Associate Director of Product

Associate Director Of Product

The Center for Academic Innovation is seeking a strategic and collaborative Associate Director of Product to help shape the future of Michigan Online-the university's platform for online and lifelong learning. This individual will lead and grow our product management function, working closely with engineering, user experience design, and other partners to support high-performing, cross-functional product squads. The Associate Director of Product will bring a discovery mindset and a strong focus on achieving outcomes.

They will initially serve as a hands-on product leader and supervisor for our existing product manager, helping to scale a product culture across the center. This position reports to the Chief Marketing Officer.

Responsibilities include:

• Translate executive priorities into a cohesive product vision and outcome-driven roadmap that balances learner needs, institutional goals, and technical scalability.
• Partner with the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Chief Learning Officer (CLO), Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and colleagues to ensure Michigan Online initiatives drive measurable institutional impact (e.g., learner reach, engagement).
• Operate as a senior contributor within Michigan Online cross-functional squads, supporting discovery and owning key delivery outcomes.
• Contribute to the overall Michigan Online ecosystem strategy that balances the needs of diverse stakeholders, including global lifelong learners, U-M students, and U-M faculty/administrators.
• Mature the Product Operating Model across the center, collaborating with senior leadership and peers to advance an outcome-oriented mindset.
• Build a culture of discovery, leveraging user research, rapid iteration, and data-informed decision-making in collaboration with research colleagues and squad teams.
• Engage with users and stakeholders to understand product needs and value drivers, including representing Michigan Online at on campus and off campus events.
• Form strong partnerships with engineering and UX design colleagues and other disciplines to sustain empowered, cross-functional product squads.
• Execute and refine product management processes (discovery and delivery documentation, opportunity prioritization, etc.) to increase the velocity of value delivery.
• Define and champion key metrics for Michigan Online; establish a framework for experimentation and evaluation of progress against strategic priorities/outcomes.
• Supervise and mentor current product manager, with the potential for future team growth
• Manage team member workload; establish, share, and monitor priorities; review their work for strategic alignment and quality.
• Provide mentorship, identify and suggest relevant professional development opportunities, and adhere to CAI performance management processes.
• Maintain a team environment that is respectful and upholds U-M Workplace Values by setting clear expectations for behavior, and leading team and individual conversations.

Required qualifications include:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience; advanced degrees or relevant certifications (e.g., Agile, Product Management, UX) are a plus.
• 6-8 years of experience in product management consistent with the `product operating model,' with at least 2 years in a leadership or mentoring role.
• Demonstrated success owning products end-to-end-from vision through launch, iteration, and retirement (edtech, SaaS, or academic experience a plus).
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams, including engineering, design, and business stakeholders.
• Strong, proactive communication and collaboration skills, with a demonstrated ability to drive alignment in complex environments.
• Experience using qualitative and quantitative data (e.g., user research, product analytics, A/B testing) to inform product strategy and measure impact.
• Ability to learn and appropriately use new technologies to improve processes, communication, and outcomes, including AI-enabled tools where relevant to the role, consistent with university policy and job responsibilities.

The mode of work for this position is hybrid, with a minimum of 4 days in the office per week, Monday through Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Fridays. On occasion, you may be required and must be available to work onsite on Fridays if necessitated by our center's policy and domain leadership or by your job requirements.

Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

The general salary range for this position is $120,000 - $130,000. Candidates can expect to be paid a competitive and equitable salary. Factors used to determine salary include education level, experience, knowledge, and skills for the position, and salaries that are currently established within the unit. All candidates are encouraged to discuss salary questions to honor alignment and transparency throughout the recruiting process.