Product Manager, API Strategy

Discover.  Innovate.  Collaborate.  Inform. A few words we use to describe a career at OCLC.

Technology with a Purpose. OCLC supports thousands of libraries in making information more accessible and more useful to people around the world.  OCLC provides shared technology services, original research and community programs that help libraries meet the ever-evolving needs of their users, institutions and communities.  With office locations around the globe, OCLC employees are dedicated to offering premier services and software to help libraries cut costs while keeping pace with the demands of our information-driven society.

The Product Manager, API Strategy is responsible for all aspects of product planning and development for OCLC’s API product offerings. OCLC has adopted an API-first product development methodology and this role would be the primary business driver of this methodology. The Product Manager for APIs coordinates across our service offerings to ensure all OCLC’s APIs have a consistent design pattern across technical approach, naming, messaging, and pricing. This highly matrixed role also requires strong interpersonal skills to span across OCLC lines of business, development teams, marketing, operations, business development / direct sales teams and customers. 

 This role provides critical input to the product marketing team in product release and promotional efforts. The Product Manager is responsible for the following deliverables: 

 Produces product strategy, roadmaps, annual product plans, business cases, and monthly product reviews, launch plans, white papers, product presentations, market messaging, event support, competitive write-up and user personas. 

Contributes to the production of: Portfolio business plans, strategies, roadmaps, metrics, and operational plans; portfolio progress plans and reviews; user requirements and functional specs 

Responsibilities: 

Product Strategy and Planning 

• Oversees market analysis and develops product strategy and business case. Defines strategic product goals. 
• Produces product roadmap 
• Collaborates on release plans with Development
• Collaborates with finane in the production of product budgets and forecasts 
• Collaborates with the Business Development team for API-Partner relationship planning and support. 
• Develops pricing strategies and product positioning plans which contribute to maximizing product profitability 

 Leadership and Management 

• Provides leadership to cross-functional product workgroups. Leads Product management meetings. Resolves conflicts and drives consensus. 
• Facilitates collaboration and communication and secures commitment between Development and Product Management and other divisional workgroups towards achievement of common goals. 
• Develops and monitors progress on product roadmap 

 Product Marketing Oversight and Consultation 

• Assists in the development of strategies for customer acquisition and retention; manages relationships with user groups and assists sales team in generation of marketing and awareness plans. 
• Understands how and when to commission market research in order to develop and maintain expertise in markets served, alternative services, new technology, and related standards. 
• Can generate appropriate information for market sizes by sector / territory and can generate market penetration statistics. 
• Provides training and support to the sales and support team; may assist in significant sales calls. 
• Analyses reasons for OCLC product wins and losses against competition and can provide meaningful information to aid product planning. 
• Will work to define and rationalize user personas 
• Will produce market/sector white papers 

 Consultation on Portfolio Planning 

• Provides input into portfolio business plans, roadmaps, strategies, metrics, and progress reports and reviews 

 Qualifications: 

• Bachelors Degree or equivalent experience 
• 2 to 4 years experience in product, project or program management 
• 2 to 4 years experience with library services software development including knowledge of 1-3 languages and API design concepts 
• Well developed communication and presentation skills 

Desired but not Required 

• Experience in managing staff or team leadership
• 2 to 4 years experience in library services or library management systems
• Experience leading cross functional workgroups 
• Knowledge of OCLC products and service