Working Title: Early Childhood Administration Product Group Manager / Product Management Director
Job Class: Product Management Director
Agency: Children Youth & Families Dept
Job ID : 93979
Location : St. Paul
Telework Eligible : Yes
Full/Part Time : Full-Time
Regular/Temporary : Unlimited
Who May Apply : Open to all qualified job seekers.
Date Posted : 05/01/2026
Closing Date : 05/22/2026
Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit : Children Youth & Families Dept / DeptChildYth&Fam-Managerial
Division/Unit : DCYF/ Asst Commr Early Childhood
Work Shift: Day Shift
Work Hours : 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Days of Work : Monday - Friday
Travel Required : Yes, occasionally
Salary Range: $45.71 - $65.66 / hourly; $95,442 - $137,098 / annually
Classified Status : Classified
Bargaining Unit/Union : 220 - Manager/Unrep
FLSA Status : Exempt - Executive
Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities (https://mn.gov/mmb/careers/diverse-workforce/people-with-disabilities/connect700/) : Yes
The Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) is unable to provide sponsorship for work visas. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States at the start of employment. DCYF does not participate in E-Verify.
The work you'll do is more than just a job.
At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.
* Telework (https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/policies/1422-telework.pdf) (Within Minnesota or neighboring states) and flexible hours options are available.
**Statewide travel may be required as needed to meet with end users.
The Early Childhood Product Group Manager is a senior product and people leader responsible for the supervision and coaching of 5-9 product managers, as well as developing and supporting the strategic direction and delivery of a portfolio of digital products within the Early Childhood Administration at the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). In this position, you will have the opportunity to make meaningful positive impact for thousands of families, providers, partner organizations, and other members of the public in Minnesota who engage with the programs and services of the Early Childhood Administration.
This role will be instrumental in moving the early childhood administration at DCYF toward forming a multidisciplinary digital services product organization-including product management, UX/UI design, content strategy, instructional design, and change management-to deliver modern, human-centered digital services that improve program integrity, enhance experiences for families and other users of our digital services, and advance equitable access to services for Minnesotans.
The Product Group Manager is accountable for end-to-end product ownership, aligning product strategy, user experience, and adoption efforts across the full lifecycle-from discovery through delivery, adoption, and long-term sustainment. This includes establishing aligned product group vision and roadmaps in partnership with the product managers in the group, embedding human-centered design practices, and driving data-informed decision-making to ensure products deliver measurable outcomes.
Operating in a complex, highly regulated environment, this role requires strong leadership in cross-functional team coordination and development, stakeholder alignment, and systems thinking. The Product Group Manager translates policy, operational, and user needs into clear product direction, ensuring cohesive, accessible, and effective digital experiences at scale.
This position plays a critical role in advancing DCYF digital transformation by integrating product, design, and adoption strategies into a unified model that delivers meaningful impact for Minnesotans.
Minimum Qualifications
Demonstrated leadership experience
Leadership experience can include:
Experience as a supervisor, lead worker, team lead, project lead;
Completion of a State of Minnesota leadership program (e.g. ELI, L4);
A paid/unpaid position leading a program or chairing a committee (e.g. ERG) - experience must include:
AND
Five years of experience with at least two (2) years of product leadership expertise leading cross-functional product management teams AND three (3) years of experience doing product-related work. Experience must demonstrate the following:
People-leadership experience that demonstrates the ability to support and coach individuals.
Demonstrated ability to translate product strategy into execution artifacts such as roadmaps, plans, communications.
Proven ability to connect product strategy, user experience design, and adoption and change management.
Experience overseeing end-to-end product lifecycle delivering end-to-end user experiences, not just technical features.
Experience overseeing quality assurance of product deliverables to identify and mitigate product and delivery risks.
Experience managing complex stakeholder environments, including influencing without authority and managing up.
Communication and storytelling skills to align teams, executives, and external partners.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience leading design-forward product organizations.
Experience integrating UX design, content strategy, and training into product delivery.
Experience owning product strategy and delivery across multiple products or platforms.
Experience with service design or end-to-end journey mapping.
Experience in the public sector or in supporting public sector clients.
Experience with legislative processes including development of budget and policy proposals, fiscal notes, and talking points.
Experience supporting diverse populations, including accessibility and language.
Experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures.
Experience managing vendors or external partners.
Additional Requirements
It is the policy of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families that the individual selected for this position successfully complete a background investigation prior to employment, that may include the following components:
Reference check
Criminal Background check
Fingerprinting check (MNJIS/CJIS)
Driver's License Check
Personnel File Review: all current and former public sector employees
Additional assessment may be required during the interview process
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.
Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us . Please indicate what assistance is needed.
