Senior Product Manager

The Senior Product Manager leads the vision and strategy for our foundational cataloging applications, including Connexion and Record Manager. This role is perfect for a product leader who can reimagine and modernize cataloging tools and technologies for libraries globally. You'll be responsible for balancing ongoing product management with innovation and strategic development.

The Senior Product Manager is responsible for all aspects of product planning and development. May be responsible for more than one product and the product management personnel that support those products. The Product Manager is responsible for the following deliverables:

Produces product strategy, roadmaps, annual product plans, business cases, and monthly product reviews, launch plans, white papers, product presentations, market messaging, event support, competitive write-up, and user personas.

Contributes to the production of portfolio business plans, strategies, roadmaps, metrics, and operational plans; portfolio progress plans and reviews; user requirements and functional specs.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the product strategy and roadmap for our cataloging applications.

• Lead the modernization of existing product lines, ensuring they meet the evolving needs of our customers.

• Drive product discovery and delivery, working across the entire product lifecycle from ideation to launch.

Product Strategy and Planning:

• Oversees market analysis and develops product strategy and business case. Defines strategic product goals.
• Produces product roadmap
• Collaborates on release plans with Development
• Collaborates with finance in the production of product budgets and forecasts
• Develops pricing strategies and product positioning plans which contribute to maximizing product profitability

Leadership and Management:

• Provides leadership to cross-functional product workgroups. Leads Product management meetings. Resolves conflicts and drives consensus.
• Facilitates collaboration and communication and secures commitment between Development and Product Management workgroups towards achievement of common goals.
• Develops and monitors progress on product roadmap

Product Marketing Oversight and Consultation:

• Assists in the development of strategies for customer acquisition and retention; manages relationships with user groups and assists sales team in generation of marketing and awareness plans.
• Understands how and when to commission market research in order to develop and maintain expertise in markets served, alternative services, new technology, and related standards.
• Can generate appropriate information for market sizes by sector / territory and can generate market penetration statistics.
• Provides training and support to the sales and support team; may assist in significant sales calls.
• Analyses reasons for OCLC product wins and losses against competition and can provide meaningful information to aid product planning.
• Will work to define and rationalize user personas
• Will produce market/sector white papers

Consultation on Portfolio Planning:

• Provides input into portfolio business plans, roadmaps, strategies, metrics, and progress reports and reviews

Mentoring/Support for Product Managers:

• Serves as mentor and support as needed for less experienced Product Managers

Qualifications

What We're Looking For

• Deep Domain Knowledge: You must have a strong understanding of library science, metadata, and data standards. The ability to speak fluently to the technical requirements and challenges of the library community is essential.

• Strategic Thinking: A track record of developing product roadmaps and a desire to challenge the status quo to create new, innovative solutions.

• Customer Engagement: Experience in a customer-facing role, including direct engagement through activities like webinars, office hours, and on-site visits. You should be comfortable building strong relationships and gathering feedback directly from users.

• Collaboration: A natural collaborator and communicator who can work effectively with internal teams, including sales, marketing, technology, and other product groups.

• Problem-Solving: A proven ability to solve complex problems and a curious mindset that drives you to explore new technologies and approaches.

Minimum Required

• Bachelors Degree
• 4 to 6 years experience in cataloging or metadata library services or systems
• 6 to 8 years experience in product, project or program management preferred in the library market
• Knowledge of library systems and technologies and excitement for opportunities with AI
• Well developed communication and presentation skills and demonstrated experience in presenting information at a senior management level
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional team environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated ability with financial planning and financial forecasting
• Extensive understanding of technical capabilities and market requirements needed to develop innovative market plans
• Strong customer relationship skills

Desired but not Required

• Masters degree

Working Conditions: Normal office environment.

ADA/EAA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.