STEM Programs Manager (The Tech Challenge)

The Tech Interactive, founded in 1998, is a cornerstone of the San Francisco Bay area, dedicated to serving families and young people through hands-on activities, experimental labs, and design challenge experiences. Our mission is to inspire the innovator in everyone by creating learning experiences that empower youth—especially those from historically marginalized and underserved communities—to innovate with creativity, curiosity, and compassion.

About the Role

The STEM Programs Manager leads the implementation of STEM programs, products, and services that support learners from low-income and historically marginalized communities in becoming problem-solvers with a strong sense of STEM identity. This role manages contractors and volunteers, oversees the implementation of The Tech Challenge product lifecycle, and coordinates a cross-functional team to build products aligned with STEM goals. The position reports to the Senior Director of Learning Products and works closely with R&D, product marketing, and operations teams to ensure products continually improve and meet learner needs.

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Co-design and manage the product roadmap for STEM products, including product definition and re-branding efforts.
  • Translate organizational, educator, and student needs into clear product requirements and user stories.
  • Define success criteria and monitor key performance indicators related to learner engagement, achievement, and satisfaction.
  • Manage program budget and resource allocation.
• External Relationships:
  • Develop and maintain relationships with schools, districts, parent and education organizations, and other stakeholders to support recruitment and collaboration.
  • Manage and motivate volunteer committees to ensure successful program implementation.
• Learner-Centered Design:
  • Serve as the voice of the learner in product development, leveraging feedback, usability testing, and analytics.
  • Collaborate with R&D, instructional designers, and partnership managers to ensure solutions are rooted in evidence-based learning design.
  • Ensure all products meet accessibility, inclusivity, and usability standards.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  • Partner with R&D, partner success, and operations teams to deliver features on time and within scope.
  • Work closely with The Tech Interactive, implementation partners, and education organizations to align products with The Tech’s educational philosophy, pedagogical principles, and learner needs.
  • Support marketing, training, and adoption strategies to drive learner engagement.
• Continuous Improvement:
  • Monitor and evaluate product performance, collecting insights to inform iterative improvements.
  • Stay informed on industry trends, edtech innovations, and student engagement practices.
  • Recommend enhancements that balance learner impact with scalability and efficiency.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in design thinking, project-based learning, learning science, or a related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM field or related experience.
• Strong knowledge of design challenge learning, adult learning theory, and modern instructional design approaches.
• Experience managing complex programs and/or large-scale events.
• Experience managing staff and/or volunteers.
• Proficiency in tracking tasks and timelines using software (e.g., Asana, Trello).
• Ability to synthesize student feedback and data into actionable program and product improvements.
• Excellent communication skills across diverse stakeholders.

Schedule

• Schedule includes weekend and evening work as programmatic and organizational needs require.
• On-site role with potential flexibility for some remote workdays, depending on job needs.
• Limited travel (domestic and potentially international) may be required, up to 15%.

Pay

The pay range for this role is $80,000 - $92,000 per year, commensurate with experience.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match.
• Vacation and flex holidays.
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Commuter benefits.