Product Development Metrics Manager

The AARP Product Development Metrics Manager will provide insights into consumer behavior and user engagement analysis across innovation initiatives.  This position supports the SVP of Innovation & Product Development and the VP of Product Development, Innovation Catalyst teams, and accelerator teams where appropriate.  This position will report to the VP of Product Development. The Product Development Metrics Manager has experience in providing consumer behavior insights through primary and secondary research, along with digital data analytics to support the goals of the innovation initiatives. 

The Product Development Metrics Manager is a high-energy, results-oriented, and creative research professional.  This individual is also an entrepreneurial-minded corporate innovator, accomplished communicator, data analytics professional who will support AARP’s external innovation vision in the development of meaningful solutions for the 50+, by providing both upstream (design) and downstream (data analytics) input to help derive strategy and tactics, as well as performance metrics, for new products. 

Primary/Secondary Research and Measurement:

• Design consumer research projects in conjunction with the innovation team leads to provide insight into key business needs. Direct suppliers in research execution.
• Be able to test in creative, quick, and low cost methods, similar to startup methodology.
• Development and implementation of on-site surveying/qualitative metrics to understand and analyze user opinions.
• Oversight of usability testing for websites, including analysis and presentation to innovation teams.
• Provide consulting for innovation teams to understand key strategic learning needs and how to develop solutions that capture the necessary information. 

Data Analytics:

• Consult with innovation teams on the interpretation of data, insights, and potential strategic implications.
• Lead/consult with development leads on data tracking needs for websites under development.
• Develop reporting templates to allow management to monitor key performance metrics.
• Oversee and develop time-based (e.g., weekly, monthly, and quarterly) reporting roll-ups for management.
• Work with data professionals to create and monitor KPIs for the innovation initiatives.

Support Documentation and Business Performance:

• Manage requests for ad hoc meetings, including Board Meetings for additional reports, metrics, and analysis.
• Understand online reporting systems like Google Analytics, Roambi, and others to effectively measure key performance indicators.
• Develop off-line performance targets and creative ways of measuring effectiveness.

​General:

• Consult with innovation teams on learning needs and provide recommendations for approaches.
• Scope, plan and execute multiple, often quick-turnaround projects with minimal outside assistance.
• This role may also manage external vendors or AARP relationships to execute the work.

Financial and Budgetary Responsibilities

• This position will have only minimal budgetary responsibilities (potentially to manage any external research spend.)
• This position requires managing research with diverse scope across innovation teams.  The Product Development Metrics Manager will be self-starting, exercising professional judgment in selecting methodologies and analysis/reporting approaches.  In addition, the Product Development Metrics Manager is responsible for providing innovation teams and management with trend reporting, performance analysis, and recommendations for areas of improvement.  Understanding of primary and secondary research, statistics, and marketing research and analysis is needed.
• This position will play an instrumental role in analyzing trends and developing solutions that can nurture the continued growth and success of innovation products and experiences.  Must be very detail oriented, have strong math skills, and the ability to scrutinize trends and develop solutions to address them.
• This position involves engaging with stakeholders and business unit managers in an advisory position.  The Product Development Metrics Manager will exchange detailed/technical information, as well as provide advice/insight based on the data.  This position will be staffed across all innovation projects, and this level of engagement will require good coordination, communication, time management, and planning skills. This individual will regularly interact with innovation catalysts and potentially accelerator companies.   This individual will regularly communicate with external vendors, partners and suppliers that can help conduct meaningful research and experiments to propel new solutions forward
• This position will have a direct impact on AARP’s success in developing innovative solutions today and in the future.  The Product Development Metrics Manager will play an instrumental role in analyzing trends and consumer behavior, which will feed into product strategy (both upstream and in market).  Will be given general direction, but expected to make decisions impacting execution as needed.  Some budget management will be expected.