Vice President, Product Development, Allied Health Careers -

Location: National (remote)

Reporting to: Chief Program Officer

About Us

Propel America addresses a broken workforce system that fails both young adults and healthcare employers, sidelining talented individuals from entering healthcare careers and contributing to critical workforce shortages that threaten community health. Propel’s work centers on bridging this gap by creating alternative, debt-free career pathways into healthcare for young adults ages 18–26, particularly those from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds, while helping employers access the trained, diverse talent they urgently need. Today, over 13 million young adults in the U.S. are either not in school, not working, or stuck in low-wage jobs with little room for growth. Traditional college remains financially and logistically out of reach for many, especially young people from low-income communities, forcing them into a false choice: sacrifice income to pursue an expensive degree or remain in low-wage work without upward mobility. At the same time, systemic barriers, such as limited exposure to healthcare roles, low visibility of alternative pathways, and a lack of representative mentors, prevent many high school graduates from entering the healthcare field.

Meanwhile, healthcare employers face compounding workforce shortages. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 13% growth in healthcare jobs from 2021 to 2031, translating to nearly 2 million openings annually. Many of these are middle-skill roles, which represent over half the U.S. labor market but remain unfilled due to a lack of training infrastructure. Employers often contend with high turnover in entry-level positions yet underinvest in structured career advancement pathways or innovative strategies to retain talent.

Propel America aims to solve both sides of the equation, by equipping young adults with the skills and support to launch healthcare careers and by helping employers build stronger, more diverse, and more stable workforces. In our portfolio, we offer a suite of Propel Paths and Propel Products to place young adults in critical talent gaps in healthcare

To learn more about Propel America, please visit https://www.propelamerica.org.

The Opportunity

The VP, Product Development manages the staff, resources, and processes required to implement a vision and strategy for new product development and product lifecycle management of existing products. The VP, Product Development incorporates research and capabilities with market analysis, industry intelligence, and customer monitoring to support product roadmaps and innovate new products, enhancements, and redesigns. They coordinate with internal stakeholders, including marketing, technology, learning and evaluations , client services, and program implementation, to ensure that new and existing products meet development targets and support the organization's strategic and financial goals.

The VP, Product Development will leverage their expertise to define PropelProducts & PropelPaths offerings that facilitate career transitions from entry-level roles to higher-wage positions among our Fellows. The role involves 30% project management over team new product implementation; 30%, product design based on market needs; 15%, leading cross-functional teams; and 25%, collaboration with business development, technology, and client services departments to achieve cycle and annual goals. Key qualifications include: project management experience, expertise in product lifecycles and “go to market” strategies, strong communication skills, and knowledge of allied health career pathways to effectively adapt offerings to meet market demands.

Key Responsibilities

30% Project Management

• Steward the organization’s vision towards the development of PropelPaths and PropelProducts, and their corresponding “Go to Market” strategies
• General PropelPaths and PropelProducts project coordination and oversight with cross-functional teams
• Manage and coordinate multiple product development projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and timelines.
  • Oversee the execution of pilot programs like the UpSkilling Pathways and PropelCoach Pilot and related initiatives.
• Resource Management
  • Allocate and manage resources effectively, including budget, personnel, and tools.
  • Optimize team workflows to enhance productivity and reduce project deliverable delays.
  • Horizontally manage Senior Director peers to ensure that Program admissions, implementation, and externship/hire verticals are operating coherently and in support of our ultimate goal: improving hire and retention rates of Fellows within employer partners
• Communication and Reporting
  • Maintain regular communication with stakeholders across departments (Client Services, Business Development, Program Design, Tech, etc.).
  • Prepare detailed reports on project progress, challenges, and outcomes for internal and external audiences.
  • Regularly Update learning agendas to ensure key lessons from pilots inform product development, long-term

30% Product Development for both PropelProducts and PropelPaths

• Program Design and Implementation
  • Define and execute a vision for PropelProducts and PropelPaths product design and delivery
  • Ensure alignment of product features with market needs and client demands.
  • Explore and integrate generative AI tools to co-develop learning content, simulations, and assessments aligned to industry standards and employer needs
• Market Research and Feedback Integration
  • Conduct research to identify gaps in the current offerings and opportunities for improvement.
  • Make specific recommendations re: new products we should consider testing/piloting with rigorous analyses and rationale to support recommendations
  • Adapt and refine products based on feedback from clients, employers, and users.
  • Use AI-driven labor market analytics and data visualization tools to identify growth opportunities, design responsive programs, and forecast workforce needs.
• Pilot Testing and Iteration
  • Manage the pilot learning agendas, overseeing the testing of key pilots (e.g., Career Ladder Coaching Pilot and our Apprenticeship model) to gather data and insights.
  • Leverage AI to distill key insights from feedback, continuously improving program quality and the overall experience of end-users
  • Incorporate tech-enabled solutions into the “new model” design work, such that we are positioned to scale the program, intelligently, through technology
• Actively leverage AI to support program design such that we are quickly producing solutions that can be rolled out to Fellows and employer partners, tested, and iterated for improvement
  
  

15% People Management

• Provides leadership role w.r.t new product design, development, and delivery
• Development and Mentorship
  • Manage a team of 1-2 to ensure product development and program design occur in parallel, and that the product development cycle is responsive to on the ground feedback
  • Proactively address performance challenges with clarity and care, while creating meaningful growth and development opportunities that align with team goals and organizational priorities
• Team Leadership
  • Lead cross-functional teams responsible for product development, design, and delivery.
  • Model the core values and ways of working defined by Propel’s managers and leadership team, ensuring you are holding your team members and colleagues accountable to these behaviors
  • Foster a positive team culture and encourage collaborative problem-solving.
  • Manage the workstreams under all Program verticals to ensure there is coherence, strong communication, and collaboration that supports product development, design and improvement across the entire Program team

25% Cross-Collaboration and Coordination

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and develop products such as PropelCoach, Propel Recruit, PropelPaths and other programs with the goal of meeting employer demand in health care AND positioning Propel Fellows to upskill.
• Inter-departmental Collaboration
  • Partner with business development, technology, and client services teams to integrate new products into the organizational ecosystem.
  • Engage with external stakeholders (e.g., Davita/Bayada members) to ensure smooth product implementation.
  • Partner with data and technology teams to embed AI-enabled job matching platforms that align graduate profiles with employer hiring needs
• Stakeholder Management
  • Communicate regularly with Propel team members, clients, employers, and other partners to manage expectations and gather feedback.
  • Represent the organization during external meetings or events, promoting product development initiatives.

Key Qualifications

• Allied HealthCareers Experience and Knowledge: Experience in Allied Health Care: Familiarity with career pathways, retention strategies, or upskilling programs in healthcare settings.
• Experience Designing for Young Adults: Proven track record of developing products and programs that deliver successful outcomes for young adults.
• Project Management Experience: Proven track record in managing multiple projects across different domains, including process improvement or product development.
• Product Development Expertise: Strong understanding of product lifecycle management and the ability to translate market needs into effective solutions. Ability to articulate a product vision and translate that into a roadmap.
• People Management Skills: 5+ years experience leading teams and fostering collaboration within cross-functional units.
• Cross-Collaboration & Communication: Ability to work effectively with diverse departments and external partners; Ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders and communicate clearly and effectively.
• Customer-Centric Thinking: Deep understanding of healthcare industry and workforce development pain points, and behaviors. Experience using r research and data to inform product decisions..

Desired Qualifications

• Adaptability: Quick adaptation to market changes and ability to pivot product offerings based on feedback.
• Strategic Thinking: Insightful understanding of the future of allied health careers and how products can shape this evolution.

Compensation

The salary for this position is between $132,000-$179,000 annually. We consider candidate experience and location when determining where a candidate may fall within that range. Propel America offers a competitive total rewards package including coverage of 90% of health insurance premiums, unlimited PTO, and a flexible work environment.

Interested in applying?

Please submit your application here.The application deadline to apply for this position is September 19, 2025. After this date we do not guarantee review of submissions.

Propel America is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We encourage candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds to apply.