Product Owner-Data Products and Analytics (Higher Education)

Fast Facts Join Elsmere Education as a Product Owner for Data Products and Analytics in the Higher Education sector, driving the development of data products and tools that empower institutions to make informed decisions. Responsibilities: Manage the product backlog for data products, collaborate with data teams, translate user needs into product features, define KPIs for success, and lead agile development processes. Skills: Proven experience as a Product Owner with strong knowledge of data analytics tools (like Power BI), data pipelines, and agile methodologies. Qualifications: 3-5 years experience in product management, a relevant bachelor’s degree, and preferred familiarity with APIs and higher education technology. Location: Position is based in Denver, CO, with remote work flexibility. Compensation: $120000 - $135000 / Annually Winner of Top Workplaces by Denver Post, Elsmere Education partners with colleges and universities to strengthen their mission through expanding their educational offerings, allowing them to serve more students by providing strategy, marketing, recruiting, program development and retention enablement services. Headquartered in Cherry Creek with a flexible remote work policy, we are seeking talent that fully embodies our core values of partnership, transparency, curiosity, integrity, value creation, respect, and inclusion. Join us to help us carry out our mission of unlocking the power of learning, transforming lives. Position Overview We are seeking a Product Owner with a strong background in data-powered solutions and analytics tools to drive the development and enhancement of our data products supporting the higher education sector. This individual will serve as the voice of the customer and the business, working closely with cross-functional teams-including data consultants, analysts, designers, and higher education stakeholders-to deliver data products, dashboards, and analytics tools that help colleges and universities make smarter, data-informed decisions. The ideal candidate is passionate about leveraging data to solve challenges in higher education, has strong familiarity with analytics tools and data ecosystems, and can translate business needs into clear product requirements that lead to actionable insights for end users. Location: Chicago (preferred), Denver Department: Product Management Reports To: VP of Product Management Key Responsibilities:

• Own the product backlog for all data products, tools, and analytics initiatives, prioritizing based on business value, customer needs, and strategic goals.
• Partner with data engineering and analytics teams to define technical requirements for data pipelines, integrations, and visualizations.
• Gather and translate user needs from higher education partners, internal stakeholders, and market research into product features and stories.
• Define KPIs and success metrics for data tools and reporting products, ensuring each release drives measurable value for higher ed institutions.
• Collaborate with UX/UI designers to create intuitive dashboards, reporting tools, and interactive analytics experiences.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for the higher ed analytics domain, understanding trends like enrollment, student success, retention, and operational efficiency.
• Lead sprint planning, backlog refinement, and release planning to ensure development teams deliver high-quality solutions on schedule.
• Drive adoption by partnering with training, sales, and customer success teams to communicate the value of data tools to end users.
• Stay current on data technologies (BI tools, data warehouses, cloud ecosystems) and higher education trends to inform product strategy.

Qualifications:

• 3–5 years of experience as a Product Owner, Business Analyst, or Product Manager, with a focus on data products, analytics tools, or BI solutions.
• Strong understanding of data pipelines, data visualization (Power BI (preferred), Tableau, or similar), and cloud-based data ecosystems (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Proven ability to translate complex technical and business requirements into actionable product stories.
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and backlog management tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps).
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to interface with both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to use data to make product decisions and set priorities.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Business, Data Science, Information Systems, or similar); Master's preferred but not required.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with APIs and data integration workflows (ETL/ELT tools).
• Experience with AI/ML capabilities and solutions.
• Experience in higher education technology or deep familiarity with higher ed data (enrollment, academic performance, retention, or institutional reporting) and key systems in higher education (e.g., student information systems (SIS), learning management systems (LMS), or CRM systems).
• Understanding of data governance, privacy, and compliance (FERPA, GDPR).

Key Benefits:

• Opportunity to participate in building something important
• Experienced management team that enjoys the work - and loves education
• Competitive salary
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• 401K plan
• Unlimited PTO policy
• Flexible work model
• Wellness Program
• Community giving/volunteer program

Salary Range: $120,000-135,000 Purpose: Unlocking the power of learning, transforming lives. Elsmere Education is a values- and mission-driven organization that continually strives to be a diverse and inclusive global community. We welcome and celebrate the perspectives, backgrounds, and beliefs of our employees, institutional partners, and students to foster a spirit of inclusivity so all can thrive. Our goal is to create an environment of curiosity and self-expression while demonstrating openness and celebration of other's viewpoints. We encourage all employees and university partners to bring their authentic presentations of self. Elsmere is focused on unlocking the power of learning and transforming lives. Apply tot his job Apply To this Job