Skillsoft
VP, Books
Brand: Skillsoft
Req#: 465645
# of Positions: 0
Updated: 06/19/2018
Job Type: Regular
Location: Remote US - Works From Home
Category: Administration
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Job Description
Position Overview

VP, Books is responsible for driving the growth and operational execution of the Skillsoft Books product portfolio based on the needs of customer base, industry intelligence and trends, as well as the goals of the broader business. This role is ultimately responsible for the product vision, scope, positioning, go-to-market and P&L of the Books product offering within the context of the broader Skillsoft portfolio. These responsibilities include the operational management of the Books content production and business development teams, as well as oversight of Books-related product marketing initiatives.

The VP, Books leads all business development and negotiations with the company’s current and prospective publisher partners. This role works with the broader content team, to manage existing Books products and develop new collections in support of the content offerings that the company brings to market. Finally, the VP, Books shares accountability for the revenue target of the Books product line, with the global sales organization, and is fully accountable for the product P&L targets that include royalties, payroll, expenses and product investments. The successful candidate will possess a unique blend of business development skills, product marketing knowledge, technical savvy and proven experience in executing against a business plan. The role also requires a big-picture vision, paired with the drive and operational knowledge to make that vision a reality.

This role serves as both the internal and external evangelist for Books, working with the global sales team and key customers to articulate the value proposition. This role is accountable for all Books product marketing activities including product messaging, positioning, go-to-market, field enablement, promotion, media placement and other on-going support of Books. The successful candidate will become an expert in the buyers and the users that they serve. Through the aggregation of customer feedback, market research and trend analysis the role will support the broader marketing team in imparting this knowledge to the field and channel sales teams. The ability to grasp and translate technical capabilities and features into benefits is crucial in this role.

Position Responsibilities
• Product
o Develop and implement product strategies and tactics that differentiates Skillsoft Books in the market.
o Manage the product life cycle from strategic planning to tactical activities, through product concept, launch, growth, maturity and retirement. Work with the broader content curation team to add new titles and identify titles for retirement based on customer utilization trends, consumer rankings (B&N.com top 100, Amazon, Inc., etc.) and competitive analysis.
o Assess and reconcile the gaps in the product offerings; work with the broader content team and curators to formulate options.
o Future-proof product offering through competitive analysis, customer research and predictive analytics.
o Actively manage and maintain the product roadmap and orchestrate broader product maintenance strategy. Work with product curators to identify and select leading titles from publisher “front lists”.
o Collaborate with the broader engineering and technology teams to formulate the user experience and feature set for Books learning experience within company’s platforms.
o Work with competitive intelligence team to fully understand the feature set, catalog and value proposition for all relevant competitors. Distill perspectives into concise, well-thought positioning that can be leveraged within the field enablement and product marketing efforts.
• Sales & Marketing
o Work with product marketing team to develop and implement programs that drive product awareness and demand.
o Articulate and convey the value proposition of Books to the field sales teams and work with product marketing team to develop sales tools that accelerate revenue growth.
o Articulate vision and products in a compelling fashion; serve as the resident thought leader and evangelist with respect to all Books products.
o Work with broader product marketing team to initiate the launch of new products and releases and oversee the cross-functional implementation of the plan.
o Be the expert on the buyers and the users of the product, which includes how they buy and their buying criteria; be the expert on the competition and how to differentiate and position the company’s products.
o Work with the broader product marketing team to lead book club program, user groups, Executive Advisory Board, product newsletters and marketing events.
o Collaborate with the broader field sales force, to support major renewals and new business opportunities. Track and manage pipeline of major account renewals, upgrades and new business opportunities with field sales force.
• Business Development
o Oversee the company’s portfolio of publisher partners. Ensure that business terms are both competitive and sustainable, and that content received from publishers is of the highest commercial quality. Ensure that the company maintains favorable business terms that ensure the continuity of service to customers, as well as maximum flexibility for distribution and pricing.
o Work with finance and legal teams to monitor expiration and renewal of publisher relationships to ensure that business terms are closely examined, evaluated and altered (where necessary) within each agreement.
o Lead business development activities with company’s current and prospective publisher partners, to ensure the relevance and competitiveness of product.
o Work with publisher partners ensure a steady and growing flow of new titles, as per business targets.
• Content Production and Operations Management
o Oversee the content production and release of new titles and learning assets into the relevant collections. Closely manage division-level production targets, outsource relationships and budgets.
o Maintain division-level dashboard of lead indicators and performance metrics. Act upon changes to lead indicators and metrics.
o Plan and manage division-level budget and P&L to ensure profitable revenue growth as per plan.



Desired Skills and Experience
• 7-10 years Product Management and/or Product Marketing experience in a digital content, technology and/or learning company.
• Experience with digital publishing and e-book space is preferred.
• Excellent communication, leadership and management skills.
• Highly organized and successful in managing competing business priorities, setting aggressive deadline commitments and meeting them.
• Self-starter, team player and have the ability to lead and work with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to focus on and manage the detailed execution while understanding how these activities fit into the bigger picture.
• Ability to solve complex problems independently.
• Willing to travel as needed.

Education and Certifications
Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree Preferred




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Skillsoft is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer: It is the policy of Skillsoft Corporation to provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability (mental or physical), protected veteran status, genetic information or any other class protected by law