What Edovo does

At Edovo, our mission is to unlock the potential of every person affected by incarceration. We run a secure online platform to support the educational, vocational, and treatment needs of the 2.2 million people in jail and prison. Users have access to thousands of hours of self-guided learning materials with the option to continue their progress upon release. Edovo offers courses in subjects ranging from basic literacy and GED to career exploration and cognitive behavioral therapy. We’re also building tools to keep people in touch with jobs, social services, friends, and family. Our team is committed to bridging access to meaningful education behind bars and improving outcomes for justice-involved people everywhere.

We believe that teams with bold missions need diverse backgrounds to generate the most impact. For that reason, we are committed to building diverse and inclusive work spaces. Women, people of color, and people from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. And yes, we believe in second chances. (For a brief picture of our program from the perspective of the people who use it, see the following videos - Edovo Vimeo Page.)

Don’t take it just from us -- awards, publications, grants, and partnerships all around the country are recognizing the momentum and impact of Edovo. A select few: Global EdTech Startup Champion in London out of 1,000+ competitors; GIIRS Platinum Rating for social impact; MacArthur Foundation Grant Award Winner; Forbes article feature; Chicago Community Trust grant award winner; Impact Engine portfolio member; SXSW Civic Tech Innovation Pitch Competition runner-up; Chicago Innovation "Up and Comer" Award winner; and so much more.

What you'll do

The Director of Product will lead multiple full-time members of the Product team in an exciting, fast-growing, mission-driven startup.

In this role, you will:

• Drive the overall Edovo team’s strategy to make the impact we want to make: fewer people going back to jail and prison; more people connected to friends & family while incarcerated; and happier, safer staff and volunteers while maintaining our economic sustainability as a team

• Be accountable for the full spectrum of Product activities, from market definition through product roadmap to product ownership and go-to-market

• Help to represent the voice of students, staff, and friends & family across all parts of the product development cycle

• Lead additional full-time Product team members responsible for delivering on device strategy and product analytics

• Facilitate a collaborative product roadmap, “epic” planning, and execution process based on mission, values, and economic sustainability

• Be responsible for prioritizing across a complex network of internal and external stakeholders while maintaining context and focus for the engineering team

Must-have skills and experience

• Significant experience in core “product management” skills - ability to understand user/stakeholder needs, defining requirements, influencing team members and external stakeholders, clear written/verbal communication, intellectual curiosity

• Strong understanding and judgment to prioritize based on social impact and business drivers

• Tenacity, drive, ownership mindset, and problem-solving spirit

• Excitement about Edovo’s mission

• Excitement to go on-site (into jails and prisons) and be close to staff, students, friends & family of the incarcerated to learn and build the best product to meet their needs

• A knack for pulling key data points and priorities out of a complex decision-making process and influencing internal and external stakeholders from there

• Significant experience in leading and developing others

• Comfort working high and low – from presenting strategy & methodology to leadership team & major client stakeholders, to defining acceptance criteria for the development team

Other skills and experience we’d welcome

• Deep experience in criminal justice reform, adult education, or telecommunications.

• SQL, data science, or analytics experience

• Front-end or back-end development experience

• Experience working, volunteering, or personally impacted by the jail/prison system

If you've had the chance to read all the way through this job description, please include "[Unlock Potential]" in the subject line of your e-mail.