Director Commercial Product Management, Math and Physical Sciences

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 stakeholder