Project Manager, Product Development

Job description

Job title Project Manager, Product Development Reporting to Director of Product Development Years of experience 7+ Location Toronto – Hybrid work environment (3 days in office and 2 days remote.) Position type Full Time, Permanent Compensation $100,000 - $120,000 Travel required East Africa About Raising The Village Raising The Village (RTV) is an international development organization working to end ultra‑poverty in last‑mile rural communities across sub‑Saharan Africa. Our 24‑month universal graduation programs combine targeted material support with agency‑building interventions to help households move durably out of ultra‑poverty. About the Venn Platform RTV is investing in the next generation of Venn , an integrated platform for program delivery, monitoring, evaluation, and learning. What sets Venn apart is its unique ability to unify two critical domains: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL): The measurement frameworks, indicators, instruments, and learning loops that drive continuous program improvement. Systems: The applications, data infrastructure, and data science capabilities that power and operationalize those frameworks. Getting this platform right has direct consequences for program delivery at scale across multiple countries. Position Overview Reporting to the Director of Product, the Project Manager, Product Development owns the planning, execution, and delivery governance for RTV's Venn platform program. You will manage a complex, multi-team technical program spanning Platform Architecture, Software Engineering, Data Engineering, Product, QA, and business stakeholders, ensuring cross-functional alignment, on-time delivery, and strong executive communication at every stage. As the Project Manager, you will drive program momentum across a technically complex, geographically distributed team to deliver RTV’s impact in sub-Saharan Africa. This role requires exceptional communication, organization, and problem-solving skills to manage cross-team dependencies, resolve blockers, and adapt quickly to shifting priorities. Ultimately, RTV is looking for a proactive multi-tasker who takes full accountability for results and maintains a positive, urgent approach to achieving them. Key Responsibilities 1. Project Leadership & Delivery Define scope and delivery plans - Establish project scope, timelines, and delivery plans for new platform development and enhancements. Own the master plan - Maintain the master project plan, including scope, milestones, dependencies, and critical path. Lead delivery ceremonies - Run cross-functional standups, sprint reviews, dependency reviews, and risk reviews. Ensure alignment - Drive alignment across Platform Architecture, Software Engineering, Data Engineering, Product, QA, and business stakeholders. 2. Execution Management Track progress with structured tools - Use Gantt charts, RAID logs, burndown charts, and milestone dashboards to maintain program visibility. Resolve blockers - Identify risks and blockers early; coordinate resolution with technical and operational leads. Maintain governance - Ensure all workstreams adhere to RTV's documentation, governance, and quality standards. Support engineering output - Help engineering leads deliver incremental, testable, production-ready outputs. 3. Internal Stakeholder Alignment Be the communication hub - Serve as the central point of contact across leadership, technical teams, and business stakeholders. Produce executive updates - Write clear, executive-ready status updates summarizing progress, risks, decisions, and impacts. Bridge strategy and execution - Facilitate alignment between strategic priorities and technical delivery realities. 4. Risk, Dependency & Change Management Maintain the RAID log - Track and drive proactive mitigation on all risks, assumptions, issues, and dependencies. Manage dependencies - Lead structured change control for scope, timeline, and priority shifts across teams. Provide early visibility - Ensure leadership has advance notice of risks, tradeoffs, and decision points before they become blockers. 5. Process, Governance & Quality Own documentation - Ensure architecture decisions, requirements, test plans, and release notes are complete, versioned, and accessible. Build repeatable processes - Establish and strengthen repeatable processes for platform onboarding and enhancement delivery. Build delivery culture - Strengthen RTV's internal project management discipline and delivery maturity across the platform team Required Qualifications 7+ years of project management experience in data platforms, enterprise systems, SaaS, or cloud modernization. Post-secondary degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, Information Technology or relevant discipline/equivalent PMP, PMI-ACP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification. CSM, PSM, or equivalent Scrum Master certification, with demonstrated experience running Scrum ceremonies. Demonstrated success managing multi-team, multi-phase technical programs with complex cross-functional dependencies. Strong understanding of data engineering, cloud platforms (e.g., Databricks, Azure), APIs, and metadata-driven systems. Exceptional communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to produce structured, executive-ready materials. Expertise with project management tools such as Jira, ClickUp, or equivalent. Proven ability to collaborate with architects, engineers, product managers, and operational stakeholders. Strong analytical, organizational, and facilitation skills. Willingness and ability to travel to East Africa and work East Africa time zones as needed. Preferred Qualifications Experience in international development, social impact, or NGO environments. Experience working with distributed, multi-geography teams across significantly different time zones. Familiarity with MEL frameworks or program monitoring in international development contexts. Total Rewards Benefits include: Group RRSP matching program, up to 5%. Medical, dental, vision, and travel insurance. 4 weeks of vacation. Disclaimer: This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. The company reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties as necessary. RTV uses artificial intelligence to screen and assess applicants for this position, including through an applicant tracking system (ATS) that helps sort applications based on job related criteria. Our hiring team reviews all candidates and makes all final decisions. Ontario Inclusion and Accessibility Statement: RTV is committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace. We comply with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all aspects of the employment process.