Lead Product Manager
Up Learn, United Kingdom

Up Learn has built the world’s most effective learning experience. We’ve done this by combining cognitive science, instructional theory and artificial intelligence.

Our mission is to create the most effective learning experiences in the world, and distribute access to as many students as possible

Up Learn started with A Levels and developed courses that are:

1. Effective: 97% of students that complete Up Learn courses achieve an A*/A, starting from grades as low as Ds and Es
2. Engaging: 23.5 million hours of learning thanks to Up Learn, and rising
3. Scaling: tens of thousands of students use Up Learn today, either independently, or through one of our 400 schools, university or charity partners

Up Learn has been growing fast, and is backed by investors that share their vision, including leading venture capital firm Forward Partners and the Branson family (Virgin). Social impact is critical to Up Learn’s mission - for every student that pays, Up Learn gives a full scholarship to a student who can’t. We are growing our incredible, 70+ strong team.

Over the first twelve months, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our product strategy and execution.

Key responsibilities include:

PM Development: Lead and mentor a team of two Product Managers, fostering their growth and enhancing their capabilities. As a key driver of our vision, your role in developing a team of top-tier product thinkers and operators is paramount. Over time, you may be tasked with expanding and hiring new Product Managers to further strengthen the team.

Prioritisation: Collaborate with the company Leadership Team to craft a comprehensive roadmap, navigating complex demands across strategy, vision, customer requests, and ensuring short-term business growth. This will encompass both established products for A Level students and new offerings for KS3 through to GCSE students.

Operations: Implement tools and processes to gather insights from users and customers. Define success metrics for various levels within the Product function and oversee operational performance. Structure teams for optimal efficiency and continuous improvement.

Communications: Make it easy for everyone at Up Learn to know what we’re doing, what we’re not doing, and why. On the ground, navigate and support interpersonal communications across teams and departments.

Delivery: Initially, you will personally oversee an area of the product. Conduct user and customer interviews, prioritise initiatives, and drive improvements in areas crucial for future growth, such as engaging parents of Up Learn students. Adapt focus based on business needs and actively contribute to identifying key opportunities.

Teamwork: You won’t be doing this alone! Work with a team of diverse expertise who are whole-heartedly passionate about their work, including Learning Executives, Data Scientists, Animators, Product Designers and Engineers

Requirements

If you don’t meet every requirement below, but you still believe you’re the right person for the job, we strongly encourage you to apply.

We are looking for a Lead or Group Product Manager who understands that product management is an amalgam of art, science, psychology and operations. We are looking for a deep thinker and lifelong learner, as well as an adroit practitioner; someone who can exhibit both open-minded creative flair alongside structured and systematic thought. You will fit in well if you’re someone who devours books, articles and podcasts about product and design, always seeking to learn more and constantly developing.

Specifically:

• People Leadership: You must have an outstanding track record of successfully building teams, leading teams, and developing individual Product Managers. This role is principally about delivering through others
• Operational Leadership: You have a history of building operational systems and processes, which is key to this role. It will be a great fit for you if you’re a rare mix of very operationally minded while still people oriented.
• Experience: You can draw on extensive experience from successful start-up and scale-up environments, showcasing your ability to manage, lead, and develop teams and the outcomes of your efforts.
• Communication: You possess exceptional communication skills to articulate the 'what,' 'why,' and 'why not' of our product decisions to a diverse audience, ranging from interns to the Leadership team, while aligning cross-functional teams.
• Prioritisation: You exhibit expertise in managing competing demands, balancing multiple projects, and effec

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