VP, Product Management for Higher Ed (Remote)

We believe in the power and joy of learning

At Cengage Group, our employees have a direct impact in helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. We are bonded by our shared purpose – driving innovation that helps millions of learners improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.  

Our culture values inclusion, engagement, and discovery

Our business is driven by our strong culture, and we know that creating an inclusive workplace is absolutely essential to the success of our company and our learners, as well as our individual well-being. We recognize the value of diverse perspectives in everything we do, and strive to ensure employees of all levels and backgrounds feel empowered to voice their ideas and bring their authentic selves to work. We achieve these priorities through programs, benefits, and initiatives that are integrated into the fabric of how we work every day. To learn more, please see https://www.cengagegroup.com/about/inclusion-and-belonging/  

As the Vice President of Product Management for our Higher Ed business, you will have a key role in leading our organization's product strategy and driving customer and business outcomes. You will be responsible for leading a team of product managers and fostering a culture of customer-centricity, innovation, and collaboration. Your expertise in the Product Operating Model will be crucial in driving product development and enhancing the value of our offerings.  

What you'll do here:

• Product Strategy and Vision: Collaborate with business leaders and customers to define a clear product vision that aligns with business goals and customer outcomes. Conduct continuous discovery processes to understand customer needs, identify problems, and find opportunities for innovation.

• Product Prioritization: Prioritize initiatives based on measurable customer impact, business value, and technical feasibility. Shift from output-focused roadmaps to outcome-driven prioritization, ensuring that each product initiative is tied to business and customer success metrics.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with engineering, design, marketing, and other teams to foster collaboration and empower product teams. Create an environment where cross-functional teams are aligned around customer outcomes and empowered to make autonomous decisions.

• Product Development Excellence: Establish robust discovery and delivery processes to validate product opportunities and iterate based on customer feedback and data. Implement scalable processes to continuously improve products post-launch.

• Data-Driven Leadership: Define clear metrics to measure product and team success. Continuously evaluate product performance, identify areas for improvement, and ensure accountability for results and advocate to leadership when investment is needed.

• Product Management Leadership: Develop a team of skilled product managers who act as mini-CEOs for their products. Champion deep customer insight, business acumen, and technical proficiency within the team. Lead the team through the change to the Product Operating Model and build a strong and collaborative culture. Assess team performance, invest in professional growth, and align with the principles of high-performing product organizations.  

Skills you will need here:

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or a comparable area, or equivalent experience. An advanced degree, such as an MBA, is preferred.

• 12 years of experience in product management in a technology organization.

• In-depth knowledge and experience with the Product Operating Model, including leading empowered product teams and driving outcomes.

• 10 years of experience in product management leadership roles, with a track record of building and leading empowered teams.

• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.

• Proven experience in successfully launching and scaling innovative products.

• Strong analytical and data-driven approach.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.  

Cengage Group is committed to working with broad talent pools to attract and hire strong and most qualified individuals. Our job applicants are considered regardless of race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, veteran status, and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, provincial or local laws.  

Cengage is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities including during our job application process. If you are an applicant with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in our job application process, please contact us at [email protected] or at +1 (617) 289-7917.  

About Cengage Group

Cengage Group, a global education technology company serving millions of learners, provides affordable, quality digital products and services that equip students with the skills and competencies needed to be job ready. For more than 100 years, we have enabled the power and joy of learning with trusted, engaging content, and now, integrated digital platforms. We serve the higher education, workforce skills, secondary education, English language teaching and research markets worldwide. Through our scalable technology, including MindTap and Cengage Unlimited, we support all learners who seek to improve their lives and achieve their dreams through education.  

Compensation

At Cengage Group, we take great pride in our commitment to providing a comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower our employees. Click here to learn more about our Total Rewards Philosophy.

The full base pay range has been provided for this position. Individual base pay will vary based on work schedule, qualifications, experience, internal equity, and geographic location.  Sales roles often incorporate a significant incentive compensation program beyond this base pay range.

In this position,  you will be eligible to participate in the company’s discretionary incentive bonus program.  This position's bonus target amount, which is not guaranteed and is dependent on individual performance and overall company results among other factors, is provided below.