Product Manager, Academic Markets

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 educational publishing Product Manager, to lead and execute strategic plans for our restaurant and hospitality-focused academic 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 an integral member of our Product Management team, the Product Manager, Academic Markets, will develop the strategic plan for the National Restaurant Association’s restaurant and hospitality-focused academic markets portfolio (secondary and post-secondary), focusing on both position-specific and topic-driven training products. Serving as an internal advocate and leader for the portfolio, you will be responsible for managing the day-to-day business of the products, evaluating current performance, conducting competitive analysis, and identifying customer-focused solutions to meet market needs.

As the market expert for this portfolio, you will need to have a deep understanding of academic market requirements, the unique sales channels for product adoption, delivery and support, eLearning technology capabilities, and education trends. The position will collaborate closely with stakeholders across Marketing, Sales, and Customer Care. Success is predicated on bringing customer-focused solutions that have strong value propositions, meet data-driven market needs, and provide unique competitive advantage.

Ideal candidates bring a minimum of five to eight years of product management experience within B2B and B2C digital education products. Previous consumer-based marketing experience a plus, as well as understanding of eLearning capabilities and education trends. Position requires a highly creative 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 mission 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, learning and tuition assistance, and so much more.

Responsibilities:

• Assist the Vice-President, Career & Academic Markets to accomplish departmental goals; collaborate and support other functional leaders in the Product Management team.
• Act as manager for other product management team staff at the specialist, associate, and/or manager level.
• Develop, communicate, and execute the strategic plan for products in the academic markets’ portfolio, to achieve or exceed goals for market share and revenue growth.
• Serve as the organization’s market expert for the assigned portfolio; investigate, analyze, track, and respond to activity that could affect the products’ reception and position in the market, including competitive offerings.
• Ensure products in the portfolio meet customer expectations and delivery requirements, ranging from purchasing options through results tracking and reporting.
• Represent the product management function in Association initiatives.
• Anticipate discipline and industry trends through data-driven research, with a focus on meeting expectations for B2C and B2B career training and education.
• Manage product lifecycles of multiple products simultaneously, within scope and budget.
• Use a broad understanding of learning design (with emphasis on digital solutions) to bring customer-driven products and solutions to market.
• Regularly analyze product and portfolio plans to align revenue forecasting and measurement of progress towards goals.
• Serve as the advocate for the portfolio; communicate product information, including presentations to partners, potential customers, and other groups in support of sales efforts.
• Coordinate with the Sales and Compliance teams to develop a programmatic plan for securing approval of eligible NRA & AHLEI programs from grant-awarding organizations that support workforce development across all hospitality sectors.
• Provide thought leadership on pricing, business model strategies, and setting business goals.
• Prepare business cases for investment decisions.
• Participate in appropriate Development and Marketing activities.
• Identify and test product ideas within segments, including using focus groups, customer meetings, reviews, and advisory groups as appropriate.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree required. Concentration in Marketing, Business, or Education preferred.
• 5 – 8 years of experience in product management, marketing, sales, or development.
• Experience in B2B and B2C digital education products preferred; consumer-based product experience a plus. Restaurant or hospitality industry experience a plus.
• 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.
• Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Strong financial and business metrics acumen.
• Deep functional knowledge of product life cycles, strategic planning.
• Deep functional knowledge of digital education technology and how the restaurant industry engages with it.
• Positive, progressive attitude.
• Demonstrative abilities in collaborative team and consensus building (including internal and cross-functional groups).
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, conflict management, and diplomacy skills.
• Ability to prioritize and drive multiple projects in a fluid, politically sensitive business environment.
• Sound business judgment; accurately identify situations that require upper-management consultation from those that allow for independent decision-making.
• Highly adaptable; ability to work well under pressure, within fast-paced environment, both in office and virtual.
• Computer proficiency across MS Office, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Ability to learn other computer software program/database systems as needed.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of work records.
• 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.