Lead Specialist, Portfolio Management

Pearson

20h•$110,000 - $120,000

About The Position

The Advanced Specialist, Portfolio Management provides critical analytical and operational support for Pearson’s channel distribution partners, including bookstores and digital fulfillment providers. This role enables data‑driven decision‑making, ensures consistent performance reporting, and supports commercial execution by maintaining the operational backbone of partner relationships. This is an individual contributor role with high cross‑functional visibility, partnering closely with Sales, Commercial Product Management, Digital Fulfillment, Legal, and Finance to ensure strong commercial performance and execution.

Requirements

Analytical Skills: Strong proficiency in data analysis, reporting, and visualization; working knowledge of Excel or Google Sheets and PowerPoint; Tableau or Power BI preferred; basic understanding of AI concepts a plus
Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams, deadlines, and stakeholders in a matrixed environment
Communication: Clear, concise written and verbal communication skills; experience preparing materials for executive audiences
Business Acumen: Understanding of commercial partnerships, contract structures, Higher Education, Inclusive & Equitable Access models, and channel or sales operations
Experience: 3+ years of experience in an analyst, operations, sales support, or partnerships role, ideally within education, publishing, or a similarly complex organization
Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Comfort working across departments and supporting senior stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Experience with CRM or partner management platforms (e.g., Salesforce)
Familiarity with digital fulfillment, bookstore channels, or higher education markets
Exposure to contract management or procurement processes

Responsibilities

Build, maintain, and distribute recurring reporting on partner commercial health, KPIs, and contractual performance metrics
Analyze performance trends across strategic and channel partners to surface risks, opportunities, and actionable insights
Prepare executive‑ready dashboards and briefing materials for Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and leadership updates
Support the development of SWOT analyses for partner relationships
Assist in the development and ongoing maintenance of business plans and budgets for strategic and channel partnerships
Monitor plan‑to‑actual performance, identify variances, and recommend course‑correcting actions
Maintain forecasting models that support commercial growth targets
Gather, synthesize, and maintain market intelligence and competitive insights related to channel and strategic partners
Produce regular competitive landscape summaries to support partner strategy and prioritization
Research emerging platforms, technologies, and fulfillment models to inform partnership innovation
Support contract lifecycle management, including tracking key terms, renewal dates, obligations, and compliance milestones
Maintain a centralized repository of commercial agreements and partner commitments
Coordinate documentation and follow‑ups related to contract negotiations and renewals
Serve as an operational coordinator across Sales, Commercial Product Management, Digital Fulfillment, Legal, and Finance
Coordinate inputs and deliverables for partner engagement activities, including QBRs, planning cycles, executive reviews, and operational optimization efforts
Track action items and follow‑ups from cross‑functional meetings and partner interactions
Identify opportunities to streamline reporting, tracking, and operational workflows within the partnerships function
Support the modernization of tools, templates, and processes to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability