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The Center for Academic Innovation at the University of Michigan is seeking a qualified Director of Product Engineering to lead the team of developers and product squads responsible for the Michigan Online (MO) platform. This is a hands-on leadership role for an individual with a proven track record of delivering large-scale commercial products and driving a high-performing technical team. You will be responsible for the entire software development lifecycle, from technical strategy and architecture to team management and execution. You will oversee our newly formed squad-based teams (Platform, Learner Innovation, Data & Infrastructure, and Assurance), fostering a culture of rapid, high-quality delivery and continuous improvement.

About the Center for Academic Innovation

Through curricular innovation, tools for student success, and educational research and analytics, the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation is building the future of education. Our vision is a future in which education connects and empowers learners everywhere to reach their full potential throughout their lives. To realize our vision, we make it our mission to collaborate across campus and around the world to create equitable, lifelong educational opportunities for learners everywhere.

About the Michigan Online Product Engineering Team

The Michigan Online Product Engineering team is a newly formed, dynamic group of developers, designers, and product specialists at the heart of the Center for Academic Innovation. Our mission is to design, build, and scale the Michigan Online platform to serve 25 million learners worldwide. Organized into squads focused on the Learner Innovation, Platform, Data & Infrastructure, and Assurance, we are responsible for the entire product lifecycle. We are a collaborative, agile team dedicated to creating a world-class, data-driven, and personalized destination for online education.

For more information, please visit our website: Center for Academic Innovation.

• Lead and manage the Michigan Online product engineering team, including developers and other technical staff.
• Drive the technical strategy and architecture for the Michigan Online platform, ensuring it is scalable, reliable, and secure.
• Oversee the entire software development lifecycle, from sprint planning and execution to code reviews and deployment.
• Oversee and support cross-functional operational squads:
  • Platform Squad - Responsible for CMS integration, reusable content blocks, taxonomy governance, editorial workflows, design system, mobile UX, and rebrand execution.
  • Learner Innovation Squad - Supporting the integration and maintenance of key platforms, such as Canvas, edX, custom learning experiences, cohort learning, Labs/Experiential learning, and APIs for course management.
  • Data & Infrastructure Squad - Responsible for building, scaling, and maintaining the data architecture, connections, and infrastructure for both MO and custom-built learning solutions.
  • Assurance Squad - Responsible for ensuring quality, accessibility, and platform stability across all MO products.
• Support the day-to-day operations of the technical squads, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
• Implement and champion best practices for software development, including agile methodologies, CI/CD, automated testing, and observability.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across CAI to define the product roadmap and translate institutional goals into technical requirements.
• Define KPIs and success metrics for squads and product features; enable a culture of continuous delivery, demos, and outcome measurement.
• Mentor and lead by example in a servant leadership model; build trust through cross-disciplinary action and transparent communication.

• 10+ years of experience in product leadership roles, ideally in higher ed, nonprofit, or complex enterprise environments.
• Proven ownership of large-scale web platforms integrating CMS, CRM, and user-facing features.
• Demonstrated success in leading and managing a team of software engineers and technical designers to deliver a large-scale, commercial web application or platform.
• Experience with Agile methodologies, rituals (e.g., sprint planning, retrospectives), and shared KPIs.
• Extensive experience with the full software development lifecycle, from conception and design to deployment and maintenance.
• Hands-on familiarity with CMS systems (especially Wagtail, Drupal, or AEM), UX strategy, and data integration.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills; able to translate abstract institutional goals into actionable product strategies.
• Technically fluent (but not necessarily a developer) - understands trade-offs in Django, REST APIs, frontend development, and DevOps.
• User-centered mindset; experience using research, analytics, and behavioral insights to drive decisions.
• Comfortable guiding staff growth and fostering cross-functional learning environments.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

The mode of work for this position is Hybrid with a minimum of 4 days in the office per week. The work requirements for this position allow both onsite and offsite work and you will have an expected regular and recurring onsite presence. On occasion, you may be required and must be available to work onsite more frequently if necessitated by our center's policy and domain leadership or by your job requirements.

The salary for this position will be based upon the selected candidate's education and experience.

Excellent benefits are available, for details, see http://benefits.umich.edu/

Salary Information

The general salary range for this position is $140,000 - $160,000. Candidates can expect to be paid a competitive and equitable salary. Factors used to determine salary include education level, experience, knowledge and skills for the position and salaries that are currently established within the unit. All candidates are encouraged to discuss salary questions to honor alignment and transparency throughout the recruiting process.

Organizational Statement on Harassment

We believe all individuals deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and a safe space for collaboration. Any concerns shared with Individuals with Reporting Obligations in the Center for Academic Innovation will be reported to the Equity, Civil Rights, & Title IX Office to be reviewed and addressed, and the Center for Academic Innovation encourages reporting of any forms of harassment including sexual and gender-based harassment.
 

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks.
Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting period and continue until the position is filled.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.