SVP, Product Strategy Return Path

The Impact You’ll Have at RP

As our SVP, Product Strategy you’ll be instrumental in driving the overall product strategy for Return Path as we transform from a one product company to a full suite of products over the next few couple of years. As a market leader, we’ve invested at lot over the past year in our ability to pump out a ton of innovation and we’re ready to take our products to the next level. The way we ‘do’ product management is pretty cutting edge and we’d like to continue the growth of the team and need someone who can coordinate the activities across these teams and make sure we’re allocating them in the right way. This person will manage and lead the Product Management, Analytics, and Professional Services functions and be the ‘voice’ of Product to the Executive Committee.

What you’ll be doing:

• Create and execute a strategic vision for overall product direction.
• Grow and develop a team that creates world class products and services for our customers (email marketers and mailbox providers).
• Organization Development - Work with your senior leadership team to continuously upgrade the functionality of the "product" team.
• Executive Leadership - Actively participate in the Executive Committee, creating and executing strategies and tactics to support RP’s mission and vision and communicating this vision to the company.

 What does it take to be successful in this position?

• 10+ years of relevant work experience including product marketing, product management, product strategy or analytics for web-based products/services vendor(s).
• Demonstrated executive leadership experience and experience in leading one or more functional areas.
• Strong analytic and strategic thinking skills, plus ability to function on a tactical level as needed.
• Working knowledge of email, email marketing, and e-commerce, including email and anti-spam products, services, and standards would be a big plus.
• Experience with market research, competitive analysis, product concept validation, or prototype testing.
• Results-oriented, high-energy self-starter with great interpersonal skills
• Bachelor’s degree required, Masters degree preferred
• Travel Required- 25%

Role Specific Expectations:

• Strategic Thinking/Management - Creates and communicates a long-term vision, balances short and long term goals, keeps own and team's work aligned with overall goals, has solid understanding of market needs, and can predict change, understands the industry and the competition, actively involved with product definition, creates and adjusts strategic plans.
• Strategic / Business Partner - The abilities to develop and execute a product strategy which supports an organization's mission, vision and values, and aligns with, and informs, its business strategy. This includes adjusting product strategies to respond to changing needs, identifying critical metrics. Serve as the company’s primary “public face†or industry ambassador, developing and maintaining industry partnerships and participating in industry events on a regular basis in an effort to retain market leadership.
• Product Management, Product Marketing and Analytics Leadership - The leadership of product management, Product Marketing, and Analytics activities. This includes functional ability in the following areas: product management, analytics, and product marketing. This also requires a deep knowledge of the various sender and receiver client sets.
• Analytical Skills - Thinks analytically and creatively to make the most of available data. Ability to diagnose problems in all areas of Return Path systems and collaborate to help provide solutions. Generates new ideas, takes risks, proposes change, encourages innovation, and solves problems creatively. Ability to troubleshoot technical issues that cross functional boundaries.

Return Path Expectations

In addition to the above, you must be a good fit at Return Path. To be successful here, you must demonstrate Personal/Professional Growth, Professionalism, Flawless Execution, and Strategic Thinking; have a Positive Impact and a great sense of humor. Visit our website to read detailed descriptions of expectations at each of the 4 levels at RP: (1) Learning, (2) Applying, (3) Guiding and (4) Shaping. This position is categorized at the Shaping level.

 The Return Path Experience

Don’t get us wrong, it’s not easy to land a gig at RP. You’re going to have to learn the ins and outs of our business before you even get here. Here’s the good news: only the best and brightest minds in email work here. So, once you’re in, this is a place where you’ll be challenged, inspired, rewarded and transformed. Really you ask? Yes, really. The Return Path experience is a two-way exchange. We ask you to give us your very best every day. We expect a lot from you. We challenge you with interesting work, stretch assignments, a collaborative work environment and a ton of learning and growth. The pace is fast and furious. In exchange, we give you everything you need to live a happy, balanced life. This includes great pay, open vacation (yup, you heard that right!), great benefits, flexibility and, well, whatever else you need. Everyone is unique and we pride ourselves on not having one-size-fits-all solutions. At Return Path you’re a person, not a title. What’s important in your life right now? Kids, pets, triathlons, church, tango, karate, yoga, parents, Pilates, pre-natal â€" we will support you through it all. Give and take. That’s a Return Path career path.