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Director Product Management
Pearson
London, , United Kingdom
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Description
At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re-examining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe. We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large and small.
JOB PURPOSE
• To lead and manage the General Qualifications Product Management department to develop a deep and coherent understanding of teaching, learning, assessment and customer experience through external customers and stakeholders, and to be the customer and stakeholders' voice for general qualifications within Pearson , building understanding through the entire lifecycle. The portfolio comprises both GCSE, GCE, IGCSE and International A level Qualification both for UK and International customers.
• To lead and manage the General Qualifications Product Management department to develop a vision and a business strategy for the general qualifications portfolio that delivers Pearson’s strategy, and to manage propositions through the entire lifecycle based on subject, assessment and market evidence
• To be a member of the Schools Senior Leadership Team and to contribute to Schools strategy, in particular the development of the definition and development of a standardised customer experience, and the definition and development of highly integrated services across qualifications, learning services, professional development and digital services.
• To lead on major initiatives across Pearson UK and to contribute to how Pearson UK influences Government policy and qualification and subject criteria
Qualifications
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Build subject and market evidence and understanding through subject stakeholders and teachers
Develop a deep and coherent understanding of teaching, learning, assessment and customer experience in the General Qualifications Product Management department and build this understanding and expertise throughout Pearson UK, leading and managing staff as required, to ensure that everything we do sets standards that improve learning, is well-researched, is evidence-based and draws on the principles behind the efficacy framework.
This involves high-quality research with the stakeholders of our qualifications, including teachers, learned societies, subject associations, HE, employers and assessment associates, via a range of quantitative, qualitative, informal and formal methodologies. Where appropriate, it will involve drawing on existing academic research, international evidence, and liaising with Assessment Design and Research to commission further academic research.
Develop strategy and propositions, forecast revenues and manage P&L
Lead on the strategy and financial planning process for general qualifications to ensure that 1-year and 3-year plans and propositions are in place that create a compelling vision that aligns curriculum, assessment, professional development, free support and learning services to improve learning outcomes; that create an excellent customer experience; and that meet our financial objectives. This will mean managing the tensions between the needs of users of our qualifications and the requirements placed on us from a regulatory, legal, operational, reliability and validity point of view.
Collaborate effectively with the BTEC & WBL Product Management Directors on a coherent portfolio strategy.
Collaborate effectively with Global Schools teams and key Geographies on a coherent strategy for international qualifications.
Brief and manage products and services that meet stakeholder and customer needs
Lead and manage the General Qualifications Product Management department to ensure the development and execution of high-quality design proposals for qualifications, free support and professional development that meet customer and learner needs, draw from a strong, research-driven evidence base; that deliver the strategy and propositions agreed at SPAP; that support excellent customer experience; and that are well-integrated with related services offered across Pearson. This work will also involve the design of proactive and reactive support strategies through the entire lifecycle.
This work requires a high degree of leadership across different departments: both those involved with the management of our services, such as GQ Assessment, and those involved in customer engagement such as Marketing, Subject Advisors, Sales, Global Schools.
Leadership and people management
Build and lead the General Qualifications Product Management department to set a positive working culture in support of Pearson UK strategy and ensure that effective ways of working between the team and other teams in Pearson UK are in place, in particular with Learning Services, Qualifications Development, Assessment Design, Regulatory and Stakeholders, GQ Assessment, Sales, Marketing, Global Schools, Customer Services.
Lead and manage the team to ensure that they are coached, trained and mentored, and that team performance is managed to be best in class and to be able to achieve Pearson and UKS objectives. Develop resource plans and staff development plans to meet the requirements of the business strategy and attract, recruit and retain the best people to work in Pearson.
Contribute to the overall leadership and management of the Schools business, and lead on initiatives as required.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY
• Lead on the RF and Plan process for the General Qualifications Product Management department
• Lead, manage and approve the development of business proposals for qualification suites and major initiatives that are aligned with Pearson’s business strategy and financial goals, and taking those proposals through the necessary internal sign-off gateways (e.g. SPAP).
• Be accountable for the General Qualifications Product Management cost centres and for project costs as required
• Liaise with and influence departments across Pearson UK on investment requirements related to the launch and support of the general qualifications suite, in particular with Sales, Marketing, Customer Services, Global Schools, Training for Pearson and GQ Assessment.
KEY COMPETENCIES
• Leadership, people management, team building skills, collaborative decision-making skills
• Strategic thinking skills: the ability to think strategically, identify attractive opportunities and key sources of competitive advantage; to handle appropriately the tensions between the needs of users of our qualifications and the requirements placed on us from a regulatory, legal, operational, reliability and validity point of view; and to execute qualifications, support and professional development for customers that set high standards, are highly integrated and have competitive advantage
• Creative thinking and customer empathy: the ability to articulate strategies and propositions based on the needs of stakeholders and the users of our qualifications
• Communication, relationship building and influencing: the ability to build relationships with and to influence subject stakeholders, customers, commercial partners, other awarding bodies, government agencies and internal staff
• Commercial and financial planning skills: the ability to manage a P&L, forecast effectively and contribute to the Plan and RF processes
• Organisational and project management skills: the ability to plan and manage large-scale projects, including change programmes
SUCCESS CRITERIA
• Achieving revenue, profit and growth targets and managing departmental costs effectively
• Recruitment, development and retention of the best people
• Clarity of strategy for general qualifications and its alignment with Pearson strategy (in particular the drive to develop integrated services that deliver an excellent customer experience, and to develop a qualifications portfolio that is coherent across vocational and academic)
• Quality of execution of strategy through customer and stakeholder feedback
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Experience and/or knowledge of:
• academic qualifications, e.g. the market, customers, learners, assessment, technology
• leading and motivating a product management department or teams
• managing a departmental P&L and/or large cost centres
• influencing stakeholders (DfE, Ofqual and subject stakeholders)
• academic assessment principles and techniques
• the secondary schools and colleges environment
• working in a complex company, e.g. a matrix structure
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