Senior Product Manager - CRM

Ascend Learning is a national leader in data driven, online educational solutions for learners, educators and employers in high-growth, licensure-driven professions spanning healthcare, fitness and wellness, skilled trades, insurance and financial services. We are passionate about accelerating learning while impacting job readiness, employment success and employee retention with the belief that our work changes lives.

Our culture is intentionally results-driven and selfless with a relentless focus on our customers. We believe in trust, transparency, freedom and responsibility with a commitment to meritocracy, inclusion and diversity of thought. Continual investment in our over 1500 employees is also a core principle realized through ongoing professional development and providing opportunities to grow, develop and lead. Ascend Learning is headquartered in Burlington, MA with additional office locations and remote workers in cities across the U.S.

Ascend Learning is hiring now for a passionate Sr. Product Manager with CRM experience. This strategic leader and critical problem solver will work closely with business and technology partners to lead the company-wide CRM technology strategy and roadmaps. This position will work from one of our Ascend Learning office locations/hybrid: Leawood, Kansas or Burlington, Massachusetts or Gilbert, Arizona or Minneapolis, Minnesota preferred. Remote may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Develop company-wide CRM strategy and roadmaps in collaboration with technology and business partners showing direct alignment to the enterprise shared services vision, each business vision and priorities, market trends, and vendor roadmaps
• Transparent and responsible management of budget and company-wide investment in CRM
• Develop a deep understanding of the business needs related to CRM
• Responsible for product launch operations, ongoing enhancements, and driving best in class customer and employee experience
• Partner with, and potentially lead, aligned product owners who create product requirements and documentation to support road-map execution
• Serve as liaison between business teams and development teams, representing and advocating for the perspective of the other party
• Define and manage key CRM-related metrics, using data to shape and support strategy and roadmap
• Own vendor management from vendor selection through ensuring successful long-term partnerships.
• Drive the creation of holistic, initiative/epic-level product requirements.
• Clearly communicate rationale for prioritization, challenges, and solutions.
• Occasionally, perform the role of Product Owner as needed to support team including collaborate with and motivate a cross-functional team of designers, developers, testers and others to develop, execute, and release in alignment with product roadmaps.
• Actively support design and prototype work. Solicit user and other stakeholder feedback on concepts and prototypes.
• Drive ongoing improvements and efficiencies in product health, operational practices, tools and processes.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent industry experience
• Required 5+ years of demonstrated experience in CRM as business leader in sales, support, or related department, CRM champion, or product or technology owner/leader, preferably in Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce
• 5+ years of demonstrated success in a product management, product development, or similar role, preferred
• People management experience, preferred
• Proven success gaining a deep understanding of stakeholder and user experience to improve stakeholder satisfaction
• Experience working with shared services software development teams, preferably in a scaled agile framework (SAFe) environment.
• Experience writing business cases and/or features for both services and UI-based platforms using product management and development tracking tools (e.g. Jira, Jira Align)
• Certified Pragmatic Institute, Certified Scrum Product Owner®, or Certified SAFe® Product Owner / Product Manager, preferred

Skills and Abilities

• Problem Solver: Uses rigorous logic or methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answers.
• Master Collaborator: Able to use both deep knowledge in CRM related business processes and excellent listening and analytical skills to define and execute a holistic CRM strategy.
• Decisive: Makes sound decisions based on a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; most of his/her solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time; sought out by others for advice and solutions.
• Proactive: Doesn't wait for direction to act; understands what needs to be done; seeks out new projects, is able to spot inefficiencies and suggest improvements.
• Adaptable: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the complete picture.
• Resourceful: Can marshal resources (people, funding, material, support) to get things done; can orchestrate multiple activities at once to achieve a goal better and faster.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S. based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

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