Senior Program Manager - Product Discovery

Western Governors University•Salt Lake City, UT

3d•Onsite

About The Position

At Western Governors University, our mission is to expand access to high-quality, affordable education for learners everywhere. As a Senior Program Manager – Product Discovery, you will play a critical role in identifying and shaping new short-term academic programs that meet the evolving needs of learners and employer partners. This role sits at the front end of innovation, blending research, strategy, and cross-functional collaboration to help WGU bring high-impact offerings to market and support successful student outcomes. About WGU Academy WGU Academy is the platform and service provider of WGU’s individual course and certificate offerings. While everyone can succeed in college under the right circumstances, WGU recognizes that not everyone who wants to go to WGU is ready to commit to a full course load and a six-month tuition plan. WGU Academy offers courses and certificates that will help students to develop skills that dramatically increase the likelihood of success in college and career progression. WGU Academy offers students the opportunity to strengthen motivation, confidence, and academic preparedness while working toward credit on a WGU transcript. About Academy OnRamps Discovery OnRamps Discovery helps WGU Academy decide which new courses and certificates to pursue and how to bring them forward responsibly. We combine market research, learner and employer insights, competitive analysis, pricing, business cases, and cross-functional collaboration and planning to identify high-value opportunities that will help students toward successful outcomes. We recommend short-term academic offerings that help prepare students for a degree or career, align to WGU’s mission, and move from ideas to launch and evaluation with a clear strategy. The Role: Senior Program Manager - Discovery The Senior Program Manager – Discovery manages product discovery efforts by assessing and defining demand, understanding learner and stakeholder needs, and translating insights into clear product strategies and recommendations. The position also manages pre-launch activities, partnering closely with academic and operational teams to ensure offerings are compliant, market-ready, and positioned for strong adoption and successful learner outcomes. Success is measured by identifying high-value opportunities and contributing to the launch of high-quality programs aligned to institutional goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant experience.
5 years of experience in program or product discovery roles in higher education, with demonstrated expertise in discovery strategies.

Nice To Haves

Project management and business intelligence skills

Responsibilities

Lead product discovery efforts, including building business cases supported by market sizing, competitive analysis, demand assessment, pricing, and strategic insights.
Design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research in partnership with research teams to understand student and employer needs.
Manage the academic product roadmap in collaboration with institutional and college stakeholders.
Drive concept validation and launch planning by engaging cross-functional partners across product design, marketing, finance, enrollment, analytics, academic, and technology teams.
Use data and performance insights to evaluate opportunities, inform recommendations, and support continuous improvement and stakeholder decision-making.