JOB DETAILS:
JOB SUMMARY
YLabs is seeking a Product Manager to coordinate the creation, design, implementation, and launch of digital products. YLabs works to continuously improve the experience of users online through collaboration with partners, collection of quantitative and qualitative data, as well as input from our interdisciplinary team. The Product Manager is responsible for managing the product and service work streams of each product life cycle; they will gather and prioritize requirements, and plan and scope tasks to ensure delivery and launch, based on informed, data-driven, strategic decisions.

JOB TYPE
This role is to be based in Dar es Salaam or remote in the region, and will report directly to the Project Lead. You will be required to attend in-office meetings and participate in fieldwork.

This is a full-time independent contractor position from October 2023 – March 2024

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Define product vision in collaboration with design and create buy-in internally and externally to ensure alignment and focus.
• Formulate product ideas and features and inform decision making through an analytical and metric-driven lens.
• Own and manage the product roadmap and aggregate product ideas into a cohesive and high impact product plan, with a focus on success metrics (KPIs, OKRs).
• Manage and update processes to ensure content, documentation, reports, and roadmaps are relevant, accurate, and iterative.
• Translate product strategy into detailed requirements, user stories, and product specifications.
• Facilitate meetings, standups, and workshops with the internal team and key partners and stakeholders to ensure that the team is aligned on strategic objectives and metrics.
• Scope, plan, and delegate tasks to designers, content writers, and developers to drive launch of new features at a steady and suitable cadence, while maintaining timelines.
• Utilize analysis, user research and stakeholder observation to determine how insights might enhance the product’s user experience.
• Prioritize requirements and own the product backlog.
• Work with the technical team and project lead during the M&E phase, to ensure product metrics are considered as part of the overall monitoring strategy
• Work in collaboration with the developer using an agile, lean approach to prioritize project objectives considering user needs, resources, and time
• Participate in fieldwork, supporting the usability testing for the product in collaboration with the project team

YOU HAVE:
• 3-5 years of product management experience, delivering digital products, from product visioning and scoping requirements to launching and scaling.
• Knowledge of the full software development cycle, including Agile methodologies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to track and record product progress through to completion.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a rapidly moving environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, in both English and Swahili.

YOU ARE:
• Passionate about YLabs’ mission to design solutions with youth that measurably and meaningfully improve their lives.
• Experience with Human-Centered Design methodologies and activities.
• An organized and prioritization pro, who is proactive, flexible, and adaptable.
• Data-driven and analytical.
• Enthusiastic to work as part of a dynamic and supportive multi-disciplinary team of designers, public health specialists, writers, and evaluation experts.
• A natural collaborator who understands how to build strong relationships across a product team, external partners, and its various stakeholders.
• Adaptable, optimistic, and flexible when faced with changing circumstances and challenges.

DESIRABLE:
• Experience working in NGOs and in healthcare.
• Experience in software and web development
• Experience as a product developer in a non managerial role
• Able to use digital marketing tools such as Google Analytics and Smartlook to gather and analyze data to inform future product decisions.
• Able to suggest new tools, frameworks, and approaches that will help the team level up in product management.

ABOUT YLABS’ COMPENSATION
YLabs adheres to Project Fair’s principles and standards to establish equity in pay with the overriding principle of “equal pay for work of equal value” outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals. All salary ranges are based on level within the organization and are competitive to regional and national salary benchmarks, based on the respective office location.

PAY RATE
The pay range for this position is $1,500 1,770.83- 2,239.58 2,500 [USD] per month commensurate with experience.

LOCATION
This position requires the candidate to already have legal authorization to work in Tanzania. This role may involve 20% of regional travel in Sub Saharan Africa. All costs related to regional project travel and field work are covered and travel is dependent on current safety protocols and permissions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To apply, send a resume, cover letter and link to your portfolio to talent@ylabsglobal.org with the subject line: Product Manager – Tanzania. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

This posting will be open from September 21, the deadline for application submission is October 6. Once the application period closes, all applications will be reviewed by our Hiring Committee. YLabs recognizes the effort that goes into submitting an application; all candidates will be notified of their application status once the hiring process begins.

All YLabs offers of employment are conditional on satisfactory background check and criminal record clearances.