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Senior Program Manager - Skype

Job Category: Software Engineering: Program Management
Location: London, GB
Job ID: 789071-77041
Division: Skype

Senior Program Manager - Skype.com - Tallinn/London


About Skype


Skype is software that enables the world's conversations. Millions of individuals and businesses use Skype to make free video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Every day, people everywhere also use Skype to make low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles.


Skype.com is visited by millions of users per month to download Skype, learn more about Skype and expand the products and services they are using.


The Business Specific brief


Effective Program Managers must perform several key activities:


Work with a cross functional team of program managers, marketers, engineers, product managers, to maintain and improve Skype.com to increase adoption and engagement

Devise strategy for Skype dot com and support it by providing market insights, competitive analysis, audience opportunity etc

Translate key opportunities into a prioritized backlog of functional and non-functional requirements

Analyze market and competitive data to identify and quantify market opportunities

Lead execution plans for a cross functional team of marketers, engineers and program managers to meet and exceed revenue goals

Track and analyze user behavior to identify highest value segments and opportunities

Understand latest technology advancements and work with engineering in identifying optimal opportunities and solutions

Ensure the maintenance of appropriate, predictable cadence of releases in accordance with the release policy for each product.

Agree on a release plan for each release including clear decision points for scope reduction, risk management and change control processes.

Agree with Quality Assurance and Product Engineering the prioritization of defects to be addressed prior to release

Agree with Site Operations appropriate plans for release to production.

Ensure appropriate coordination with Customer Services to constantly monitor user feedback.

Participate in usability tests by providing requirements and often driving research sessions


To effectively perform these activities, the Program Manager's skill set should include: product strategy and marketing, business planning and business case development, user insight and product usage analytics, functional specification development, use case and story development, technical specification and architecture review, product marketing, and user advocacy.


Key Responsibilities


The Skype Dot Com Program Manager will be responsible for the skype.com website. S/He will be responsible to launch new functionalities and maintain the existing ones, monitor the site's performance and recommend enhancements as necessary.


Product vision and strategy: Work with a cross functional team to derive the strategy and action plans

Product definition: Translate vision and strategy to actionable plans

Product roadmap & requirements management: The Program Manager will be responsible for creating and grooming the product backlog and maintaining a constantly prioritized list of product requirements for inclusion in future releases

Product Delivery: Along with the Engineering and QE teams, the Program Manager is responsible for ensuring the maintenance of appropriate, predictable cadence of releases in accordance with the release policy for each product.

Product Planning: The Program Manager is also responsible for defining and driving the implementation of the complete product plan including: feature and product launches plans, legal & regulatory factors, release plans of record and internal documentation.

Ongoing Product Management: Throughout the life of each release, the Program Manager will continue to monitor and analyze product performance metrics.


Candidate Profile

Pre-requisite Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Expertise/Experience


Extensive product management experience with proven track record managing complex roadmaps and delivering high quality projects on a timely manner.

Demonstrable past results in managing projects from concept to end-of-life

Strong analytical skills and proven data-driven decision making attitude

Commitment to always delivering the most relevant user experiences while growing revenue

Proven business acumen with experience in working with high different teams and partners


Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills

Proven track record for product delivery and demonstrated ability to provide hands-on product management

Entrepreneurial drive and demonstrated ability to excel in a fast pace innovative environment

Experience working with products in a global setting and with a broad international user community

Demonstrated experience with Agile development processes with frequent release cycles

Experience in working with remote teams in a diverse international setting and different time zones

Experience championing new ways of working: assertive, bold and inspiring - both in stretching the team to deliver great services but also in being able to 'sell' new approaches, influence partners and drive high standards of achievement and delivery


Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in computer science, telecommunications, or business (must have)

MBA is a plus

Formal Project Management and Product Management training (ITIL, Prince II, Agile) (preferred)

Company Description

Skype is about breaking down the barriers to communication and we're doing it with technology that is inventive, dependable, easy to use and affordable. We're passionate about impacting the world and even more excited to be part of a new generation of brands that are revolutionising (and disrupting!) the 21st century. Everyday Skype enables 100's of millions of people to be together, even when they're apart.

We're global thinkers with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Moscow, New York, Palo Alto, Prague, Singapore, Stockholm, Tallinn, Tartu and Tokyo. Our wonderful offices are relaxed, funky, innovative and dog friendly - we're more like family around here. A super productive bunch, we are performance driven and dedicated to unleashing wonder!

Additional Information

Posted:
March 21, 2012
Type:
Full-time
Experience:
Not Applicable
Functions:
Information Technology
Industries:
Computer Hardware, Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
Employer Job ID:
789071-77041
Job ID:
2740178