Digital product manager

Digital product manager

We’re looking for a product manager to lead our small but mighty software development team, serve as digital media director for the national AdoptUSKids project, and manage our agency’s product development roadmap. This position is an opportunity to do a tech-sector job in a nonprofit context. That means you get to do high-quality, meaningful work with talented colleagues while maintaining your work-life balance. Join us! 

About us

Northwest Resource Associates is a nonprofit child welfare agency. We envision every young person having family that nurtures their growth and potential. We work toward this vison by designing and delivering programs and technology that empower youth, strengthen families, and improve child welfare systems. More than four decades old, we are headquartered in Seattle, WA, and have offices in Alaska and Oregon as well. 

Equity and inclusion are priorities across all programs at Northwest Resource Associates. We are committed to valuing and celebrating staff diversity in ability, age, ethnicity, gender expression, privilege, race, religion, and sexual orientation. We prioritize equity and inclusion in our culture and our work. 

Who we're looking for

Our ideal candidate will be an empathetic and collaborative leader who can listen to and learn from all team members. They will bring equal measures of energy, optimism, and product management know-how to work with them. They will share our commitment to building user-centered technology and communications for families and child welfare professionals. 

In terms of skills, our ideal candidate understands the software development lifecycle, can scope and schedule projects, build roadmaps, and assemble and lead teams. We’re a small shop, so our candidate can hold the big picture, but pitch in on project management. They are fluent in agile but can be creative in its implementation. They champion the user, always. The product manager won’t be expected to code; we’re not looking for an engineer. But our candidate must be able to grasp technical concepts, communicate about them to nontechnical partners, and recommend and make wise technology decisions.  

Responsibilities

Manage the AdoptUSKids applications and websites (80%) 

AdoptUSKids is a federally funded project that supports child welfare systems across the United States. Northwest Resource Associates builds and maintains the project’s websites and applications, including the popular adoptuskids.org and the national AdoptUSKids photolisting, a web platform that connects children in foster care with families who are looking to adopt. The digital product manager will oversee the strategy, development, and maintenance of this digital system and manage the team, which includes two software engineers plus some consultants, a technical support and training manager, and two UX specialists. Responsibilities will include:

Manage and continuously improve our overall strategy and existing product roadmap, scoping, prioritizing, and scheduling projects and assembling and convening project teams.
Schedule and lead agile meetings and facilitate decision-making about individual projects as well as overall team processes and priorities.
Serve as the manager for members of the digital products team, ensuring they feel supported, have balanced workloads, and have opportunities for professional development.
Manage the project budget.
Serve as AdoptUSKids digital media director, representing the team and our agency on the core leadership team of the AdoptUSKids collaboration, a coalition of seven nonprofit organizations partnering with the US Children’s Bureau.

Manage our agency product-development roadmap (20%) 

The digital product manager will also manage our agency’s other product development roadmap and serve on our agency leadership team: 

Scope, schedule, and manage enhancements to other websites and applications we maintain, such as the Northwest Adoption Exchange website, nwae.org. You’ll assemble teams from in-house resources as well as our roster of regular contractors.
Play a role in helping us grow our product development business line.
Help guide organizational policies and direction, with particular attention given to equity and inclusion.
Equitably recruit, interview, select, and retain talented staff.
Uphold the values and implement the human resources and information security policies, procedures, and practices of Northwest Resource Associates and AdoptUSKids.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications

At least three years of experience working as part of a software or website development team.
Three years of experience being a collaborative leader invested in your team’s success.
Strong project management skills, including experience with Agile project management and tools.
Ability to grasp and communicate about technical concepts.
Knowledge of best-practices in software and website design, development, user experience, and accessibility.
Track record of championing the user.
Supervisory experience.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Demonstrated commitment to racial equity practices and ongoing learning.
Commitment to continuous learning and innovation.

Bonus skills and experience

Professional or lived experience in child welfare.
Experience working with .NET or similar frameworks or WordPress.
Knowledge of ISO 270001 or other information security frameworks.
Familiarity with Scrumdo, Jira, or AirTable.
Budgeting experience.
Experience hiring and managing contractors.
Experience working in the government or nonprofit sectors.
Experience in grant writing and business development.

Location, salary and benefits, and how to apply

Location

Puget sound location strongly preferred. We use a hybrid work model. Team members have access to our downtown Seattle office, but are mainly working remotely, meeting monthly and more often as needed. We are still working on our hybrid model, but we do not anticipate asking anyone to spend more than 20% time in the office. 

Salary and benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $90,000 to $115,000. 

We offer flexible work schedules, 3.5 to 6 weeks of paid vacation per year, 15 to 16 paid, holidays per year, paid sick leave, a generous family leave policy, a retirement plan contribution, optional 403b plan, medical and dental insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and commuter benefits. 

How to apply

Submit a brief cover letter describing why you might be a fit for the position and your resume via our AirTable form: https://airtable.com/shrWD50XZCQI89RlG. 

We will accept applications until the position is filled, but we will prioritize applications that come in on or before January 6. After January 6, we will prioritize applications that come in by January 13, January 20, and so on.