Director of Product (SaaS, EdTech)

Interplay Learning sits at the intersection of EdTech, Virtual Reality, and Enterprise Software as it modernizes Learning Management & Content Systems throughout the skilled trade industries.
Since 2016, Austin-based Interplay Learning has been building better training, better careers and better lives for its customers and their employees.
Our award-winning online and VR training for the essential skilled trades, including HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Solar, Multi-Family Maintenance and Facilities Maintenance workforces, is scalable and more effective than traditional training methods. By leveraging immersive learning technology, Interplay’s customers are able to train and practice hands-on learning from a desktop, phone, tablet, or in virtual reality. The result is a highly trained employee who is job-ready in weeks, not years. 
Our digital experiential learning platform, SkillMill, conveniently turns any space into a training lab with its short video courses, 3D simulations, knowledge checks, coaching, community, and connectivity. 
Awards & Recognition: 

• September 2024, Interplay Learning Closes Growth Investment from Goldman Sachs Alternatives and Acquires Industrial Training International
• Built-In, Best Midsize Places to Work In Austin 2023 & 2024
• Forbes 2024, America's Best Startup Employers
• Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards in the Education, General Excellence, and On the Rise categories

 

Position:   Director of Product

Interplay Learning, a leader in EdTech and immersive training for the skilled trade industries, is seeking a strategic and technical Director of Product. This is a newly created position due to growth! 

You will work closely with our Chief Innovation Officer, VP of Product, VP of Content Operations, and VP of Engineering to identify high opportunity innovations and problem spaces for the product, design and engineering teams to execute against. This role is pivotal in maximizing the impact of our product, design, and engineering teams relative to those opportunities. 

The Director of Product will report to the VP of Product and oversee a dedicated team (4+ direct reports) of Product Managers and a Product Operations Manager and driving accountability and high standards for measuring and managing work.

This job is for you, if...

• You love upgrading an existing product process into a lean, mean, templated efficiency machine. 

• You love mentoring and managing a team of hungry, smart, kind product people.

• You love the thrill of defining, measuring, and leading a team to deliver on Key Results.

Why this position: 

• Meaningful, impactful work
• Mission-driven company
• Career development in a dynamic, high growth environment
• Passionate, collaborative team 
• Innovative product - EdTech, VR, AI

What you’ll do:  

• Lead the product management and operations team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture.

• Lead development and delivery of the product roadmap across the team, ensuring alignment with company goals and customer needs.

• Enhance and build systems that thoroughly communicate roadmap updates and releases.

• Establish Key Results to track progress and measure the effectiveness of product initiatives.

• Develop and optimize processes and evaluate tools to enhance collaboration and efficiency between product and engineering teams.

• Facilitate key technical decisions in partnership with engineering leads to support wise trade-offs and timely decisions.

• Mentor and support the career development of direct reports, nurturing a team culture of learning and innovation.

• Engage with stakeholders across the organization to gather insights and feedback for product enhancement.

• Maintain a strong understanding of industry trends and customer needs to guide product development strategy.

Who you are:  

• Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to manage and motivate a diverse team.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and persuasively

• Strong technical PM background, with the ability to mentor others to develop similar strengths

• Good emotional intelligence, enabling effective collaboration and relationship building

• Strategic thinker with a keen ability to prioritize tasks and make informed decisions

• Problem-solving mindset with a focus on creativity and innovation

• Passionate about technology and innovation, with a commitment to lifelong learning

• Strong empathy and customer-centric focus, understanding the impact of product decisions on users

Requirements:

• 5+ years of technical product management with a background/emphasis on engineering, computer science, or another technical field.

• Ability to make informed decisions about technical trade-offs, system architecture, and integration with other technologies.

• Demonstrated experience managing and mentoring a team (could be in a professional or volunteer setting).

• Experience in JIRA analytics, SQL, and BI/Product analytics tools (e.g. Pendo, Amplitude, Heap).

• Previous use or familiarity of Scrum and Agile, including the tools and ceremonies that support them.  

• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without stipulations and be residents of the United States.

• A hiring task exercise/project will be required following the first interview (Recruiter Prescreen). 

 

Pay:  $150k-$180k (there is no bonus for this position)


Interplay Learning Ethos:At Interplay, we love what we do. We embrace our daily challenge to push technological limits to invent better ways to make learning easier and training more powerful. We attract passionate people and invite spirited discourse. We celebrate that our jobs fit our lives, not the inverse. We are uncompromising in our belief that together: we can build better training, build better careers and build better lives for customers and our team. Company Benefits:

• Remote-first culture and flexible hours
• Learning resources and annual learning reimbursement
• Family-friendly policies 
• Generous vacation policy includes 3 weeks of PTO, 1 week Winter Break, holidays and sick days 
• Medical, vision and dental insurance coverage
• 401k
• Private company stock options
• Mental health and wellness resources
• Virtual/in person social events

 Diversity StatementAt Interplay Learning, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to who we are and how we operate our business. We’re building a diverse workforce that cultivates and supports all individuals for the betterment of each other, our company, and our customers. We believe a culture of equality creates a stronger work environment for all employees and that we are all accountable for encouraging and celebrating diverse voices. Interplay Learning commits to promote and recognize principles of fairness, equity, and social justice in relation to, and across, intersections of race, age, color, disability, faith, religion, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, social class, economic class, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, and all other identities represented among our diverse membership.We strongly encourage people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply. Interplay Learning is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team. If you need any reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know. Equal Employment OpportunityInterplay Learning is committed to providing equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, marital status, gender identity or expression, status as a veteran, or any other legally protected characteristic or activity in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Apply