Senior Product Line Manager

Summary

Join the African Leadership University (ALU) as a Sr. Product Line Manager and lead the implementation, measurement, and improvement of learning products for ALU-Rwanda and the ALU School of Business. You will develop and maintain product roadmaps, conduct market research, and ensure user-centered design. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Learning Experience Design and Business Unit leaders, to define product requirements and manage implementation. Analyze data, communicate product performance, and foster a culture of innovation. This role requires a Master's degree, 5+ years of relevant experience, and strong communication and project management skills. Relocation assistance is provided.

Requirements

• A Master’s degree preferably in fields related to education, business, product management, learning design, or the like
• A minimum of 5 years progressive experience in higher education administration or product or program management within a learning context
• Familiarity with Learning Experience Design methodologies
• Strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
• Ability to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity and the confidence to adopt an experimental and iterative approach finding new and creative ways of addressing student support needs
• Project management skills, particularly strong work planning, prioritization and stakeholder engagement and management
• Excellent written, verbal communication, and presentation skills

Responsibilities

• Contribute to and champion the product vision by aligning with the University's mission, goals, and strategic plan
• Develop and maintain a product line roadmap for ALU-Rwanda and ALUSB that prioritize initiatives based on user needs, business value, and feasibility
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis relevant to the higher education ecosystem in which ALU-Rwanda and ALUSB operate
• While collaborating with the institutional quality assurance team, spearhead the accreditation or re-accreditation of programs in Rwanda
• Deeply understand user needs for the ALU-Rwanda and ALUSB target market through user research, surveys, and data analysis, representing the voice of students, faculty, and staff
• Advocate for user-centered design: Ensuring products are intuitive, accessible, and meet user expectations
• Oversee the Measurement, Assessment, and Continuous improvement strategy for the ALU-Rwanda and ALUSB Product Lines. and analyze user feedback
• Lead the product line(s) implementation lifecycle
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, in particular the Learning Experience Design team, and the leaders of the ALU-Rwanda and ALUSB Business Units, and appropriate marketing and business development personnel
• Help to define the product requirements and specifications
• Manage product implementation backlog and prioritize features with respect to ALU-Rwanda and ALUSB
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders, including senior leadership, faculty, staff, and students
• Effectively communicate product vision, strategy, and progress
• Facilitate stakeholder alignment to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding product priorities and goals
• Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure product success and track progress toward goals
• Analyze product data and user metrics to identify areas for improvement and inform product decisions
• Communicate product performance to stakeholders
• Foster a culture of innovation by encouraging experimentation and exploring new ideas
• Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies
• Continuously improve products based on user feedback, data analysis, and market trends
• As with all staff, the Sr. Product Line Manager will be expected to participate in institutional service, such as serving on committees, participating periodically in outreach activities, engaging in professional development and company retreats, and the like
• Ensure the safety and well-being of all young persons and vulnerable adults with whom we deal, by adhering to ALU’s comprehensive safeguarding policy, maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to any violations of safeguarding standards

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional education in Product or Project Management
• Experience in UX design or learning experience design
• Experience managing direct reports or interns
• Tech savviness: ability to quickly learn to use new technologies, software and tools
• Experience working at a higher education institution in Africa
• Experience working in a startup environment

Benefits

Relocation assistance provided for the selected candidate if not already in Kigali