Product Manager Job in 21202

Walden University is an accredited institution offering doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degrees online to professionals who want to make a difference in the lives of children, the health of a community, or the success of an organization. Walden offers degrees in health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration, technology, and engineering. Our academic standards are high, our faculty is experienced, and our curriculum is rigorous. The Walden distance-learning approach optimizes relevance and depth of learning by letting students share experiences with peers here and abroad.

Since 1970, Walden has stayed true to its mission: serving the higher education needs of professionals whose work impacts others. Our programs help students achieve personal enrichment and career advancement. Our graduates, in turn, enrich and advance the lives of countless others they serve.

GENERAL SUMMARY:
The Product Manager for Walden University will be responsible for understanding the financial performance of existing degree programs to ensure revenue goals and budgets are met, and for identifying and catalyzing new opportunities to drive growth and profitability. He/she will evaluate program performance to diagnose problem areas, propose solutions, and oversee their implementation. The successful Product Manager will develop a detailed understandng of each degree program under his/her management. Successful Product Managers demonstrate an ability to communicate interpersonally with a wide range of stakeholders and grasp differing viewpoints clearly.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Proactively identify opportunities to improve existing program performance using both internal program performance data (such as course evaluations and retention) and external market information (such as competitive intelligence and industry data).

Address issues of concern when budgets are not met and seek to make improvements

Identify and model opportunities to improve performance and profitability

Develop a deep understanding of the adult learner market, including, for a variety of target market segments, their:
o Education requirements
o Decision making process and criteria
o Information absorption/processing preferences
o Communication style and needs
o Career needs
o Expectations concerning education and professional development
o View of competitor offerings.

Identify, recommend, and develop potential market opportunities and expansion of product offerings based on the above criteria.

Collaborate with product development in development of new programs,specializations, and courses, from concept development through launch.

Collaborate with academic leadership to ensure consistent focus on academic integrity, learn more about current student profiles, improve student retention, and provide a strong student experience.

Based on market understanding, collaborate with Marketing and Enrollment colleagues to develop effective communication strategies to influence their decisions regarding educational advancement opportunities.

Collaborate with product management and finance colleagues to develop annual budgets and long-term plans.

Lead the process to respond to competitive and market trend analyses,ensuring that strategic decisions are data driven.

Collaborate with Market Research and Insights team to develop and coordinate market research and segmentation activities including focus groups,surveys,customer interviews and preliminary research

Take ownership of assigned products and contribute as a team player by applying strong leadership skills and building a high performance,cross-functional team environment.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's degree; MBA or related degree preferred.

5+ years of product management or related experience, with industry knowledge of the higher education space and /or management education preferred.

International experience preferred.

Skilled in financial and business analysis.

Skilled in planning, organizing, and project management.

Ability to manage multiple, competing priorities.

Able to drive the product management process with diplomacy and enthusiasm.

Advanced critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis skills.

Strong written and verbal communication skills required.

Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite with particular aptitude in Excel.

Must thrive under pressure and in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment with tight deadlines and multiple priorities.

Experience working in a global environment with diverse functional and business units in large, matrixed project teams.

Travel less than 10% of time.

Laureate Education, Inc., and all of it subsidiaries or affiliates, are equal opportunity employers. EOE

January 15, 2009 • Tags:  • Posted in: General