ideas to help the team prioritize where and how to spend limited resources
  • Ability to synthesize market, customer, and cross-organizational needs for teams, particularly teams new to product mindset, digital development, and revenue-driven decision-making
  • Impeccable written, verbal, and social communication skills, demonstrating an ability to adapt to a variety of individual communication styles and needs
  • Strong organizational habits necessary for successful goal setting, project management, collective decision making, deadline execution, and record keeping
  • Ability to look ahead and balance strategic projects and initiatives with tactical day-to-day cadence with an ability to communicate and lead a team through flexible and ambiguous situations
  • Fluent in the use of applications and collaboration tools such as Atlassian JIRA/Confluence, MS Office 365 and Google suite

Attributes

  • Ability to remain flexible in an ambiguous, fast-paced entrepreneurial environment
  • Passion for and commitment to the importance of high-quality, knowledge-rich curriculum
  • Receptivity to feedback with a focus on reflective practice
  • Willingness to embrace a mindset that is receptive to the perspectives of others
  • Commitment to high standards and continuous improvement
  • Proficiency at both working independently and collaborating as part of a team
  • Highly collaborative with the ability to consistently exhibit diplomacy, tact, and integrity
  • Willingness to bring a proactive problem-solving orientation to every task
  • Appreciation for the challenges and victories faced everyday by classroom teachers
  • Commitment to collective authorship
  • Deep belief that every child is capable of greatness


Required Education

  • Bachelor’s degree

Status

  • Full-time

Location

  • Remote
  • Future travel (5%) may be required


A resume and cover letter is required to be considered for this position.


The expected base salary range for this position is $190,000.00-$210,000.00. The offered salary, benefits and other incentives are dependent on numerous factors including, but not limited to location, work experience, skills and internal equity considerations.


Great Minds is an equal opportunity employer. We will extend equal opportunity to all individuals without regard to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, disability, age, genetic information, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws. Our policy reflects and affirms the organization’s commitment to the principles of fair employment and the elimination of all discriminatory practices.

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