Chief Product & Technology Officer Save

About Step Up: 

Step Up Tutoring is a growing technology-based non-profit organization that drives student success in under-resourced communities by providing virtual high-impact tutoring and mentorship to elementary and middle school students. Step Up recruits, trains, and supports adult volunteers and college students paid through Federal Work-Study and other scholarship funds to provide one-on-one virtual tutoring to build academic skills in reading and math, boost confidence and foster positive relationships. Founded in 2020 in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District, Step Up now works across California and Arizona and has delivered over 140,000 tutoring hours to over 4,000 students to date. We partner with over 25 colleges and universities to provide work-based learning opportunities for college students and help to develop pipelines into teaching careers.

Step Up enables a seamless experience for students and tutors through the integration of digital learning, online classroom, and communication tools, designed to maximize student learning and engagement. By pairing technology with high-value human capital, our goal is to provide effective, cost-effective and scalable tutoring to reach any child in need in America. Ultimately, we aim to mobilize a national tutoring corps to close the opportunity gap and build the capacity of young people to learn, develop, and access their dreams. 

Position Overview: 

We are seeking an entrepreneurial leader to fill an exciting new role at Step Up to serve as our Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO). This pivotal role, ideal for someone with product management experience in an early-stage B2C online product (preferable in edtech), will lead Step Up’s virtual tutoring platform and program and oversee our technology strategy to enable scalable operations and maximize impact. The ideal candidate is a proven leader with a strong track record in product development, technology management, and scaling operations within early-stage edtech organizations. 

In this role, you will spearhead the strategic implementation of AI to enhance the effectiveness of human tutoring interactions and automate processes to support scalable growth. You will lead product, program, and engineering teams and collaborate closely with operations, defining technical standards and ensuring alignment of technology solutions with business goals. 

With strong partnerships in place, proven impact, and a strong growth trajectory, this is an opportunity to drive an ambitious set of goals and an inspiring vision. We are seeking a leader deeply committed to leveraging technology for social good, with experience in leading cross-functional teams to deliver innovative technology solutions that achieve strategic objectives. As our organization continues to scale, the role also offers potential for expanded leadership opportunities. 

Responsibilities:

Product Management & Development

• Lead product, program, and engineering teams in the development of a best-in-class virtual tutoring platform, ensuring product features are aligned with program goals, driving engagement, impact and learning outcomes, while lowering cost to deliver.
• Drive a comprehensive product roadmap aligned with strategic goals, incorporating AI-powered solutions to automate and optimize processes, enhance tutor effectiveness, and enhance the overall user experience.
• Work with engineers to ensure product and system performance, meeting school and district requirements, adhere to privacy and security measures and delivering seamless user experience
• Establish and monitor product performance metrics to ensure a strong product-market fit and drive continuous improvement.

Driving Scalable Operations

• Design and implement efficient product and technology solutions, with aligned business processes, to support rapid scaling while maintaining quality and mission alignment.
• Utilize analytics to assess program, product, and operational effectiveness, ensuring a strong return on investment.
• Lead cross-functional work with operations, recruiting, and onboarding teams to ensure tight alignment of resources to support the ideal product lifecycle and user experience. 
• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive alignment across functions, monitor success, and inform strategic decisions.
• Collaborate with the CEO and leadership team to set and execute strategic priorities, ensuring cohesive alignment across the organization.

Qualifications: 

• [8+] years of leadership experience with a strong track record of success in product management and operations in an entrepreneurial environment. 
• Proven experience in developing and scaling online products, preferably in an early stage B2C SaaS company and/or edtech sector. 
• Understanding of AI and automation tools, with a proven ability to integrate these into operational and product strategies.
• Experience working directly with engineers to lead product development.
• Expertise in user experience, SaaS metrics, and product development processes, including roadmaps, feature prioritization, and market-fit analysis.
• Exceptional operational management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• Outstanding communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Passion for Step Up Tutoring’s mission and a desire to create long-term impact in education equity.

• Prior product management experience at a SaaS and/or ed tech experience; Experience in 0-1 product development preferred 
• Understanding of K-12 education systems, curriculum, and instructional design preferred. 

Benefits: 

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience 
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits, covering 80% of premium costs for individuals and 50% for dependents. 
• 401K with 4% company match 
• Flexible PTO 
• Opportunity to shape and build a growing startup and make a profound impact on expanding education access

The US base target salary range for this position is $175,000-$215,000. There is potential for an annual bonus dependent on performance. The pay range for this position is a general guideline only, and will depend on experience, qualifications, location and job market data. The recruiter can share more about the specifics during the hiring process.