Job Description:

EBSCO Information Services (EIS) provides a complete and optimized research solution comprised of e-journals, e-books, and research databases - all combined with the most powerful discovery service to support the information needs and maximize the research experience of our end-users. Headquartered in Ipswich, MA, EIS employs more than 3,300 people worldwide. We are the leader in our field due to our cutting-edge technology, forward-thinking philosophy, and top-notch workforce. EIS, a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., based in Birmingham, AL, is ranked in the top 200 of the nation's largest, privately held corporations according to Forbes magazine. EBSCO is a company that will motivate you, inspire you, and allow you to grow. We are looking for the best. If you are too, we encourage you to explore our unique opportunities.

As Director, B2C Product Management, you will be in a key leadership role, responsible for helping to shape and execute our strategy to develop a significant direct to consumer business at EIS. You will be passionate about product development and eager to deeply understand how our products will interact with users and delight them. You will be excellent at cultivating relationships across a broad set of business functions and capabilities. You will directly manage, guide and inspire cross functional teams while also tackling needed tasks in a hands-on manner, particularly in the early days of our B2C initiatives. The role is a critical balance of visioning, communicating, driving, collaborating and hands-on work to ensure that we achieve our business goals.

You will report to and work closely with the SVP of product management in this area and work collaboratively with individuals from many teams across our organization.

Responsibilities

• Direct, manage, and undertake the day-to-day responsibilities needed to develop new B2C products in the education/skills development space.

• Serve as principal product owner and manager, initially for two B2C products EIS is looking to bring to market within the next 12 months (GradPrepNow and MasterMoney). Work to achieve business goals identified.

• Direct and work with agile product teams operating in two-week sprints, following SAFe enterprise agile methodologies.


• Become part of the team exploring the development of B2C advertising revenue based on generating traffic to a free site providing authoritative information primarily for those doing research at the college level (Project Amplify). Contribute to and drive selected activities required for success (TBD).


• Represent the voice of the user to our organization.


• Be inquisitive, look for ideas everywhere and work out how to create, share and test them within your products.


• Listen, learn and understand what is happening in our markets and develop a plan to serve and shape them. Understand what is happening with our competitors and broader industry.


• Provide input to long-range plans. Develop actionable projects/roadmaps/backlogs in line with EIS's long-range plans.


• Work with outside consultants.


• Ensure deep and broad understanding of the business value you are aiming for across the whole development process.


• Work closely with UX and Analytics teams to understand how your business objectives are tested, why they are met (or not) and what needs to get better or change.


• Over time, attract, develop, promote and retain a great team of up to 20 people.


• Ultimately, you must know what it takes to do great things and make it happen.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 8+ relevant years relevant B2C experience with online products and services. Passionate about building great products.


• Demonstrated qualities around strategic thinking and planning


• Track record of using qualitative and quantitative techniques to shape decision making.


• Experience in working within Agile development frameworks.


• Deep understanding of design thinking, design processes and working with design teams in agile processes.


• Understanding of major front-end technologies.


• Excellent communicator, verbal, and written, and able to effective present to large/small groups and to senior management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep interest and knowledge with consumer online businesses and how the industry works today.


• SAFe trained or related agile experience.


• Comfortable using collaboration tools: Slack, Rally, MS Teams etc.


• Pragmatic Marketing/Institute Certified a plus.


• International experience a plus.


• Sound business judgement.


• 360 leader; able to direct the work of others as well as do the work themselves as needed. Leads by example. Focus on "we" not "I."

30 Day Objectives (Preliminary)

• Become knowledgeable about EIS's B2C strategies, plans and current activities.


• Specifically review plans for the launch of two B2C products, meet with and engage with the product team, outside consultant (Stealth Venture Labs) and begin to serve in the role of senior product owner/manager.
  
  
  • Participate in weekly project meetings.
  
  
  • Identify any gaps in initial project plans.
  
  
  • Come up to speed on the work being done and begin to engage with the development team.
  
  
  
  


• Review plans for EIS's B2C advertising initiative (Project Amplify). Provide thoughts and recommendations as appropriate.
  
  
  • Attend weekly project meetings and engage with project team.
  
  
  • Work with SVP Product Management, VP Stacks, and other project leaders to clarify role where you can best contribute to this initiative with the goal of driving select day-to-day activities.
  
  
  
  


• Become familiar with and learn EIS's project management tools utilized if not already familiar, i.e. Rally, MS Teams, etc.


• Other objectives TBD.

60 Day Objectives (Preliminary)

• Begin to actively drive the day-to-day activities of EIS's B2C new product initiative in collaboration with Stealth Venture Labs and the EIS project team, including:
  
  
  • MVP product specifications for launch.
  
  
  • Collaboration with the LearningExpress Product, Content and Technology teams on needed content and functionality required for MVP launch.
  
  
  • UX needs and requirements.
  
  
  • Plans for customer service and support.
  
  
  • Plans for eCommerce.
  
  
  • Business model options.
  
  
  • Branding and naming.
  
  
  • Media plans in collaboration with Stealth Venture Labs.
  
  
  • Coordination of project plans.
  
  
  • Daily/weekly stand-ups and demos with the development teams.
  
  
  
  


• Contribute to Project Amplify and begin to drive select day-to-day activities.


• Other objectives TBD.

90 Day Objectives (Preliminary)

• Be the primary driver of EIS's day-to-day activities of EIS's B2C new product initiative as outlined above.


• Be a significant contributor to Project Amplify to help EIS meet business goals (specifics TBD).


• Other objectives TBD.

EBSCO Industries, Inc.is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. EBSCO strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.

EBSCO complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local law.

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