For over two decades, BrainPOP has been trusted by educators and parents worldwide as a source of engaging and impactful learning experiences for all kids. With a presence in over two-thirds of U.S. districts through school and district subscriptions and an estimated annual reach of 25 million students, BrainPOP is empowering kids to take agency over their learning and excel in and out of the classroom.
The company was acquired in 2022 by KIRKBI, the family-owned holding and investment company of the LEGO brand, marking a significant milestone as their first acquisition in the digital learning realm. We are thrilled to continue making learning fun and accessible with the strategic guidance and support of KIRKBI.
The VP, Learning & Content Strategy will serve as the strategic leader for BrainPOP's unified learning and content vision. This role will be the single owner of our content roadmap, integrating it with a forward-thinking pedagogical and efficacy agenda. The content roadmap will be merged with our platform roadmap to create a consolidated roadmap in partnership with our platform product management team. This leader will lead our efficacy research and learning design functions, setting a strategy that blends rigorous learning science with the creative, commercial, and go-to-market needs of the business. This role will own our pedagogical approach, define our classroom implementation models, and ensure our entire learning experience is effective, engaging, and deeply rooted in BrainPOP's unique, fun, and creative voice.
In This Role You Will- Content Strategy & Roadmap Ownership: Own, develop, prioritize, and execute the end-to-end content roadmap, from ideation to launch. Make strategic portfolio decisions to align our content offerings with pedagogical goals, user needs, and business objectives.
- AI & Learning Innovation: Lead the transformational strategy for leveraging AI to enhance and scale quality content generation, ensuring it aligns with our pedagogical vision and efficacy goals.
- Research & Efficacy Strategy: Set and execute a forward-thinking research agenda to guide our efficacy efforts, producing market-resonant insights that balance academic rigor with the speed and demands of a commercial go-to-market strategy.
- Pedagogical Vision: Define, evolve, and champion BrainPOP's core pedagogical approach, ensuring it serves as the foundation for all learning content and is clearly articulated both internally and externally.
- Implementation Models: Own the development and refinement of our classroom implementation models, researching and determining how our products best fit into the educational day to maximize educator adoption and student impact. Partner closely with our Curriculum and Instruction team to develop models that ensure a seamless transition into our customer base.
- Learning Design Leadership: Lead, mentor, and inspire the Learning Design team in the creation of engaging, effective, and scalable learning content that aligns with our pedagogical vision.
- Creative Collaboration: Partner closely with our Animation and Editorial teams, providing clear learning guidance and frameworks while championing the creative freedom, humor, and design that makes BrainPOP unique.
- Product & Platform Alignment: Partner with Product Management and Research and Design to ensure the content strategy and the platform/technology roadmap are fully aligned, integrated, and prioritized to deliver a seamless user experience.
- Marketing & GTM Alignment: Partner with Product Marketing to translate our pedagogical approach, implementation models, and research findings into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with educators, administrators, and parents in the market.
- Operational Excellence: Work with Program Management to define realistic timelines and deliverables, ensuring the Learning Design team meets its commitments in a fast-paced environment.
- Strategic Roadmap Ownership: Able to develop and manage a complex content portfolio across multiple products, making strategic trade-offs and prioritizing initiatives based on pedagogical goals, user needs, and business objectives.
- Pragmatic & Commercial Mindset: A strategic, 'roll-up-your-sleeves' thinker who balances deep pedagogical expertise with a pragmatic, commercial mindset and a strong understanding of go-to-market strategies.
- Classroom Application: A deep understanding of real-world classroom workflows and the ability to translate product features into practical, effective implementation models for teachers.
- AI Forward & Innovative: Demonstrates a strong understanding of emerging AI technologies and their practical application in content creation, with an ability to lead transformational change.
- Creative & Inspiring Leadership: An inspiring leader passionate about mentoring teams and fostering a culture of innovation, speed, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Exceptional Communication: A natural collaborator and clear, concise communicator (both verbally and in writing), able to translate complex learning science concepts for diverse audiences (e.g., product managers, animators, marketers).
- Cultural Champion: A 'big picture' strategist who genuinely embraces, champions, and can contribute to BrainPOP’s unique voice, humor, and creative spirit.
- Solution-Oriented: Highly organized and solution-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple high-stakes projects simultaneously and deliver by deadline in a fast-moving environment.
- Partnership and Vendor Management: Abie to manage partners and vendors that will help our team scale where needed or add additional capabilities to our offerings.
- Advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in Learning Sciences, Educational Psychology, Instructional Design, Curriculum & Instruction, or a related field preferred.
- 10+ years of experience in the ed-tech industry preferred, with a significant portion in a senior leadership role overseeing learning design, content publishing, research, curriculum, or content strategy.
- Demonstrated experience in content strategy, content product management, or curriculum development, including owning and managing a content roadmap preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading and publishing efficacy or market-facing research preferred.
- Proven track record of translating complex academic research into practical, scalable learning experiences, implementation models, and successful go-to-market strategies preferred.
- Experience in a fast-paced, commercial, product-driven environment is preferred.
- A deep understanding of K-12 curriculum, standards, classroom workflows, and market trends is preferred.
- Experience with various digital learning technologies and platforms, including emerging AI tools for content development, preferred.
- Experience managing budgets for department and vendor spend for teams of 25 or more people.
The BrainPOP team operates in a hybrid work environment: Each role has remote flexibility and an in-person component at our New York headquarters or other meeting locations. Based on the requirements of a specific role, we may prioritize hiring within a commutable distance of our New York headquarters or in another region relevant to that role.
We are able to employ remotely out of the following approved hiring states:
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
At BrainPOP, our work directly impacts how teachers teach and students learn. They inspire us to build solutions that facilitate joy and meaningful learning outcomes. Our commitment to educators and kids is reflected in our dedication to the BrainPOP team: ensuring their experience is empowering, creative, collaborative, playful, and anchored in learning and growth.
Our team is made up of educators, data scientists, published authors, engineers, artists, bakers, film buffs, cyclists, dual citizens, and so much more. We value diversity and inclusion, collaboration, and learning from multiple perspectives.
We believe that a diverse organization is a more effective organization. BrainPOP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
NOTICE: We have become aware of various fraudulent websites and third parties impersonating our company and offering false job opportunities. These offers are not affiliated with BrainPOP and are considered part of an unlawful recruitment scam. To ensure your safety and protect your personal information we strongly recommend that you only apply for positions through the official BrainPOP website or BrainPOP's official LinkedIn page. If you receive any job offers or communications that do not originate from this page or our official e-mail domain brainpop.com, please treat them as suspicious and do not engage or provide any personal information. For any questions or to report suspicious activity, please contact us directly at [email protected]. While we have reported this general fraud to the authorities, you can report this fraud on your own behalf to the Federal Trade Commission (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’ s Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov/).
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