Senior Program Manager - Product Discovery

Senior Program Manager - Product Discovery

Company: Western Governors University

Job Location:

Category: Curriculum Design

Type: Full-Time

Job Type: Full time

Job Number: JR-024836

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Professional 312 Pay Range: $106,700.00 - $165,400.00

Job Description

At Western Governors University, our mission is to expand access to high-quality, affordable education for learners everywhere. As a Senior Program Manager - Product Discovery, you will play a critical role in identifying and shaping new short-term academic programs that meet the evolving needs of learners and employer partners. This role sits at the front end of innovation, blending research, strategy, and cross-functional collaboration to help WGU bring high-impact offerings to market and support successful student outcomes.

About WGU Academy

WGU Academy is the platform and service provider of WGU's individual course and certificate offerings. While everyone can succeed in college under the right circumstances, WGU recognizes that not everyone who wants to go to WGU is ready to commit to a full course load and a six-month tuition plan. WGU Academy offers courses and certificates that will help students to develop skills that dramatically increase the likelihood of success in college and career progression. WGU Academy offers students the opportunity to strengthen motivation, confidence, and academic preparedness while working toward credit on a WGU transcript.

About Academy OnRamps Discovery

OnRamps Discovery helps WGU Academy decide which new courses and certificates to pursue and how to bring them forward responsibly. We combine market research, learner and employer insights, competitive analysis, pricing, business cases, and cross-functional collaboration and planning to identify high-value opportunities that will help students toward successful outcomes. We recommend short-term academic offerings that help prepare students for a degree or career, align to WGU's mission, and move from ideas to launch and evaluation with a clear strategy.

The Role: Senior Program Manager - Discovery

The Senior Program Manager - Discovery manages product discovery efforts by assessing and defining demand, understanding learner and stakeholder needs, and translating insights into clear product strategies and recommendations. The position also manages pre-launch activities, partnering closely with academic and operational teams to ensure offerings are compliant, market-ready, and positioned for strong adoption and successful learner outcomes. Success is measured by identifying high-value opportunities and contributing to the launch of high-quality programs aligned to institutional goals.

What You'll Do

• Lead product discovery efforts, including building business cases supported by market sizing, competitive analysis, demand assessment, pricing, and strategic insights.
• Design and conduct qualitative and quantitative research in partnership with research teams to understand student and employer needs.
• Manage the academic product roadmap in collaboration with institutional and college stakeholders.
• Drive concept validation and launch planning by engaging cross-functional partners across product design, marketing, finance, enrollment, analytics, academic, and technology teams.
• Use data and performance insights to evaluate opportunities, inform recommendations, and support continuous improvement and stakeholder decision-making.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant experience.
• 5 years of experience in program or product discovery roles in higher education, with demonstrated expertise in discovery strategies.

Bonus Points

• Project management and business intelligence skills

Work Location

This is a full-time, in-office position at WGU's office in Salt Lake City, Utah.

What to Expect

At WGU, our mission drives everything we do-including how we hire. Our interview experience is designed to give qualified candidates the opportunity to show their best work through meaningful conversations, practical problem-solving, and authentic collaboration.

We thoughtfully review every application and invite forward the candidates whose experience and potential best align with the role and our mission. If selected, you'll hear from a recruiter or hiring manager who will guide you through the process and help you know what to expect at each stage. We aim to communicate decisions promptly and respectfully.

Here's what that typically looks like:

• Introductory video call (~30 minutes): We'll walk you through who we are at WGU and learn about your relevant experience.
• Hiring manager interview (~45 minutes)
• Key stakeholder interview (~45 minutes)
• Final interview (~45 minutes)

Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.

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