Product Development Manager, Content Innovation

PROFESSIONAL CONVENTION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION•Chicago, IL

2d•$65,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The Product Development Manager, Content Innovation is responsible for driving innovation in PCMA's learning portfolio through exploration of emerging formats, technologies, and delivery methods. This role leads new product development initiatives, manages sponsorship and partner-supported learning projects, and pilots innovative approaches to content creation and member engagement. This position identifies market opportunities, tests new concepts, and builds scalable solutions that advance PCMA's competitive position in events industry education. The manager serves as the innovation catalyst for the learning team, balancing entrepreneurial experimentation with disciplined product development to create new revenue streams and learner and member value.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Education, Business, Marketing, Innovation, or related field required
5+ years of experience in product development, innovation, or learning design
3+ years of experience managing sponsored content, partnerships, or business development initiatives
Demonstrated portfolio of successful innovation projects or new product launches
Experience with educational technology evaluation and implementation
Track record of piloting new concepts and scaling successful initiatives
Experience with learning management systems and educational platforms
Familiarity with emerging learning technologies (AI, VR/AR, adaptive learning)
Project management tools (Monday.com or similar)
Presentation and visualization tools
Working knowledge of CRM systems (Salesforce preferred)
Microsoft Office 365 proficiency
Innovation and creative problem-solving
New product development and launch
Partnership and sponsorship management
Strategic thinking and business acumen
Project management and execution
Cross-functional collaboration
Change management and adoption
Data-driven decision making

Nice To Haves

Certifications in product management, innovation, or educational technology a plus
Background in association environment, professional development, or events industry preferred

Responsibilities

Lead research and development of new learning products, formats, and delivery methods
Identify emerging trends in educational technology, content formats, and learning methodologies
Pilot innovative approaches to content development and member engagement
Build business cases for new product concepts including market sizing, investment requirements, and revenue projections
Develop minimum viable products (MVPs) for testing and validation with target audiences
Scale successful pilots into full product offerings based on performance data
Lead cross-functional innovation projects involving multiple departments
Manage development and delivery of sponsored and partner-supported educational content and programs
Serve as primary liaison between learning team and sponsors/partners for educational initiatives
Develop partnership frameworks and processes for co-created content and sponsored learning programs
Ensure sponsored content maintains educational integrity and meets PCMA quality standards
Create packages and proposals for potential education sponsors and content partners
Negotiate scope, deliverables, and timelines for sponsored learning projects
Track and report on performance of sponsored content and partner programs
Identify opportunities to expand partnership portfolio and revenue through educational offerings
Explore and test new content formats beyond traditional online courses (interactive simulations, gamification, social learning)
Develop prototypes of innovative content experiences
Test different pedagogical approaches and learning modalities
Create reusable frameworks and templates for new formats that can be scaled
Measure effectiveness of new formats against traditional approaches
Collaborate with event education team to test innovative session formats and delivery methods
Support content repurposing initiatives by identifying new formats for existing content
Partner with marketing on innovative content promotion and engagement strategies
Coordinate with regional teams on pilot programs in international markets
Work closely with Content & Learning Operations to transition successful pilots into scalable programs, ensuring operational readiness, learner experience, and cross-team alignment
Manage multiple concurrent innovation projects with varying timelines and stakeholders
Develop project plans, timelines, and resource requirements for innovation initiatives
Track project budgets and ensure efficient use of innovation resources
Document processes, learnings, and best practices from innovation projects
Create success criteria and measurement frameworks for experimental initiatives
Establish analytics dashboards and reporting mechanisms to evaluate pilot performance, learner engagement, and ROI