VP Product Mgmt

Job Description

VP Product Manager

The Vice President Product Manager is a vital resource within the company and is responsible for overseeing assigned aspects of the product line management with an emphasis on new product development, product line strategic growth/profitability, and life cycle management. Primary responsibilities include product line planning; guiding editorial and technology development of superior, differentiated product; advocating customer/sales needs in the product development process; guiding market research activities; and taking a portfolio view of life cycle management.

Additional responsibilities include participating in creation of business cases, product launch and maintenance activities, and competitive selling support.

Primary Responsibilities

Product Planning and Product Development

• Identify new market and growth opportunities and develop solutions through business case process. Conduct ongoing market intelligence activities that yield develop deep customer insights and "job-to-be-done" to support new opportunity identification and business case development.
• Manage product planning and development activities for a solution in collaboration with product development teams
• Create market and business requirements for new solutions that satisfy customer needs and revenue/profit goals.
• Recommend and maintain partnerships and affiliations to enhance marketability of products/product line
• Make recommendations for revisions of and extensions for existing solutions, including product customization, new components, and pricing models.
• Research and report information about market trends, competitive issues and products, customer issues, and sales force needs to stakeholders as directed.
• Anticipate, monitor, and respond to competitive issues. Implement the development of strategic competitive information
• Set goals for market research activities. Implement efficacy studies, user studies, and pilots

Product Life Cycle Management

• Analyze financial performance of an assigned product, including investment, revenue, and profitability
• Analyze and evaluate market performance and product positioning of an assigned product
• Benchmark performance of an assigned product against competition and market; implement pricing plans in line with product strategy
• Implement tasks in the product launch and sunset process
• Implement product maintenance plans and manage the phases and gates in the product life cycle

Marketing Strategy

• Work with Product Marketing on go-to-market strategy for new product or solution.
• Partner with SVP to identify product positioning strategies. Partner with Product Marketing and Sales to ensure proper competitive positioning for product or solution.

Product Evangelist

• Serve as product expert across the HMH organization
• Provide support for the sales and services enablement process
• Assist with key customers

Communication

• Maintain strong, ongoing channels of communication with sales force and other functional areas within SIS.

Education and Experience

• BS/BA in related discipline with approximately 3-5 years of related industry or functional experience
• MBA or Masters preferred--preferably in the content area or in business management or marketing
• Teaching experience, experience as an Educational Sales Consultant, or similar experience is preferred

Physical Requirements

• Might be in a stationary position for a considerable time (sitting and/or standing).
• The person in this position needs to move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• Must be able to collaborate with colleagues via face to face, conference calls, and online meetings.

#LI-LR1

ABOUT US:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (NASDAQ:HMHC) is a global learning company dedicated to changing people’s lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. As a leading provider of pre-K–12 education content, services, and cutting-edge technology solutions across a variety of media, HMH enables learning in a changing landscape. HMH is uniquely positioned to create engaging and effective educational content and experiences from early childhood to beyond the classroom. HMH serves more than 50 million students in over 150 countries worldwide, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world.
For more information, visit http://careers.hmhco.com

PLEASE NOTE:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is an equal employment opportunity employer and participates in E-Verify. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, or other protected group status.