At Curriculum Associates, we believe in the potential of every child and are changing the face of education technology with award-winning learning programs like i-Ready that serve a third of the nation’s K–8 students. For more than 50 years, our commitment to making classrooms better places, serving educators, and supporting accessible learning experiences for all students has driven the continuous improvement of our innovative programs. Our team of more than 2,500 employees is composed of lifelong learners who stand behind this mission, working tirelessly to serve the educational community with world-class programs and support every day.
The VP of Product & Technology Operations will define and operate how work gets done across Product, Engineering, and Content. This role owns the planning and execution model for the organization, ensuring we can deliver complex, cross-functional initiatives with speed, clarity, and accountability. You will unify program management, product operations, and execution practices into a single, scalable operating system that improves predictability, reduces friction, and enables better decision-making. This role is critical to scaling our organization and delivering on our product and technology strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Own the Product & Technology Operating Model
Define and continuously improve how work is planned, executed, and delivered across Product, Engineering, and Content
Establish a consistent operating rhythm (planning, execution, review, and release) across the organization
Reduce friction at team and organizational seams, including ownership, handoffs, and decision-making
Drive Execution Quality and Predictability
Own delivery predictability across the product and technology roadmap
Improve decision speed and cycle time from concept through launch
Ensure clear visibility into execution health, risks, and dependencies across all major initiatives
Drive accountability for commitments and outcomes across teams
Lead and Integrate Program & Product Operations Functions
Unify E2E Program Management, Content Project Management (digital and print), and Agile Execution into a cohesive system
Define clear roles, expectations, and ways of working across these groups
Ensure these functions operate as one integrated capability, not separate silos
Own Portfolio Visibility and Tradeoffs
Maintain a comprehensive view of all in-flight initiatives across Product and Technology
Identify and drive resolution on cross-team dependencies, resource conflicts, and delivery risks
Partner with Product, Engineering, and Content leadership to inform prioritization and tradeoff decisions
Build Systems, Metrics, and Tooling
Establish a single source of truth for roadmap, execution status, and program metrics
Define and standardize key metrics for execution health, delivery, and outcomes
Lead tooling strategy to support planning, execution, and reporting across the organization
Drive Financial and Resource Transparency
Partner with Finance/FP&A to create visibility into program-level investment and spend
Implement processes for tracking costs, forecasting needs, and identifying risks early
Ensure leadership has the data needed to make informed investment decisions
Apply AI to Improve Execution
Leverage AI tools to improve visibility into work, automate reporting, and streamline operational processes
Identify opportunities to reduce manual coordination and increase organizational efficiency
Act as a Strategic Partner to Leadership
Serve as a key partner to Product, Engineering, and Content leadership
Surface systemic issues and drive cross-functional resolution
Help shape how the organization plans, commits, and delivers
Required Skills and Experience
Experience at Scale
Proven track record operating in large, complex product and technology organizations
Experience leading cross-functional transformation of ways of working
Operating Model & Change Leadership
Strong systems thinker with experience designing and implementing operating models
Ability to drive adoption and accountability in environments with existing processes and resistance to change
Execution Discipline
Deep commitment to improving delivery predictability, speed, and quality
Ability to balance standardization with pragmatism where flexibility is needed
Communication & Influence
Exceptional ability to communicate execution status, risks, and tradeoffs to senior leadership
Ability to influence without relying solely on formal authority
Technical & Domain Fluency
Familiarity with Agile software development, content production workflows, and program management practices
Experience working across both software and non-software (e.g., content) production environments
AI Fluency
Practical experience using AI tools to improve operational efficiency, planning, or reporting
Insight into how AI tools (such as agentic engineering, AI-driven prototyping) changes the product lifecycle.
Mindset
High ownership, low ego, and strong bias toward clarity and accountability
Empathy for internal teams as well as educators and students
Education & Certifications
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Computer Science, or related field
MBA preferred
PMP, Agile/Scrum (CSM, SAFe), or equivalent certifications preferred
Benefits and Pay Range:
Pay Range – This role’s range is $240,000. - $275,000. The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that Curriculum Associates considers in making compensation decisions based on our Compensation Philosophy. Actual base pay within that range will vary based upon several factors including, but not limited to, prior experience and relevant skill sets. At Curriculum Associates, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances for each case. This role is also eligible to participate in the company bonus plan. The Company recognizes that minimum wage varies by location and will ensure all compensation decisions comply with applicable state and local laws.
Benefits – Benefit eligible employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. Employees can enroll in our company’s 401k plan and receive an employer match. Employees have access to a flexible vacation and sick policy in addition to twelve paid holidays and a winter office closure between Christmas and New Year's, as well as a number of additional perks and benefits.