Director, Platform Marketing

Pearson Overview

Learning is one of the world’s most powerful forces for change. As the world’s largest learning company, Pearson has been contributing to a profound impact on our world since its formation in 1844. Pearson employs more than 20,000, operates in 70 countries, and delivers products and services in nearly 200 countries. Each one is furthering a common purpose: to help people achieve their highest potential through learning. Towards this goal, Pearson provides a diverse global community with high quality digital content, learning experiences, assessments, and qualifications to build skills and proactively impact our evolving world. Pearson works with globally recognized educational institutions, employers, and governments, deploying its expertise across a broad range of subject matter and age groups.

Tens of millions of people rely on Pearson for learning throughout their lives. Pearson’s knowledge and experience help create the best content delivered in the most appropriate way for the best learner outcomes - whether digitally to help children read or online courses to upskill career-driven professionals. With advances in technology and changes in consumer habits, Pearson helps people reach their goals regardless of their location and preferred learning modality. From carefully designed online resources and rich content, to full course and curriculum support – Pearson’s products address the entirety of a person’s learning starting with formal education to the workplace and beyond.

While formal education comprises 75 percent of the learning market, projections indicate over one billion more learners will progress through formal education by 2030 owing to a growing global middle class, longer careers and increasing consumer demand for lifelong and non-academic learning, particularly for reskilling and upskilling. To meet the needs of today’s learners, Pearson is split into five business divisions; each with its own focus and expertise, all supported by the Direct-to-Consumer group.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that is always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible. We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us too always be better.

We believe that wherever learning flourishes so do people. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion. We value the power of an inclusive culture and a strong sense of belonging. We seek to infuse diversity and inclusion in everything we do while promoting a culture where differences are embraced as strengths; opportunities are equal and accessible; consideration and respect are the norm; and all team members are supported in reaching their full potential.

Through our talent, we believe that diversity and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the centre, and we are committed to a sustainable environment and workplace where talent can learn, grow, and thrive.

To learn more about Pearson’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce please visit https://www.pearson.com/careers/diversity-and-inclusion.html

Pearson’s Higher Education B2B Marketing team is seeking an experienced ed tech software marketing leader to serve as our Director of Platform Marketing (DPM). The DPM reports to the Vice President, Higher Education B2B Marketing. The Higher Education B2B Marketing team is responsible for driving faculty and institutional adoption of Pearson platforms and products.

The DPM leads a team of Platform Marketers focused on driving digital share and revenue growth for Pearson Higher Education’s platform suite including MyLab, Mastering, Revel, Pearson eText, and Pearson . The Platform Marketing team leverages a deep understanding of the market, customers, Pearson platforms, the competition, and the sales pipeline to inform platform roadmaps and define go-to-market strategies that enable Pearson to win. Working across a broad set of internal and external stakeholders – including the executive leadership team; platform development teams; product management; sales; campaigns and creative teams; and faculty and student customers – the DPM takes an “ownership” mindset focused on understanding customers and the market and growing Pearson platform market share.

An ownership mentality, the ability to collaborate with a diverse set of stakeholders and lead through influence, and the ability to establish and promote a culture and mindset focused on winning are foundational to success in the role. Thriving in an evolving environment while driving innovation and continuous improvement for efficiency and operational excellence is key.

Key functions of the DPM role include:

Job Responsibilities

Oversee and continuously improve processes to capture, document, and update market, customer, sales, and competitive insights to inform platform roadmaps and go to market strategies that enable Pearson to win.

Gathering and synthesizing data to document insights that:

• Inform product plans, platform development roadmaps, and product/platform investment
• Inform pricing and product model strategies
• Identify market and sales opportunities to grow share
• Inform winning product & platform value propositions, positioning and messaging
• Keep up with competitive product releases, threats, and opportunities

Engaging customers, Product Sales Specialists, and Sales Reps virtually and in the field to capture the voice of the customer and sales

Manage the creation of platform stories, value propositions, positioning, and core messaging for Pearson platforms that enable Pearson teams to beat the competition

• Developing platform attributes into platform stories, value propositions, and core marketing messages
• Creating comparative analyses of competitive offerings that differentiate our own platforms and that demonstrate how our platforms beat the competition
• Developing platform value propositions and core messaging specific to key competitors

Synthesize market data, customer insight, sales feedback, pipeline opportunity analysis, platform release plans, and competitive intelligence to inform go to market priority setting with the VP, B2B Marketing and Director of Product Marketing colleagues

• Contribute to an annual go-to-market prioritization process focused on maximizing our ability to grow and monetize share in the coming year
• Reinforce alignment to priorities across platform, sales, and marketing teams to ensure go-to-market success

Lead the development of go-to-market plans that define the go-to-market strategy in key markets; are focused on accelerating the sales pipeline; and that establish goals and success metrics

Developing specific plans for go-to-market success focused on how we win

• Accounts & pipeline opportunities to target
• Competitors to beat
• Priority platform features

Establishing goals and metrics for the go-to-market plan

• Unit/revenue adoption takeaway goals
• Unit/revenue adoption retention goals
• Pipeline progression & win/loss rates

Collaborating with Campaigns on the execution of the go-to-market strategy through targeted campaign plans

Creating and maintaining core sales tools and participating in the execution of sales training in collaboration with Training & Development and Product Sales Specialists

Regularly report to the executive leadership team on platform registration results and market/customer insights that provide insight into these results

• Work with Operations and Finance Teams to monitor and report on monthly digital registration results and product usage data
• Synthesize customer and market insights and provide a quarterly executive readout on market factors that impact current registration performance and are likely to impact performance over the next 12 months

The anticipated starting salary for candidates expressing interest in this position is $150K. This position is eligible to participate in an annual incentive program. Benefits available to eligible employees can be seen at: https://pearsonbenefitsus.com/

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• Undergraduate college degree required
• 5 years of successful experience marketing ed tech software/SaaS in the higher education market
• History of people management is a plus, but not required
• Willingness to travel up to 20%
• An ownership mindset and an urgent desire to win
• Ability to establish and foster a team culture focused on collaboration, operational excellence, ownership, and winning
• Intellectual curiosity and an aptitude for learning new technologies, products and skills
• The ability to use data and data analysis to create insights that drive action
• Executive presence and the ability to successfully create and deliver analysis and insights to the executive team
• Demonstrated history of driving results via cross-team collaboration
• Exceptional written and interpersonal communication skills
• Highly effective at network building and influencing diverse sets of stakeholders
• Ability to lead and manage through change
• Strong organization and planning skills

Pearson provides a flexible work environment for its employees. We believe that the ability to work from anywhere, anytime in work/life balance is a critical part of our culture and employee satisfaction. In exchange, we require that employees have the appropriate means to work remotely, including adherence to our work at home policies regarding home office setup, including but not limited to privacy of records, technology standards, equipment standards and expectations.

Pearson is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and a member of E-Verify. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Learning is the most powerful force for change in the world. More than 20,000 Pearson employees deliver our products and services in nearly 200 countries, all working towards a common purpose – to help everyone achieve their potential through learning. We do that by providing high quality, digital content and learning experiences, as well as assessments and qualifications that help people build their skills and grow with the world around them. We are the world’s leading learning company. Learn more at pearsonplc.com.

Pearson believes that wherever learning flourishes, so do people. We are committed to being an anti-racist company in everything we do. We value the power of an inclusive culture and a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced, opportunities are accessible, consideration and respect are the norm, and all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential. Through our talent, we believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the center, and we are committed to a sustainable environment and workplace where talent can learn, grow, and thrive.

To learn more about Pearson’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, please click here: http://www.pearson.com/careers/diversity-and-inclusion.html

Pearson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other group protected by law.

Job: MARKETING

Organization: Higher Education

Schedule: FULL\_TIME

Req ID: 6158