Associate Product Manager

Who we are:
The Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning (VPAL) is seeking an Associate Product Manager to join our team as we expand the breadth and reach of the University’s online and blended learning experiences at a time of unprecedented change in education. This is an exciting opportunity for a product manager with a background in online learning OR someone eager to apply their experience to an exciting new industry.

Here is where you come in:
The Associate Product Manager helps to oversee and contribute to the online course product lifecycle from market research, to pipeline development, course design, beta testing, course launch, and course performance summary.  The Associate Product Manager will also collaborate with University faculty, and other internal VPAL teams such as program services, technology, operations, and instructional design. This role will be responsible for strategic management of a portfolio of multiple online courses, as well as helping research and discover new course topics and other packaging or bundling opportunities. 

The Associate Product Manager will report to the Director of Series Courses and work closely with the Harvard Online Marketing team. The role is part of a new and growing team within the organization. To be successful in this role the candidate should have:

• A strong interest in researching, developing, and evaluating a wide variety of online learning courses and product models
• A natural tendency for collaboration with team members across all levels of the organization
• Communication skills that include the ability to effectively tailor messaging depending on the audience
• A strong entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to offer solutions and ideas to help resolve challenges

 At VPAL, your role will be to:
Research new course topics and delivery models, matching them with specific learner needs.

• Launch a portfolio of online courses, perform an initial market assessment, and conduct background research to inform marketing strategies, including market sizing, product positioning, key benefits, pricing, and target audiences.
• Contribute to the customer insight and data collection strategy.
• Contribute to organization-wide efforts to stay up-to-date with emerging online learning market trends and developing competitive forces.

 Contribute to the design and development of online course products.

• Work closely with team members to align product definition with market research, and work closely with VPAL Marketing to align the go-to-market strategy with the product.
• Assist as needed with the course beta testing process, and synthesize outcomes for the purpose of improving the overall learning experience within a course.   

 Evaluate the success of products and make recommendations for improvement.

• Provide general oversight of the maintenance of the assigned course portfolio; work collaboratively across teams to continue to update course content, email communications, marketing language, and technology.
• Assist the Marketing team to optimize paid advertising efforts, primarily ensuring we are targeting/reaching the right segments across courses and that our message is relevant to each of them.
• Serve as a champion for internal and external constituents on products in the designated portfolio. Track course performance and report to internal stakeholders and faculty on the health and well-being of products, making recommendations for product growth strategy.
• Maintain documentation, style standards, and other guidelines for deploying survey questions across many different types of online courses.
• Other key initiatives and duties as assigned. 

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Minimum of 5 years of product management or related experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Relevant experience in educational product development, educational publishing and/or business preferred
• Experience in educational product development, educational publishing and/or business
• Familiarity with best practices in marketing, branding, and data analysis
• Ability to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders ranging from faculty to marketing agencies to software engineers in an effort to ensure development is aligned with goals
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, as well as demonstrated presentation and negotiation abilities
• Experience conducting research, gathering information from many sources, filtering what is most important, and synthesizing findings into actionable recommendations
• Ability to think proactively, suggest solutions, and manage multiple deadline-driven projects simultaneously
• Current understanding of business trends, issues, and innovations as they relate to online education
• High standards for quality and accuracy.
• Proven ability to work with shifting priorities and under tight deadlines
• Enjoy working both independently and as a team member, eager to thrive in an environment where the work will change steadily
• Enjoy working as part of a lean team and pitching in to accomplish an evolving agenda
• Bring a “no job is too big or small” philosophy to work

Working Conditions

Work is mainly performed in an open office setting

Additional Information

As part of the interview process for this role, finalists may be required to prepare a brief presentation.

IMPORTANT NOTE: A cover letter is requested for this role. Your cover letter and resume should be submitted as a combined SINGLE DOCUMENT under the resume tab.

VPAL is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Individual flexible, including hybrid, work options for this role will be discussed during the interview process. All work must be performed in a state where Harvard is registered to do business (CA, CT, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, RI, VT). 

Please Note: The University requires all Harvard community members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccine boosters, as detailed in Harvard’s Vaccine & Booster Requirements Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons. More information regarding the University’s COVID vaccination requirement, exemptions, and verification of vaccination status may be found on the University’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” webpage: http://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-information/.    

About the Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning (VPAL)
The mission of the Office of the Vice Provost for Advances in Learning (VPAL) is to create and catalyze engaging and scalable learning experiences that make a difference at Harvard and beyond.

VPAL is committed to convening and nurturing a diverse community dedicated to promoting inclusive excellence and leadership in teaching and learning. We celebrate, welcome, and honor all backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values. We strive to ensure that all feel included in our mission, our work, and our learning inside and outside our organization. We affirm that inclusivity and belonging are the foundations of excellence.