Pearson Virtual Schools (PVS) is seeking a Principal Product Manager to lead their Data Foundation program, which involves modernizing the company's data architecture and infrastructure to replace legacy systems, establish single sources of truth, and provide scalable, real-time data access via APIs. The role also aims to integrate generative AI and intelligent agents into the product development lifecycle and the products themselves to enhance efficiency and user experience.
Requirements
- 10+ years of product management experience, with a significant portion in platform or technical product management roles.
- Proven track record driving large-scale initiatives end-to-end – ideally including data platform or infrastructure projects.
- Strong knowledge of data architecture and management.
- Familiarity with databases (relational and NoSQL), data warehousing or lakehouse concepts, ETL/ELT pipelines, and data governance best practices.
- Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS preferred) and modern software architecture (microservices, APIs, event-driven systems).
- Ability to grasp AI/ML concepts and their application in products – you don’t need to be a data scientist, but you should understand how AI technologies (e.g., large language models, recommendation systems) can be applied to solve product problems.
- Demonstrated interest or experience in cutting-edge technologies, especially generative AI, automation, and intelligent agents.
Responsibilities
- Develop and own the product strategy and multi-year roadmap for the Data Foundation program, ensuring it aligns with PVS’s overall platform modernization goals.
- Lead the Data Foundation program to modernize PVS’s data architecture and infrastructure.
- Driving the implementation of a unified, cloud-based data platform (leveraging AWS or similar) that replaces legacy systems, establishes single sources of truth for key data domains, and provides scalable, real-time data access via APIs.
- Ensure data governance, privacy, and quality standards are built into the platform from the ground up.
- Introduce and champion the use of generative AI and agent-driven tools in our product development process.
- Write clear product requirements (PRDs), define user stories and acceptance criteria in partnership with Agile teams, and maintain a well-groomed backlog for Data Foundation workstreams.
- Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and success metrics for the Data Foundation program.
Other
- Serve as the product lead at the top of the SDLC for this initiative – coordinate and inspire cross-functional teams of software engineers, architects, data scientists, UX/UI designers, and business stakeholders.
- Without direct managerial authority, exercise influence and thought leadership to drive decision-making, resolve conflicts, and keep everyone aligned on product objectives and timelines.
- Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders – including other Product Vertical leaders, Program/Project Managers, and executives – to ensure the Data Foundation program meets the needs of various learning products and operational teams.
- Communicate program progress, challenges, and next steps through presentations and reports.
- Act as the voice of the customer and the business, ensuring that delivered capabilities drive tangible improvements in user experience, operational efficiency, and platform capabilities.
