Lead Specialist, Product Management, MFL and English Teaching and Learning

Lead Specialist, Product Management, MFL and English Teaching and Learning

The Modern Foreign Languages and English team creates and manages engaging, effective and innovative resources for teachers and learners across Secondary French, German and Spanish, Secondary English and Primary Literacy. We are a friendly, high-performing team of product managers and editors who are passionate about supporting teachers, improving learning outcomes and encouraging a love of learning.

We are looking for an experienced Product Manager / Publisher to join us as a Lead Specialist, Product Management. This role aligns with industry‑level titles such as Senior Product Manager.

A key part of this role will be to understand our customer and learner needs and use these insights to drive improvements to our products and services, with a particular focus on digital services across the portfolio.

You will carry out research with teachers and students, creating and getting internal sign-off for proposals for new products and services that meet the needs of MFL teachers and learners. You’ll work with a mix of internal and external people from different teams to bring those proposals to reality and ensure our products and services are launched on time, to budget and to the highest levels of quality.

During a normal working week, you might carry out some of the following activities:

• Oversee delivery of projects, setting up and leading editorial teams and working closely with external suppliers to ensure content and digital build meet expected quality standards and deadlines
• Carry out research with teachers and students, developing and maintaining a deep understanding of their needs and pain points and testing new ideas.
• Monitor our key markets for new opportunities for us
• Put together a business case for new opportunities and maintain the budget for your project(s)
• Work with colleagues from around the business to seek opportunities to innovate our services, including using AI to solve customer problems
• Work closely with our digital team to ensure the needs of our customers are represented in the digital roadmap
• Use data and insights to monitor usage of our recently-launched language services, using this insight to drive increased usage and improved customer retention
• Work collaboratively with other Specialists within and outside our immediate team
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including Sales and Marketing colleagues.

• Have extensive experience of working in an educational publishing environment, including experience in a publishing / product management role
• Have experience of working on digital publishing projects
• Are confident in using a variety of digital tools and platforms, understanding their capabilities and limitations, and experimenting with digital tools to work out how they could best serve our customers.
• Have a deep knowledge of the UK Secondary and/or Primary schools’ market and the needs of teachers and learners
• Are passionate about finding ways to make teachers’ lives easier and improve learning experiences and outcomes for students
• Enjoy working collaboratively with people in a wide variety of roles and are also able to take a lead in your assigned area of responsibility
• Are able to remain focused and organised while juggling multiple projects and deadlines
• Are flexible and willing to work across the different subjects and age groups in our list (MFL, Secondary English, Primary Literacy)

• Speak one or more of French, Spanish and German – although this is not essential for the right candidate
• Have experience working on products for at least one of the main markets we serve (MFL, Secondary English, Primary Literacy)
• Have a passion for and understanding of AI and the possibilities it brings (training can be provided if not)
• Have a strong understanding of editorial processes as you will be leading editorial teams

This is a hybrid working role across home and office locations in Oxford or London, with 1 day per week in the office (or more if desired).

We know you’ll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business. We know one size doesn’t fit all, so our workplace programs meet the different needs of our diverse teams, and their families too. Please see our attractive UK benefits here:
Pearson Jobs – Benefits