Chief Product Officer
CommonLit is a nonprofit education technology organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, especially students in Title I schools, graduate with the reading, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills they need to be successful in college and beyond. We envision a world where all students get the opportunity to have a world class education. We operate an online reading program for grades 3-12, www.CommonLit.org, that is used by teachers in over 90,000 American schools.
The Opportunity
As CommonLit expands into the core ELA curriculum market, we are seeking a Chief Product Officer (CPO) to guide the next chapter of our product's evolution and impact. The CPO will create and execute the product strategy that will best position CommonLit to compete and thrive in a rapidly evolving edtech and curriculum landscape. Through strong product knowledge and operations, the CPO will play a pivotal role in setting the development roadmap of CommonLit's highly effective program, ensuring it meets intended goals for our audiences : students, teachers, and administrators.
The Chief Product Officer will directly oversee CommonLit's Product Management and Design teams. They will work closely alongside adjacent leaders in academics, engineering, and strategy to foster alignment, and shepherd focused execution within each development cycle. The CPO will oversee the high altitude prioritization of CommonLit's product development, and help to imagine and shape the innovative big bets we can make to the platform and product in the coming years.
We imagine a collaborative, dynamic leader, who is eager to operate a team with a strong culture, and clear systems, orienting towards an articulated long-term vision. This action-oriented leader has a goal to learn, iterate, and continuously improve. The CPO will ensure that CommonLit's products are effectively designed, presented, and implemented for our end users, ensuring the customer experience (CX) for our audiences (teachers, students, administrators) drives towards our intended goals and values. This is a key executive role, reporting directly to the CEO, and part of the senior leadership team.
Apply by : Friday, December 5 at 5 pm EST
Roles and Responsibilities
Product Strategy & Innovation
- Develop and execute a long-term product strategy aligned with the company's mission, vision, 18 month organizational strategy, and annual business goals
- Articulate and oversee the realization of a customer (teacher, administrator, student) experience aligned to product goals
- Identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation in the education technology landscape aligned to user needs
- Oversee high altitude prioritization and resource allocation related to the product and engineering roadmaps
Leadership & Team Development
Build, coach, and directly manage a high-performing product team including product management and UX / UI designLead a high functioning, data-driven product organization, collaborating across product, engineering, academics, data science, and strategy through strong product operations, collaboration, systems, and ritualsFoster a joyful culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountabilityPartner closely with sales, marketing, and GTM leaders to deliver cohesive, impactful products that enable the organization to consistently meet customer needs and retain and expand its customer baseProduct Execution & Delivery
Oversee the end-to-end product lifecycle from discovery and design to development and launchWork closely with engineering to achieve resultsPrioritize initiatives using data-driven insights, balancing short-term goals with long-term impactImplement frameworks for rapid experimentation, A / B testing, and continuous improvementCustomer Focus & Impact
Champion the voice of educators, students, and administrators across all product decisionsEnsure products meet high standards for usability, accessibility, and pedagogical valueUse qualitative and quantitative data to measure learning outcomes and user satisfactionBusiness & Market Alignment
Collaborate with Academics, Sales, Partnerships, and Finance to ensure product strategy supports growth and sustainabilityTranslate educational impact into clear business metrics (engagement, retention, outcomes)Qualifications
Bachelor's degree required10+ years of product management experience, with 5+ in a senior leadership or executive roleProven success scaling SaaS products (bonus for experience in the Education space)Strong understanding of K12, higher education, or workforce learning ecosystemsExpertise in software development methodologies (ours is currently based on Basecamp's Shape Up), product analytics, and user researchExceptional communication and storytelling skills able to align and motivate teams around a clear, shared visionPassion for improving educational outcomes through technology and innovationPreferred Experience
Experience with adaptive learning technologies, content personalization, or data-driven instructionFamiliarity with education standards (e.g., Common Core, NGSS) and district procurement processesSalary and Benefits
Salary : $200,000 - $300,000, commensurate with experience
At CommonLit, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive company culture that values work-life balance and adapts to life's changes. We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support our employees' health, well-being, and financial security :
Health, dental, and vision insuranceHSA and FSA Plans, including Medical FSA, Limited FSA, and Dependent Care FSA optionsCompany-sponsored basic life insurance, with additional options for supplemental life insuranceLegal insurance401(k) retirement plan with a 4% safe harbor employer matchAccess to exclusive discounts, including pet insurance, hotel booking discounts, and moreRemote work support, including a home office set-up stipendGenerous time off, including :
16 paid holidays annuallyPaid time off accruals and sick leavePaid family leave, including caregiver leave, medical leave, and 12 weeks of paid parental leave2 floating holidaysVolunteer and school visitation leaveJury duty leaveBereavement and compassionate leaveFlexible work optionsAs a remote-first organization, CommonLit has team members in nearly 30 states and Washington, D.C. We strive to create a collaborative and engaging workplace through various connection opportunities :
Monthly remote activities, such as dumpling-making, yoga, and virtual escape roomsMonthly "CoffeeLit" sessions for connecting with colleaguesLearning and development opportunities for teams and individuals