Product Manager

Esteam.ai is harnessing AI and ASR to build novel ways to assess and help children learn to read and impact the crisis in children’s literacy. For the last 20 years, literacy rates have remained stagnant with more than 65% of 4th-grade children reading below proficiency levels. We aim to increase access and level the playing field for all children, whether we’re aiding in early learning, remediation, or personalized acceleration – we believe literacy is a fundamental skill and right for all children. 
Esteam is supported by the AI Fund based in Palo Alto, California. The AI Fund is a team of diligent innovators who build great companies that move humanity forward by accelerating the adoption of AI. Founded by Dr. Andrew Ng, AI Fund is a startup studio focused on resolving problems to move the world forward. We build new AI companies to bridge AI technology and critical applications. Just as electricity transformed numerous industries, AI and AI Fund are poised to do the same.
We are seeking a Product Manager with strong creative skills to join our team and drive the development of consumer-focused education apps for kids. As our first Product Manager, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of our educational AI products. You will work with the CEO and CTO to drive the product development process from concept to execution, ensuring that our unique innovative products are intuitive, visually stunning, fun, engaging for children, and aligned with our overarching vision. You will have the unique opportunity to blend creativity and AI technology to revolutionize the way we learn and teach kids how to read.

What You Will Be Doing:

• Product Vision: Develop a clear and compelling product vision for AI-powered education mobile apps that support children’s reading development.
• User Research: Conduct user research with partner schools to understand the needs, preferences and pain points of students, teachers and parents. Translate insights into actionable product features, improvements.
• UI/UX Design: Collaborate with visual designer and engineering to create intuitive and visually appealing interfaces for our mobile apps. Champion the user experience and ensure seamless interactions throughout the app.
• Product Roadmap: Collaborate with CEO and CTO to create and communicate a comprehensive roadmap that outlines key milestones, features releases, and timelines. Prioritize product initiatives based on user feedback and business impact.
• AI Integration: Work closely with engineers to integrate AI and ASR technologies into the apps, enabling personalized and adaptive learning experiences for children.
• Agile Product Development: Drive the cross-functional, end-to-end product development process using agile methodologies.
• Performance Metrics: Define and track KPIs to assess user engagement, app performance, user satisfaction - using data to optimize, and improve learning outcomes.
• Market Analysis: Stay updated on market trends, competitors' products, platform technologies, and advancements in AI in educational technology. Leverage this knowledge to identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation.
• Compliance and Safety: Ensure that apps comply with safety and privacy regulations specifically understanding COPPA compliance.
• Accessibility and Inclusivity: Advocate for inclusive design practices, ensuring our products are accessible to users of diverse backgrounds and abilities, including young children.
• Continuous Improvement: Seek and provide constructive feedback and contribute to a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

What You Must Bring:

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field; additional education or certifications in product management or UX design are a plus.
• Proven track record of at least 5 years in product management, with a focus on high-fidelity, visually compelling consumer-focused educational (or gaming) mobile apps for children.
• Experience working in a startup environment taking ownership of your work, driving projects forward, and comfortable working with rapid change and little direction.
• Understanding of UX principles and practices (e.g. conducting user research and usability testing).
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to present and articulate decisions to diverse stakeholders from engineers to teachers.
• A keen eye for detail, a passion for innovation, and a relentless drive to create exceptional product design experiences.

Nice to Haves:

• Understanding of building products for children that consider child development, educational psychology, and learning methodologies for young learners a huge plus.
• Proficiency in design tools such as Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, or similar design software a plus
• Experience in in