Director, Product Management

A pioneer in K–12 education since 2000, Amplify is leading the way in next-generation curriculum and assessment. Our core and supplemental programs in ELA, math, and science engage all students in rigorous learning and inspire them to think deeply, creatively, and for themselves. Our formative assessment products help teachers identify the targeted instruction students need to build a strong foundation in early reading and math. All of our programs provide educators with powerful tools that help them understand and respond to the needs of every student. Today, Amplify serves more than 15 million students in all 50 states. For more information, visit amplify.com.

Job Description:

The Director, Product, Launch Experience will be the leader of the vision and overall product strategy for Amplify’s rostering, licensing, and integrations. The Director will own product planning and execution in research, design, and development of these products built to serve K-12 students, teachers and other education stakeholders. The Director will create and own the product roadmap aligned to key drivers and anticipated developments in the K-12 market. 

Partnering with Launch leadership and other company stakeholders, the Director will develop and drive research strategies that inform the vision and long-term plan for the product. The Director will develop the vision for the services and tools supporting these integrations, lead concept exploration, testing, and prototyping, build the product strategy, and ensure strong tactical execution against that plan. The Director will work closely with leaders from across departments to ensure the design and development of the program adheres to the product vision and remains aligned to customer needs. The Director will be responsible for directing team resources and budget toward high-value initiatives. The Director will serve as the champion and voice of their products with internal and external stakeholders, working closely with the teams who help market, launch, sell, and support all Amplify programs. 

Essential Responsibilities:

• Product Vision and Strategy – As the product leader for our Launch team, own the vision and product roadmap for all aspects of the product solution. Conduct research to identify and understand the problems our users face and represent them with data. Identify gaps and opportunities and drive innovation, market-leading solutions. Lead the launch team to concept, design, and build out initiatives that target these gaps and opportunities. Create and pitch initiatives grounded in research for inclusion in the product roadmap. Present product roadmap to key stakeholders for input and buy-in. 

• Market Research and Analysis - Stay up to date on the education technology market and prepare briefs to share with leadership and the product team. Research the competitive product landscape to inform product, design, and development decisions. Integrate research findings into strategic planning and product development.

• Business Strategy - Leveraging market knowledge and data gained through research, develop business plans that feature products to maximize market penetration while carefully balancing investment versus anticipated return. Consider the research and development costs to present investment recommendations to launch leadership and stakeholders. Oversee project budget and align spend and resources toward the highest priorities and biggest return. 

• Product Strategy and Roadmap– Lead research to identify and understand the problems our users face and represent them with data. Propose solutions to overcome their challenges and work with teammates to build out initiatives that would execute solutions. Create and pitch initiatives grounded in research for inclusion in the product roadmap. Present product roadmap to key stakeholders (including Sales and Marketing leadership) for input and buy-in. Collaborate with math supplemental, math assessment, and platform teams on the development of new features and functionality, prioritization and sequencing of deliverables on the platform roadmap, and advocating for math-specific needs.

• User Testing - Build a strategy for user testing of new product ideas, including interviews, focus groups, advisors, and advisory boards. Lead planning and execution of prototype development and validation through user experience testing and live classroom sessions. Create research plans, interview participants, analyze data, and recommend actions based on findings.

• Product Design – Collaborate with project teams including design, curriculum, and engineering to build out solutions to meet the goals of your initiatives.  Participate in human-centered design workshops. Make informed decisions by analyzing data from product metrics / user behavior and prototyping results. 

• Team Leadership – Communicate product goals and objectives regularly to your project team to motivate them, and empower them to take on work they think is best based on the prioritized backlog. Support team members where necessary to overcome challenges and find solutions.

• Product Development – Serve as the leader of your cross-functional team to plan, develop, and deliver finished products.  Actively participate in your team’s ceremonies and be readily available to address questions, concerns, and blockers. Partner with the curriculum team and design to ensure regular coordination of features and product design guidelines throughout the product development phase.

• Product Knowledge – Serve as an expert on our products, working with marketing, sales, and implementation teammates.  Collaborate on customer-facing projects including training materials, pilot support, customer conversations, and sales meetings.

• User Empathy – Be a passionate advocate for our internal and district users and empathize with their unique needs. Represent their perspectives through all phases of product development. Become an expert in our customer feedback, drawing insights from data points and sharing them with the product team to aid product strategy. Explore usage data for insights into how our product is used in classrooms during field tests and full implementation.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BA/BS or equivalent experience

• 5+ years of experience in product development

• Experience designing and developing digital products for education

• Proven research and analysis skills

• Strong organizational skills and great attention to detail

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree

• Classroom teaching experience at the middle and high school level

• Background in mathematics education

• Background in technology, design, user experience, and product management

• Client service experience either in consulting or another field

• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills

What we offer:
Salary is only one component of the Amplify Total Rewards package, which includes a 401(k) plan, stock options, competitive health insurance and mental health options, basic life insurance, paid time off, parental leave, and access to best-in-class development programs. The gross salary range for this role is $160,000 - $170,000. This role is eligible to earn an annual discretionary bonus that rewards individual and company performance.

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To that end, we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. 

Amplify is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We take affirmative action to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. 

This position may be funded, in whole or in part, through American Recovery & Reinvestment Act funds.

Amplify Education, Inc. is an E-Verify participant.

If selected, a background check will be required. As required by state and local laws and district policies, you may also be required to provide additional documentation, such as proof of vaccination or submit to enhanced background screening, including fingerprints.