Product Development Manager

ABOUT WEROAD: CONNECTING PEOPLE, CULTURES, AND STORIES Founded in 2017, WeRoad is a fast-growing startup that is disrupting the travel industry in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, UK and also...in Germany and France!
With more than 200 team members and 2.8k Travel Coordinators, we are a community of travelers, united by their love for travel, adventure, and discovering faraway lands and cultures.
We bring together small groups of like-minded millennials and send them on life-changing experiences to 300+ destinations all over the globe.

We're on a mission to design and deliver experiences worth living and sharing, through rewriting the rules of the travel industry.
ABOUT THE ROLE JOB TITLE: Product Development Manager
LOCATION: Milan - our HQ
TYPE OF CONTRACT: Permanent
SALARY RANGE: Between 44k - 60k depending on seniority

We're seeking a Product Development Manager to join our team, in this role he will lead the development and management of the product portfolio, including traditional itineraries, new vertical trips, and WeRoadX.
A strong business orientation is requested, with both strategic and operational vision, ensuring that the portfolio is always aligned with market demands and customer needs.
The Product Development Manager will be responsible for avoiding overlaps and ensuring the highest quality for WeRoaders.
This role is crucial to the evolution towards the marketplace and will help ensure that WeRoad continues to be the preferred choice for travelers seeking authentic experiences, covering all needs, from adventurous trips to more relaxing ones, with itineraries designed for every budget.
In this role, the Product Development Manager will lead a team and build a network of external travel designers.
He will manage an extensive product portfolio and drive key projects related to the expansion of the business towards the marketplace and vertical experiences.
What you'll do: Defining the Strategy for New Destinations Launch: You will coordinate with Regional and Country managers to define the needs in terms of itineraries for new destinations.
You will decide the final list of itineraries to launch, assign responsibility for these itineraries (internal travel designer, external travel designer, regional teams, or WeRoadX), and create the launch plan for each itinerary.
Managing and Optimizing the Product Portfolio: You will be the go-to person for the entire product portfolio, including WeRoadX, optimizing existing itineraries and leading the development of new experiences that align with market needs and emerging trends.
You will be responsible for deciding which itineraries to keep and which to eliminate, based on performance data as well as potential overlaps that may arise.
Team Leadership: You will manage a team of 2 people, overseeing their professional development, monitoring progress, and supporting them in achieving company goals.
Building and Managing a Pool of Travel Designers: You will be responsible for building and managing a network of external travel designers to create and improve itineraries, especially the vertical ones, based on their competences.
You will work closely with them to define experiences that meet the needs of our WeRoaders and vertical communities.
Developing Vertical Itineraries and Communities: You will lead the launch and management of vertical itineraries in order to expand our audience.
Portfolio Optimization and Itinerary Clusters: You will be responsible for optimizing our portfolio by creating itinerary clusters (% of 360 - % of beach life - …) to meet the needs of all types of travelers, from adventurous to relaxing, while considering different budget ranges.
Local Communities: you will approach vertical community (yoga, bike, ceramics, etc.)
to collaborate with us in order to create self organized event on our website
Contributing to the Marketplace Development: You will be involved in the development of the Partner Portal, working with DMCs to enable them to publish their itineraries autonomously on the platform.
You will also participate in early testing with DMCs to prepare for the launch of our marketplace.
What we're looking for: Experience in Product Development & Management:
Proven experience (5+ years) in managing and optimizing a portfolio of products or experiences.
Ideally, experience in the tourism, travel, or hospitality industries with a focus on both operational and strategic elements.
Leadership & Team Management:
Leadership skills with experience managing teams.
Ability to mentor and support team members in their professional growth while ensuring alignment with business goals.
Understanding of Market Trends & Customer Needs:
Deep understanding of current travel market trends, customer preferences, and how to adapt products accordingly.
Passion for creating travel experiences that resonate with diverse audiences, from adventure seekers to relaxation-focused travelers.
Stakeholder Collaboration:
Excellent collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
Ability to lead the development of new products in collaboration with DMCs and external travel designers.
Data-Driven Decision Making:
Comfort with data analytics tools to make informed decisions about the product portfolio.
Ability to analyze performance metrics (sales data, customer feedback, etc.)
to identify opportunities for improvement and optimization.
Entrepreneurial Mindset:
A proactive, innovative mindset with a passion for building and expanding new business verticals and launching new projects.
Project Management Skills:
Solid experience in managing complex projects, with a clear understanding of how to balance multiple initiatives, deadlines, and resources.
Fluent in English:
Proficiency in English is required.
Knowledge of additional languages is a plus.
You will love working at WeRoad if: You are ambitious, want to build and be part of something huge, growing faster than you thought possible
You love travel and want to join a young, smart, and fun team of people who love it, too
You prefer adventure instead of daily routine and love working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
You are an entrepreneur at heart and a self-starter and aren't afraid to take on a lot of responsibility, right from the start
You welcome feedback and see mistakes as stepping stones to success
What we can offer: A free WeRoad trip every year to the destination of your choice.
You didn't think we'd leave you hanging, did we?
Become one of our Travel Coordinators and you could go abroad even more often.
A great workspace.
You will be working in our HQ in Milan, our very own coworking space called "C30" which embodies our company culture.
There you'll find an open space layout, a fully equipped kitchen, an area for relaxing, table football, a company library, and a Tibetan bridge (yes.. we're serious!
).
Opportunities to learn and build your network. Join the training program of our holding company, OneDay, and participate in the many meetups and events we host at our HQ or local offices to have fun and share knowledge with other people in the industry.
In addition, we invest in training our employees, both on an individual basis but also as a team.
Best-in-class benefits. We have a generous paternity and maternity leave policy and give a bonus to newlyweds and new parents!
Unlimited Holiday.
You are the master of your own time.
We have an unlimited holiday policy and encourage each employee to be their own entrepreneur.
We also have a tradition that everyone takes at least a half-day off on their birthday.
Fun!
We schedule regular team-building events throughout the year and provide plenty of opportunities to meet our Travel Coordinators and WeRoaders.
Hybrid working.
Remote and flexible working, and we support you to work from your destination of choice up to 1 month per year.
Ready to apply? The selection process will consist of:
introductory call with P&C
technical and background-based interview with Hiring Manager
business case
business case review with key stakeholders
WeRoad is an equal opportunity employer: we consider for employment all applicants, regardless of their race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, family status, political affiliation, disability, and any other legally protected characteristic.
Statistically speaking, women are less likely to apply for roles where they don't fit the job description perfectly.
DON'T TRY AND BE PERFECT but just go for it and send us your application regardless.

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