Senior Product Manager

Job Description

About Us

Up Learn has built the world’s most effective learning experience. We’ve done this by combining cognitive science, instructional theory and artificial intelligence.

Our mission is to create the most effective learning experiences in the world, and distribute access to as many students as possible 🙌

Up Learn started with A Levels and developed courses that are:

1. 🧠 Effective: 97% of students that complete Up Learn courses achieve an A*/A, starting from grades as low as Ds and Es
2. 🎉 Engaging: 23.5 million hours of learning thanks to Up Learn, and rising
3. 📈 Scaling: tens of thousands of students use Up Learn today, either independently, or through one of our 400 schools, university or charity partners

💰 Up Learn has been growing fast, and is backed by investors that share our vision, including leading venture capital firm Forward Partners and the Branson family (Virgin). We now generate cash flows sufficient to grow without additional investment, and so aren't reliant on external investors to continue operating. We've only taken funding from investors who are aligned with our long-term vision for education.

🌍 Social impact is critical to Up Learn’s mission - for every student that pays, Up Learn gives a full scholarship to a student who can’t. We are growing our incredible, 70+ strong team, and our internal mission is to make Up Learn one of the best places to work in the world. Becoming certified by Flexa was one step towards this mission, which you can find out more about here.

The Role

Over the first twelve months, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our B2B strategy and execution.

Key responsibilities include:

Discover Problems and Opportunities

Interview students, teachers, school leaders and the leaders of Multi-Academy Trusts to understand schools’ biggest challenges in implementing Up Learn. What is preventing them from using Up Learn to assure success for their pupils? What will help teachers make Up Learn the centre of their plan for their pupils’ success? Synthesise market research and analyses to spot the biggest business opportunities.

Set Vision and Strategy

Articulate a clear vision and strategy for the success of the B2B side to our business, and how its success will contribute to our mission. Sell your vision and strategy to the company's executive team.

Detail the Roadmap

Validate the solutions that will execute your strategy. Balance competing demands between long-term vision and the short-term needs of customers and the business.

Deliver the Roadmap

Work with cross-functional teams of Learning Executives, Engineers, Data scientists, and Designers to build the right things, then to build them well. Balance quality with speed, and clearly articulate reasons for nudging in one direction over the other.

Communicate With the Company

Communicate the right level of detail, at the right time, to multiple groups of stakeholders in the company. Make sure they know what you’re doing, when, and that they have everything they need to do their jobs well. Help the whole team understand your vision and strategy.

New Market Expansion

Play a pivotal role in Up Learn’s growth story by successfully expanding our products into new markets. Collaborate with commercial teams in Marketing and Sales to deliver go to market success.

Change Lives

The promise of tech companies to ‘change the world’ is a bit overdone now. It's rare for a product to come along where you can see directly the link from output to a better future. Our mission is not to solve schools’ homework administration burden, for example. Our mission is to solve education. We believe virtually every child can be successful at the highest level, and we are building the system to make good on that belief. Below are just a couple of recent examples of feedback from students:

I LOVE UPLEARN!

AMAZING! So useful and helpful, honestly was so scared for the jump between a level and GCSE but Uplearn put all the knowledge into a format I could understand. The tutors are always there to help you and reply so so quickly! Everything you ever need from videos, questions, quizzes, exam questions is on Uplearn!!

Date of experience: 23 February 2024

A* - Economics Exam

I was getting C's & D's in Economics before UpLearn and didn't understand too well the PED, YED, XED & PES for unit 3. I went through the lessons on UpLearn and got in the test with exam questions under exam conditions 61/66 getting an A* (A* was 52 marks). I also got a B in a Macroeconomics test that I did NO revision for whatsoever and at the time didn't even start that part on the UpLearn course. I will update my review after I get my results for my mock exams.

Thank you for your reply UpLearn, just a little update...

I recently got 42/50 in a Microeconomics exam that I didn't actually revise much for which is a high A or the exact mark for an A*.

I also got 49/60 in a Macroeconomics exam which was an A.

Date of experience: 21 February 2024

Hear directly from more of our students, here, and here.

After your first year you will have achieved meaningful expansion of our products in the B2B market, with high levels of user and customer joy. As our Product Team continues to expand, you will be expected to help mentor and develop more junior product managers.

Requirements

About You

If you don’t meet every requirement below, but you still believe you’re the right person for the job, we strongly encourage you to apply.

You are already an experienced Senior Product Manager. We are looking for someone who understands that product management is an amalgam of art, science, and psychology. We are looking for a deep thinker and lifelong learner, as well as an adroit practitioner; someone who can exhibit both open-minded creative flair alongside structured and systematic thought. You will fit in well if you’re someone who devours books, articles and podcasts about product management and design, always seeking to learn more and constantly develop.

Specifically:

• Outcome-Oriented: You have an outstanding and demonstrable track record of managing the end-end product lifecycle, shipping product quickly and iterating to achieve dramatic business outcomes

• Communication: You possess exceptional communication skills, and are able to articulate the 'what,' 'why,' and 'why not' of our product decisions to a diverse audience, ranging from interns to the Company Leadership, while aligning cross-functional teams

• Experience: You can draw on experience from successful start-up and scale-up environments, showcasing your ability to lead teams and the outcomes of your efforts. You know what you’re doing, and will hit the ground running

• Prioritisation: You exhibit expertise in managing competing demands, balancing multiple projects, and effectively prioritising work

• Intuition: You can quickly develop an intuition for new products and businesses, balancing a need for data with the need for action

Additionally, please be sure that you are comfortable with the following:

• Working in a startup environment, where things can change fast and you might be asked to catch up or drop work to change direction very quickly
• A culture of personal and professional development and feedback - ideally this is an environment in which you thrive
• Above all, you care deeply about Up Learn's mission to solve education and improve students' lives

At Up Learn, we welcome everyone and are committed to building inclusive teams. We celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be themselves at work. We always follow the guidelines of the Equality Act in all aspects of recruitment, selection, employment, training, development and promotion opportunities at Up Learn.

Benefits

Up Learn offers generous remuneration, equity share options, and a fun, friendly, high-calibre team that trusts you and gives you the freedom to be brilliant.

You will have the chance to define the future of education and make a meaningful contribution to the lives of thousands of students, and:

Remuneration

• 💰 Salary: £70,000 - £80,000 (salaries and bands are reviewed annually in September)
• 📈 Equity options
• 💸 Employer-matched pension
• 💳 Perks scheme offering discounts & rewards at 30,000+ brands including up to 55% off cinema tickets

Health & Wellbeing

• 🦷 Level 6 (highest level) dental insurance
• 👶 Significantly enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• 🚲 Cycle-to-Work: we are registered so you can buy a bike and accessories tax-free
• 👓 Eye Test & Glasses Reimbursement
• 📚 Company library: we have hundreds of books in our company library, topped up monthly with the most highly requested books. You can borrow a book whenever you like
• 📖 Unlimited budget for any work-related books you need
• 🚑 Emergency support salary advance
• 🏥 Mental health first aiders
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family access to Up Learn: your family and close relatives get unlimited access to any Up Learn course for free!

Time

• 🏖️ Minimum 35 days of paid holiday per year made up of: 26 days of bookable holiday, plus UK bank holidays, plus unlimited ‘extra days’ (i.e. if you need a few more days, no problem)
• 🏡 Hybrid working environment with two days in the office per week (one team day and one company day) and the rest is up to you!
• 💻 Ability to work remotely for longer periods
• 🕰️ Flexible working hours
• ⭐ 1 fully paid day for volunteering at a charity or not-for-profit of your choice each year

Social

• 🏰 Annual company off-site where we get out of the city and take a break together
• 🏃 Free sporting activities like 5-a-side football games, lunch-time jogs, badminton games, paid-for monthly CrossFit sessions
• ☕ Unlimited delicious coffee (high-end coffee beans) at the office, tea selection and other soft drinks, plus unlimited snacks and fresh fruit
• 🥂 Weekly ‘Friday celebrations’ with a huge range of drinks, from craft beer to frozen margaritas, alongside soft drinks, smoothies, and fruit juice
• ☕ Paid for coffee breaks (a great chance to get to know the team)
• 💃 Regular team outings like go-karting and skiing

All in addition to

• Influence, trust and impact inside a well-funded VC-backed startup that's scaling
• A spacious and bright private office in Old Street, with delicious coffee, a selection of teas and unlimited snacks and drinks

Our Core Values

1. Live for Learning
   We are open-minded and have a never-quenched thirst for learning, expanding our experiences, getting feedback, iterating and improving
   
   
2. Strive for Consistent Excellence
   We hold an extremely high standard, pay attention to the details and take pride in consistency
   
   
3. Objective and Rational
   We think from first principles, avoid biases, use believability, regulate our emotions and are obligated to dissent when we disagree
   
   
4. Relentlessly Resourceful
   We are honey badgers, we don’t compromise, we work smart and get the job done
   
   
5. Caring and Compassionate
   We demonstrate care and compassion for ourselves, each other and for students