Product Manager Chemistry
3 days ago
Roseville
Job Description SUMMARY/OBJECTIVE: Product managers are responsible for developing discipline-specific visions and actionable plans that will position PASCO as the world’s leading company in technology-based, 21st century science education. Product managers are responsible for managing the entire portfolio of offerings pertinent to their specific discipline. To the extent that products cross disciplines, product managers will coordinate with their colleagues to insure a collaboratively managed portfolio. Based on thorough research, product managers will propose product concepts to the Executive Team, and, if approved, will work with Hardware and Software Engineering to transform research-based concepts into products. When appropriate, product managers will coordinate their product development efforts with the Curriculum Development and Training Team. The objective is to ensure PASCO’s offerings provide science teachers what they need to inspire, motivate, and educate their students. Product Managers will work with Marketing and Sales to provide a description, rationale and intended market positioning for each solution. For the Chemistry subject, this individual will focus on high school (HS) and higher education (HE) chemistry with some supporting activities for Grades K-8. To develop and deliver against a business plan, the individual in this role will: • Analyze and assess PASCO’s current offerings for HS and HE Chemistry (current state)., • Develop a vision for HS and HE Chemistry to characterize PASCO’s offerings (desired state) necessary to meet market needs and business objectives., • Develop a business-plan that includes formative and summative metrics that moves PASCO from its current state of offerings to its desired state., • Execute the plan and report, with metrics, on progress. Own the portfolio of products serving K-16 Chemistry including product strategy, pricing, product maintenance and lifecycle management. • Align product portfolio to the market needs/opportunities and business objectives., • Complete a market segment analysis annually (or more frequently, if appropriate)., • Include a competitive analysis, • Include a market size estimate, market share and market trends, • Stay abreast of technology trends with an eye towards developing improved solutions., • Continuously assess trends in science education pedagogy to insure “goodness of fit” between PASCO’s solutions and the market’s “state-of-readiness/willingness” to adopt new solutions., • Formulate a HS and HE Chemistry vision-- PASCO’s desired state--with a minimum of a 3-year horizon, including hardware, software, lab activities and curriculum., • While the principal role for this position is to guide the development of the chemistry product line, responsibilities will also include working on biology, earth and environmental lines of sensors at regular intervals. Understanding instrument design, lesson set up, marketing and instructors needs in environmental, physiology, agriculture or other earth sciences will be advantageous to bring the tools designed to these markets., • Communicate the vision to the Executive Team emphasizing how the vision addresses market needs and desired business direction., • Develop a business plan that demonstrates how current offerings combined with desired offerings will improve market share., • Develop proposals for products and solutions necessary to realize the vision., • Integrate business plan with product proposals, demonstrating how development efforts are supporting solution development and aligning to plan., • Develop and maintain product release schedules for each product under development, coordinating launch activities closely with sales and marketing departments., • Present product proposals to the Executive Team for approval., • Manage process necessary to support approved products through development lifecycle., • Develop and maintain product release schedules for each product under development, coordinating launch activities closely with sales and marketing departments., • Evaluate developed products for functionality, quality, and completeness before production release., • Track and report regularly on progress through the plan., • Support Marketing and Sales with documentation necessary to produce collateral., • Collect ongoing data necessary to assess the plan., • Modify the plan as necessary to reach the objective., • Support the ongoing delivery of PASCO’s company-level value proposition and positioning, while continuing to support and communicate the segment-specific value proposition and positioning., • Work collaboratively with the segment management team, sales, and company management on PASCO business plan and annual budgets, including supporting segment performance goals. POSITION REQUIREMENTS: • High school diploma or equivalent., • Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a minimum of 5 years post-degree work experience., • Depth of knowledge in one or more of the market segments relevant to PASCO’s current and/or future business direction., • A true passion for education and specifically science education., • Solid understanding of the education market from a business, political and social perspective, and from a classroom (teaching and learning) perspective., • Understanding of pedagogical approaches, trends, and debates., • Excellent presentation skills, writing and editing ability, interpersonal and communication skills; strong influence and persuasive skills., • Proven technology literacy., • Ability to actively listen., • Understanding of business management and business processes with demonstrated business analysis skills., • A self-starter, very highly organized, and able to multitask and manage/drive multiple simultaneous projects., • Ability to work across functionally at all levels of the company., • Ability to work with various members of the education community., • Requires travel (approximately 15-20%). DESIRED EXPERIENCE: • Experience in both a classroom teaching position and business development experience in a for-profit business. SKILLS AND ABILITIES: • Excellent communication skill, • Detail Oriented, • Good organizational and multi-tasking skills, • Problem Solving/Analysis, • Time management and task completion skills, • Team Player Rev:5/6/2025