EducationLinks Product Manager and Knowledge Management Lead

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This position requires current eligibility to work in the United States for any employer. Bixal will not sponsor work visas for this role.

The EducationLinks Product Manager and Knowledge Management Lead (“EducationLinks Manager”) on the Designing Effective eVidence-based Engagement and Learning for Organizational Performance (DEVELOP) project is responsible for scoping and managing activities associated with the EducationLinks ( ) knowledge portal, the USAID Center for Education’s flagship communications and knowledge-sharing website.

In this role, you will serve as the primary USAID client point of contact for the platform and manage team members who support day-to-day activities related to the site, including operations and maintenance (O&M), content management, site analytics, and design and functional improvements. This position also leads longer-term initiatives focused on strategic improvements to the site, in collaboration with USAID clients and other DEVELOP team members.

The EducationLinks Manager plays the lead role in ensuring the incorporation of best practices in knowledge-sharing, communication, and engagement, as well as a critical role in strategically connecting the site with higher level knowledge management (KM) strategy initiatives within the DEVELOP project and the Center for Education.

Responsibilities

• Lead the EducationLinks sub-workstream as outlined in the DEVELOP work plan.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for USAID clients and subject-matter experts (SMEs) for EducationLinks.
• Serve as the Product Manager for and lead the supporting team, including Front- and Backend Developers, a Content Manager, a UX Designer, a Data and Analytics Specialist, an Agile Project Manager, and potentially others, including Cloud Infrastructure and Digital Accessibility specialists.
• Coordinate and ensure linkages with other KM sub-workstreams, including KM Strategic Planning, Content Optimization, and KM Content Development.
• Lead the strategic visioning, including scoping conversations with USAID clients to identify priority short-term and long-term improvements to the site.
• Ensure that EducationLinks first and foremost functions as a knowledge-sharing, communication, and engagement tool by incorporating principles and best practices for KM into ongoing management and long-term visioning.

Product Management

• Work with the client/Product Owner to define the core objectives of the site and ensure that the team aligns around those objectives; define product roadmap, facilitate discussions to obtain client approval, and drive product delivery.
• In coordination with the EducationLinks team, assess the feasibility of new requests for site improvements, and prioritize improvements as they arise.
• Work with the Agile Project Manager to align scope with vision and resources.
• Coordinate regularly with the web development team to ensure the functionality, accessibility, and security of the site on an ongoing basis.
• Coordinate website analytics alongside the Data and Analytics Specialist, including producing reports submitted to USAID. Work with the client to refine analytics goals as needed.
• Oversee and regularly update the site governance and content management plan.
• Lead the refresh process (pending client approval), including outlining and managing the overall process, identifying required resources, overseeing the discovery work, and managing the UX, content strategy and web development work. Lead prioritization in collaboration with team members and coordinate with the Project Manager to establish backlog and a cadence for the work.

Client Management

• In conjunction with the DEVELOP CKM Results Lead, oversee client interactions, including account monitoring, creating and maintaining relationships with stakeholders across the Center for Education, and surfacing and championing client needs and goals for the platform.
• Lead related conversations with clients and team members in ongoing meetings including a weekly KM workstream meeting with USAID, weekly content operations meetings, and weekly internal KM workstream check-ins.
• Regularly update USAID EducationLinks POC about technical and content updates and any critical issues.

Team Management and Coordination

• Oversee and provide direction to web development team, including supervision of some team members. Work with team members on deliverables across content management, strategy, and governance; communications strategy and outreach; technical upgrades and improvements; and data and analytics. Facilitate regular team meetings and set and maintain a positive and collaborative team culture. Ensure that site improvements meet requirements and are delivered on time.
• Collaborate with DEVELOP’s CKM Results Lead and Program Manager to ensure that staffing and staff LOE is appropriately allocated and budgeted for related activities.
• In collaboration with the Content Operations sub-workstream lead, refine and improve processes around content operations, ensuring that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and appropriately staffed.
• Participate in content development and content optimization meetings as appropriate to lead discussions on EducationLinks capabilities and approved updates.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in technology-related field or MBA with a minimum of 10 years of experience managing technology projects required;
• Demonstrated experience in managing successful IT systems, experience leading the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of automated information systems to enable major performance enhancements, as well as experience leading cross-functional digital delivery teams for government agencies or initiatives.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance is required.
• Exceptional consulting, stakeholder engagement, and client relationship building and management skills.
• Ability to communicate system and application capabilities through a product lens using plain language.
• Proficiency in understanding technical challenges and making informed trade-offs with teams and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated understanding of human-centered design (HCD) strategies, methods, and approaches, including how content strategy fits with and elevates UX and product design deliverables and solutions for clients.
• Demonstrated experience leveraging KM principles and best practices for knowledge sharing platforms.
• Expert skills with Drupal 10.
• Understanding of web accessibility requirements for government agencies, particularly Section 508 compliance.
• Track record of successful consultation and collaboration skills, including facilitating meetings and workshops with cross-functional project teams.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Nice-to-Haves

• Experience working with Agile development teams.
• Experience working with USAID digital products.
• An understanding of digital marketing concepts and practices and aligning content strategy with communications and marketing efforts.
• Experience collaborating with UI and UX designers.

$135,000 - $145,000 a year

Perks & Benefits:

• Competitive base salary
• Flex hours
• Work from home flexibility
• 401K with matching incentive
• Parental Leave
• Medical/dental/vision benefits
• Flex Spending Account
• Company provided short-term disability
• Company provided life insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Generous PTO
• 11 Paid holidays
• Professional development opportunities
• New business referral bonus

Please note that candidates selected may undergo a background investigation and, if applicable, meet eligibility requirements for suitability.

Bixal is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. It ensures equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization and beyond.