Manager, Product Operations

Do you have a passion for children and education? Would you like to positively impact families in need of help? We want to speak with you!

Step Up For Students empowers families to pursue and engage in the most appropriate learning options for their children.

Step Up For Students offers an excellent benefits package:

SUFS Total Rewards

Medical - HSA/FSA - Dental - Vision
Company Paid Disability - Life Insurance
401K Match - Tuition Reimbursement
Generous Time off Policy - Professional Development


JOB SUMMARY
The Product Operations Manager plays a critical role in ensuring the seamless execution and continuous improvement of product development and delivery processes within the Product Management team. Reporting to the Sr. Director of Product Management, this strategic and hands-on position is instrumental in optimizing SUFS product operations, collaborating cross-functionally to deliver high-quality solutions that align with our organization's goals and stakeholder expectations. The Product Operations Manager will drive process optimization, strategic planning, product planning and product delivery / status management to achieve operational excellence.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
◦ Product Development Support:
◦ Act as a liaison between Product Managers and various departments to ensure effective communication and alignment throughout the product development lifecycle.
◦ Coordinate and facilitate regular product development meetings to review progress, address roadblocks, and prioritize tasks.
◦ Create and maintain roadmaps and delivery plans for product development initiatives, outlining tasks, timelines, and dependencies.
◦ Product Launch and Release Management:
◦ Lead the coordination and execution of product launches, collaborating with marketing, sales, and customer support teams to ensure a seamless release.
◦ Establish and maintain a release calendar to manage product updates, hot-fixes, and new feature releases.
◦ Conduct post-launch evaluations and gather feedback to drive continuous improvement in the launch and release process.
◦ Cross-Functional Collaboration:
◦ Foster effective communication and collaboration among different teams involved in product development and operations.
◦ Collaborate with customer support to ensure a smooth transition from development to support phases.
◦ Drive quarterly product planning process between Product and IT teams.
◦ Process Improvement:
◦ Identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks in product development processes and propose actionable solutions to enhance productivity and quality.
◦ Implement and maintain standardized workflows and documentation to streamline product operations.
◦ Data Analysis and Reporting:
◦ Utilize data-driven insights to make informed decisions and guide product development strategies.
◦ Prepare regular reports on key performance indicators (KPIs) related to product operations and identify areas for improvement.
◦ Risk Management:
◦ Monitor and track progress against product milestones, identifying risks and proposing mitigation strategies as needed.
◦ Identify and assess potential risks related to product development and implement measures to mitigate those risks.
◦ Develop contingency plans to address unexpected challenges that may arise during product development.
◦ The above is not an all-inclusive list of all duties performed by this job title, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
REQUIRED:
◦ Requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
◦ Minimum of three years’ product operations experience.
◦ Must be articulate, a good listener and possess the ability to persuade teams to work to their highest potential.
◦ Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
◦ Accurate and precise attention to detail.
◦ Able to build strong interpersonal relationships.
◦ Proven record of delivery and project successes in previous positions.
PREFERRED:
◦ PMP and Agile certifications.

KEY COMPETENCIES
◦ Prior experience as a Product Owner, Scrum Master or Agile Coach with experience on agile teams with proven record of delivery and product successes in previous positions.
◦ Hands-on experience delivering all stages of the product life cycle.
◦ Technical background with knowledge of software development and web technologies.
◦ In-depth understanding of Agile methodologies, technical understanding of products, and up-to date on industry standards and best practices.
◦ Strong at delivering executive level project presentations.
◦ Able to quickly understand the functionality of a product.
◦ Comfortable working with multiple