Senior Product Release & Deployment Manager - Craft Education

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider Craft Education as the next step in your career.

Craft Education is on a mission to solve skilled labor shortages by powering work-based learning pathways for all.

At Craft, we're revolutionizing the apprenticeship degree, combining on-the-job learning with accredited instruction to create innovative educational pathways that accommodate working professionals and meet employer needs. Our flagship product - Craft Connect - helps organizations administer apprentice degree programs and address mission-critical data and reporting needs. Through the same platform, Craft is also transforming how on-the-job learning converts into academic credits.

Our team of technology, education and workforce professionals also provides technical assistance to organizations looking to launch and manage apprenticeship degree programs. We are working tirelessly to accelerate the expansion of these programs along with the data infrastructure that underpins them.

If you're looking to join the work-based learning revolution, we'd love to talk with you. At Craft, you'll have the opportunity to solve hard problems in a high-growth startup environment and make a lasting impact on the future of education and workforce development. We couldn't be more excited to advance this work as a team of innovative, collaborative and mission-oriented professionals - we hope you'll consider joining us.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Job Description

Reporting to the Director of Product, the Sr. Product Release and Deployment Manager is responsible for collaborating with leadership to identify, create, and develop processes and best practices for the Product Organization. As a key leader in creating the standard for cross-functional communication & visibility, you will surface the insights required to help our Product Organization define effective product strategies and function optimally.

Your collaboration with leaders and individual contributors from Product & UX creates excellent governance, continuous improvement of processes and communication, and most importantly, transparency throughout and enablement of the Product Organization. You help connect us with our users and business partners by creating and optimizing processes and best practices utilizing excellent communication methods. You empower our Product Organization by helping us find and remove our inefficiencies, and by helping us achieve better business and user outcomes.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Uses qualitative and quantitative insights to dig deep into workflows and product usage to drive both operational playbooks and tooling enhancements
• Leads cross-functional working groups to implement and support new system capabilities
• Standardizes documentation of Roadmaps, Strategy Reviews, Product Briefs, Vision Statements, Release Plans and Release Notes, Experiment Findings, Internal Product Announcement materials
• Creates standard templates and frameworks for communication and supporting product practices
• Routinely communicates roadmap progress to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to drive decision making on key trade offs
• Assists with consistent OKR monitoring and reporting
• Leads the organization of cross-functional teams and their management for product domains and creates supporting resources for the teams
• Establishes and implements standards and processes for the management of product backlog health
• Optimizes product management onboarding and creates related trainings
• Defines and manages intake process
• Organizes workshops to upskill employees and improve product practices
• Creates and manages product resources index and archive of product work
• Leads the implementation of discovery sprints/dual track Agile and supports the ongoing practice
• Partners with Portfolio Management Operations to ensure process alignment that enables value delivery
• Evangelizes product management methodology, which requires solid knowledge of the product discipline and the ability to create decks and educate others on best practices and why it exists
• In collaboration with Change Management leaders, develops and leads communication and training plans for leaders and stakeholders impacted by process changes and operation improvements
• Researches and investigates new trends and technologies to meet current and future needs of the Product and UX/UI organizations.
• Establishes audits and reports to ensure data accuracy and integrity
• Leads cross-functional teams in operationalizing standards and business models that effectively and seamlessly interrelate with business operations across the department.
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Agile, Product Management, Project Management, SDLC training or certification
• Excellent leadership and product management skills
• Ability to design and implement operational functions and initiatives
• Ability to plan, organize, and manage strategic initiatives
• Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Demonstrated ability to support, coach and provide feedback to others
• Ability to create and track data related to project impact
• Ability to influence, build consensus, and motivate others
• Advanced organizational skills with a high attention to detail
• Effective listening skills and ability to adapt well and willingly in an environment of change
• Ability to analyze business operations, processes, systems and identify process improvement opportunities

• Experience creating documentation and communication standards and frameworks

Competencies:

Organizational Impact:

• Develops and implements plan to accomplish division or job area responsibilities that align with department
• Performance may affect department results
• Work requires knowledge of the University to recognizeimpactof decisions made
• Works to achieveoperational targets withsignificant to majorimpact on department,function, or officeresults. May beresponsible for managinglarge projects orprocesses within thedepartment,function, oroffice
• Performs workas directed withlimited oversight

Problem Solving and Decision Making:

• Responsible forleveraging a systems-thinkingapproach,makingmoderate tosignificant improvementsof processes, systems,and plans within thedepartment, function, oroffice
• Problems and issuesfaced are numerous andchallenging,willrequiredetailed informationgathering and analysis.Problems typically affectmultiple areas orspecialties

Communication and Influence:

• Collaborates cross-functionally withemployeeswithin and outside ofthedepartment. Hasresponsibility forcommunicating withparties external to theUniversity

• Works to influenceparties within andoutside thedepartment, function, oroffice regarding policies,procedures, andpractices

Leadership & Talent Management

• Isresponsible forproviding guidance,coaching, and training toother employees in thedepartment, function, oroffice.Responsible for managingprojects involvingdelegation of work andreview of others' workproducts.
• Demonstratesthe WGUleadership principles inall aspects of service tostudents, employees,andpartners of WGU

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Typically requires a University Degree or equivalent

• Minimum of 5 years related experience, with 2+ years of software Product Management experience
• Pragmatic Institute or other Product Certification/training

• Experience with product-led technology teams

• Experience within an Agile software development environment
• Minimum 5 years of experience performing operations functions within a software development context
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a leadership role
• Experience with Product Management and/or software development tools/software (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Lucid, Mural, Roadmapping software, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Product Operations training
• Master's degree in a related field of study
• Change Practitioner Certification
• Previous experience in Education Technology

Work Location

Work location is determined by role and business needs. In addition to our headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT, we have several satellite locations across the US. Senior leadership, administrative functions, and technology teams are typically assigned to work in one of our office locations. While this position will begin with a Remote/Work-From-Home designation, this position will be required to work "In-Office" once the dedicated space in Nashville, TN is opened.

Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.