📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Group Product Manager, Growth
🔹 Company: Earnest
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA (Remote)
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Financial Services, Fintech
🔹 Date Posted: April 22, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 7+ years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days/month in office)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Driving experimentation on product funnels to optimize performance and maximize customer loan origination.
- Defining and executing product strategies to engage potential customers and drive cross-sell opportunities.
- Leading and developing a small team of Product Managers as a player/coach.
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure a strong foundation for testing, personalization, and funnel optimization.
- Building APIs and embedded experiences to drive growth from partners serving similar customer bases.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong background in consumer digital lending or fintech products, with a proven track record in optimizing customer acquisition funnels and driving engagement growth.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Drive experimentation on product funnels to optimize performance and maximize customer loan origination.
✅ Define and execute product strategies to engage potential customers and drive cross-sell opportunities.
✅ Lead and develop a small team of Product Managers as a player/coach.
✅ Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure a strong foundation for testing, personalization, and funnel optimization.
✅ Build APIs and embedded experiences to drive growth from partners serving similar customer bases.
ASSUMPTION: Success in this role will depend on the candidate's ability to balance strategic thinking with a deep understanding of customer experience and a data-driven approach.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in a technical field
Experience: 7+ years launching and growing successful consumer digital lending or fintech products, with 2+ years leading a team of Product Managers
Required Skills:
- Proven experience optimizing online customer acquisition funnels with multiple channels and products.
- Deep experience setting up, running, and measuring A/B tests.
- Ability to manage and continuously optimize a testing roadmap based on opportunity size, customer insights, data analysis, and learnings from testing.
- Executive presence with cross-functional team members of all levels, including C-level.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with sophisticated testing methodologies such as contextual, multi-arm bandits.
- Experience launching growth features or freemium offerings from 0-1.
- Experience partnering closely with a marketing team to open up new distribution channels.
- Experience building embedded product experiences with partners.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with experience in digital lending, fintech, or related fields are strongly encouraged to apply. Familiarity with the student loan industry is a plus but not required.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $248,000 - $281,000 USD per year
Benefits:
- Health, Dental, & Vision benefits plus savings plans
- Mac computers + work-from-home stipend to set up your home office
- Monthly internet and phone reimbursement
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Robust tuition reimbursement program
- $1,000 travel perk on each Earnie-versary to anywhere in the world
- Competitive days of annual PTO
- Competitive parental leave
Working Hours: Full-time, with flexible remote work arrangement (3 days/month in office)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for similar roles in the San Francisco Bay Area. Actual compensation may vary based on job-related qualifications, internal compensation, candidate location, and budget.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Financial Services, Fintech
Company Size: 201-500 employees
Founded: 2013
Company Description:
- Earnest empowers past, present, and soon-to-be students to maximize their financial futures through thoughtful guidance and impactful products.
- The company offers private student loans, student loan refinancing, and scholarships to help students reduce the total price tag of their education and pay down debt faster.
- Earnest is committed to building an environment where employees feel included, valued, and heard, with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging.
Company Specialties:
- Consumer Lending
- Financial Technology
- Mission Driven, Value Driven
Company Website: earnest.com
ASSUMPTION: Earnest is a mission-driven company focused on empowering students to take control of their financial futures. This mission guides the company's products, culture, and hiring practices.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid to Senior-level role with potential for growth into a leadership position
Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Chief Product Officer
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days/month in office, with flexible remote work)
Growth Opportunities:
- Leading and developing a small team of Product Managers
- Expanding the product portfolio to include new growth opportunities
- Potential career progression into a senior leadership role within the Product organization
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to lead a team, drive strategic initiatives, and make a meaningful impact on the company's mission.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid (3 days/month in office)
Office Location(s): San Francisco, CA (Remote)
Geographic Context:
- The San Francisco Bay Area is a major tech hub with a high cost of living and a diverse, multicultural population.
- The remote work arrangement allows for flexibility and work-life balance, with the opportunity to collaborate with team members in person 3 days per month.
Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexible hours and the ability to work remotely
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement offers the best of both worlds, providing the structure and collaboration of an office environment while also allowing for the flexibility and independence of remote work.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Phone or video screen with the hiring manager
- Technical assessment or case study
- On-site or video interview with cross-functional team members
- Final interview with the Chief Product Officer
Key Assessment Areas:
- Product management skills and experience
- Data-driven decision-making and analytical skills
- Leadership and team management abilities
- Cultural fit and alignment with Earnest's mission and values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in digital lending, fintech, or related fields, as well as your ability to optimize customer acquisition funnels and drive engagement growth.
- Be prepared to discuss your approach to A/B testing, data analysis, and roadmap management during the interview process.
- Demonstrate your passion for Earnest's mission and commitment to empowering students to take control of their financial futures.
ATS Keywords: Product Management, Digital Lending, Fintech, Customer Acquisition, Engagement Growth, A/B Testing, Data Analysis, Roadmap Management, Leadership, Team Management, Mission-Driven, Value-Driven
ASSUMPTION: The interview process will focus on assessing the candidate's technical skills, leadership abilities, and cultural fit with Earnest's mission and values. Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong track record in optimizing customer acquisition funnels and driving engagement growth in a digital lending or fintech context.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., SQL, Tableau, Looker)
- Product management software (e.g., Asana, JIRA, Trello)
- Collaboration and communication tools (e.g., Slack, Google Workspace)
- Testing and experimentation tools (e.g., Optimizely, VWO, Adobe Target)
ASSUMPTION: The specific tools and technologies required for this role may vary depending on the company's tech stack and the candidate's areas of expertise. However, strong proficiency in data analysis, product management, and testing tools is essential for success in this role.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Earn Happy Customers
- Better is Better
- Ph.D. in Moving Fast
- Passion for Challenges
- Impact is a Team Sport
Work Style:
- Data-driven and analytical
- Collaborative and cross-functional
- Fast-paced and dynamic
- Mission-driven and values-oriented
- Remote-friendly and flexible
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you approach A/B testing and data analysis to optimize customer acquisition funnels and drive engagement growth?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you led a team to achieve a significant growth opportunity in a digital lending or fintech context?
- How do you balance strategic thinking with a deep understanding of customer experience and a data-driven approach?
- How do you prioritize and manage a testing roadmap based on opportunity size, customer insights, data analysis, and learnings from testing?
- How do you ensure that your products and features align with Earnest's mission and values, and contribute to empowering students to take control of their financial futures?
ASSUMPTION: Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong alignment with Earnest's mission, values, and work style, as well as a proven track record in optimizing customer acquisition funnels and driving engagement growth in a digital lending or fintech context.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Balancing strategic thinking with a deep understanding of customer experience and a data-driven approach
- Managing and continuously optimizing a testing roadmap based on opportunity size, customer insights, data analysis, and learnings from testing
- Leading and developing a small team of Product Managers as a player/coach
- Collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including engineering, data, and marketing
- Adapting to a dynamic and fast-paced work environment
ASSUMPTION: These challenges are inherent to the role and require a strong candidate with a proven track record in digital lending, fintech, or related fields, as well as a data-driven approach, leadership abilities, and cultural fit with Earnest's mission and values.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is similar to other Group Product Manager or Senior Product Manager roles in digital lending or fintech companies, but with a unique focus on driving growth through experimentation, engagement, and cross-selling.
- Unlike other roles, this position requires a strong background in optimizing customer acquisition funnels and driving engagement growth, as well as experience leading a team of Product Managers.
- Career progression in this role may lead to a senior leadership position within the Product organization, with the opportunity to shape the company's product strategy and drive its mission forward.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique opportunity for a candidate with the right skills and experience to make a significant impact on the company's mission and growth trajectory.
📝 Sample Projects
- Optimizing the student loan application funnel to increase conversion rates and reduce drop-offs
- Developing and executing a product strategy to engage potential customers and drive cross-selling opportunities
- Building APIs and embedded experiences to drive growth from partners serving similar customer bases
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects are designed to illustrate the types of initiatives the successful candidate will be expected to lead and contribute to in this role. The specific projects may vary depending on the company's priorities and the candidate's areas of expertise.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the company's product roadmap and how this role fits into it?
- How does the company approach experimentation and testing, and how will this role contribute to that process?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
- How does the company support the professional development and growth of its Product Managers?
- What is the company's approach to work-life balance and employee well-being, particularly in a hybrid work arrangement?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions are designed to help the candidate assess the fit of the role, the company's culture, and the opportunities for professional growth and development. The specific questions may vary depending on the candidate's priorities and areas of interest.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in digital lending, fintech, or related fields, as well as your ability to optimize customer acquisition funnels and drive engagement growth.
- Prepare for the interview process by brushing up on your data analysis and roadmap management skills, as well as your understanding of Earnest's mission and values.
- If selected for an on-site or video interview, be prepared to discuss your approach to A/B testing, data analysis, and roadmap management, as well as your leadership and team management abilities.
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after your final interview to express your interest in the role and reiterate your qualifications.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
