Director, Product Development

American Public Education, Inc. (APEI)•,

About The Position

The Director, Product Development (PDM) is a key operational leader responsible for owning the delivery of a product line within a specified domain and capability (e.g., CRM, LMS, Student Portal). The manager translates the product strategy into a tangible and executable roadmap and leads cross-functional agile teams to deliver technology solutions that achieve defined business goals. This role is the primary delivery owner, accountable for the quality, timeliness, and satisfaction of stakeholders for all product releases and enhancements. Translates domain strategy into executable roadmaps. Leads cross-functional teams to deliver technology solutions that achieve business goals. The Director, Product Development will manage a team of technical product managers, analysts, engineers, and specialists, acting as the central point of accountability for both the delivery of projects and the strategic direction of the product/technology domain.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in product development, product management, or a related role, with a strong track record of successful product delivery.
Deep knowledge and hands-on experience with agile development methodologies, such as Scrum.
Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate and guide cross-functional teams towards a common goal.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage diverse stakeholder relationships.
Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Systems, Business, or related field.

Responsibilities

Define, own, and champion the product roadmap for a specific set of systems or services within the assigned domain.
Act as the primary liaison between the development teams and business stakeholders, translating stakeholder needs into a prioritized backlog of initiatives and features.
Effectively balance and manage competing objectives, resources, and dependencies to maximize value delivery and business impact.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and data-informed decision-making to guide roadmap and prioritization efforts.
Stay informed on market trends, competitor products, and customer needs to identify opportunities for innovation and product enhancements.
Manage and lead multiple cross-functional agile teams, including engineers, business analysts, quality assurance specialists, and designers.
Lead key agile ceremonies, including backlog refinement, sprint planning, and release management.
Monitor and oversee the health of product execution using relevant metrics such as velocity, capacity, quality, and risk.
Supervise and provide coaching and mentorship to Technical Project Managers and Scrum Masters to ensure consistent, high-quality output.
Serve as the ultimate delivery owner for initiatives within a domain, holding accountability for the quality, timeliness, and overall satisfaction of stakeholders with each release.