Strategic Product Manager

The National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation are proud to be part of a highly respected industry, providing hospitality, opportunity, and quality of life. Much like the industry we represent, we have a dynamic, diverse, and inclusive culture, grounded in trust, hospitality, collaboration, and innovation. These are the core values that inspire our work, and what we’re looking for in an experienced Strategic Product Manager, to lead and execute plans for our restaurant and hospitality-focused markets portfolio.

The learning products offered by the National Restaurant Association reach nearly two million students a year across various markets. Our ambition is to provide our global audience with innovative, engaging training and education across multiple platforms. We offer a wide range of products in a variety of segments, from textbooks to online resources to mobile applications, and we focus on both compliance-driven and career-development suites.

As the Strategic Product Manager you will drive the business strategies and lifecycle of a portfolio comprised of multiple product lines from our foodservice-industry-focused risk and compliance business segment. Serving as an internal advocate and leader for the portfolio, you will be responsible for managing the day-to-day business of the products, monitoring portfolio performance, conducting customer learning activities and competitive analysis, as well as identifying customer-focused solutions to meet market needs. You will also collaborate closely with stakeholders across Development, Marketing, Sales, Platforms, Information Technology (IT), Regulatory, Customer Operations, and Finance & Accounting.

Ideal candidates bring a minimum of three years product management experience within B2B or B2C digital education products, as well as understanding of eLearning capabilities and education trends. Position requires a highly creative, curious, and collaborative leader, with the strategic tenacity to move business forward.

Position operates out of our Chicago office with a required three days onsite, Monday – Wednesday, with flexibility to work remote on Thursday and Friday.

The work you will do as part of our Product Management team will positively impact our continued efforts to develop a strong industry workforce. We look forward to hearing from you!

We are proud to offer our team members comprehensive benefits, designed to support their financial, professional, and personal well-being. In addition to outstanding healthcare coverage (medical, dental and vision), competitive salaries, generous vacation and leave time, we offer a matching 401(k) plan, a unique collection of corporate discounts and memberships, as well as programs to support career and skills development, including learning and tuition assistance, and so much more.

Responsibilities

• ​Develop, communicate, and execute a strategic plan for a multi-product portfolio in the Health & Safety business segment that grows market share and revenue.
• Cultivate a comprehensive understanding of and maintain expertise on the market landscape of the restaurant, food service, and food retail industries for products in the assigned portfolio, including customer needs and expectations; competitive landscape; market trends; and potential threats and opportunities.
• ​Manage the product life cycle for all products in the assigned portfolio, from business case to retirement, within scope and budget.
• Collaborate with and support other functional leaders across the Business Services team and the larger Product organization.
• Collaborate with and support portfolio-related work of the course and exam development teams.
• ​Partner with Platforms and IT teams to frame business requirements for technology that supports product implementation and delights customers.
• Work with Business Analysts to frame requirements needed for the PBIs (user stories) that drive technical work related to assigned products and other team projects.
• Work closely with other Health & Safety teams (Regulatory; Accreditation; etc.) to meet business segment goals.
• Leverage a data-driven and research-based approach to ensure products in portfolio meet B2C and B2B customer expectations and implementation requirements, including purchase, access, and delivery.
• Be the visionary and advocate for the portfolio, driving goals for the portfolio with internal partners and stakeholders.
• Provide thought leadership on pricing, business model, and technology strategies.
• ​Identify and test product ideas, assumptions, and features using focus groups, customer interviews, user testing, and advisory groups.
• ​Regularly analyze product and portfolio plans to align revenue forecasting and measurement of progress towards goals.
• Assist the Sr. Director, Product Management in driving departmental goals.

​​ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s in business administration preferred.
• Minimum three years of experience in product management, marketing, or development.
• Experience in B2B and B2C digital education/training software products a plus.
• Deep functional knowledge of product life cycles, strategic planning, sales, and marketing strategy.
• Proven experience and knowledge of education/training and certification software and delivery solutions (e.g., Learning Management Systems).
• Strong communication skills; verbal, written and presentation.
• Self-motivated, customer-focused, and capable of building business partnerships.
• Highly effective organizational, time-management, priority-setting and problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, conflict management, and diplomacy skills.
• Computer proficiency across MS Office, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Ability to learn other computer software program/database systems as needed.
• Highly adaptable; ability to work well under pressure, within fast-paced environment, both in office and virtual.
• Functional knowledge of financial and business metrics.
  Ability to maintain confidentiality of work records.
• Positive, progressive attitude
• Sound business judgment; accurately differentiate situations that require upper-management consultation from those that allow for independent decision-making.
• Ability to prioritize and drive multiple projects in a fluid, politically sensitive business environment.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The National Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association Solutions, LLC, and The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (together, “Company”) is committed to equal employment opportunity, and it is Company's policy to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles, and ensure that all other personnel actions are administered, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status and disability, or other legally protected status, and we will ensure that all employment decisions are based only on valid job requirements.

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.