Product Management Manager

JACOB R. DARBY

West Branch, IA • 319-***-**** • *****.******@*****.*** • Linkedin.com/in/jacob-r-darby

Professional Summary

Seasoned Product Management Leader with over 15 years of experience steering product strategy, development, and launch across FinTech, HealthTech, and EdTech industries. Progressed from Product Manager to executive roles, building and leading high-performing teams to deliver innovative products that drive substantial revenue growth and market success. Expert in crafting strategic product roadmaps, prioritizing features, and fostering cross-functional collaboration to align with business objectives. Proven ability to scale products from concept to multi-million-dollar revenues, secure significant funding, and contribute to company valuations exceeding $3.5 billion through data-driven decision-making and stakeholder engagement.

Core Competencies

Strategic Product Planning and AI Strategy

Team Leadership and Development

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Market Analysis and Competitive Intelligence

Product Lifecycle Management

Agile Methodologies

Financial Acumen (P&L Management)

Customer-Centric Approach

Data-Driven Decision Making

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

Professional Experience

DARBY & CO., LLC (AEGON) West Branch, IA

President of Product Management & Development (AEGON PO) March 2021 – Present

Directed product vision and strategy for a multi-billion-dollar FinTech SaaS platform, driving a sales increase by prioritizing customer-centric features and leveraging data-driven insights.

Developed and executed 3-year product roadmaps aligned with market trends and stakeholder insight, improving product performance by 25% and maximizing EBITDA.

Led user research initiatives, translating feedback into product specifications that enhanced user satisfaction by 20%.

Collaborated with marketing and sales to align go-to-market strategies with product capabilities, ensuring effective positioning and market penetration.

Managed OEM vendor partnerships to ensure seamless product integration and regulatory compliance.

Created data-driven performance dashboards using advanced analytics, providing insights to optimize product outcomes and inform strategic decisions.

COLLEGE RAPTOR, INC. Coralville, IA

Director of Product Management July 2020 – March 2021

Led product development for Refi.me, a FinTech/EdTech platform, from concept to launch, resulting in College Raptor's eventual acquisition by a major financial institution.

Analyzed user feedback to define product features, achieving a 35% increase in user engagement.

Worked with marketing to align messaging with product capabilities, contributing to a 20% increase in brand exposure.

Supported sales with training, market insights, and pricing strategies to capture new market opportunities (Mortgage, Student, and Automotive).

LAUNCH DECK, LLC Iowa City, IA

VP of Product Development January 2019 – August 2020

Oversaw product strategy and development for over 30 SaaS startups, defining roadmaps and features that secured millions in funding.

Conducted market research and competitive analysis to guide product decisions, increasing adoption by 15%.

Collaborated with engineering and startup founders to deliver products and ensure market success, incorporating user feedback for continuous improvement.

Developed product training materials for startup founders, enhancing their ability to communicate product value and attract new customers.

OPENLOOP HEALTH, INC. Iowa City, IA

VP of Product Management August 2019 – July 2020

Led end-to-end product management at stage 0 for a HealthTech SaaS platform, integrating with hospital systems for over 700 physicians, eventually contributing to a $3.5 billion company valuation.

Conducted needs assessments with healthcare providers to define product specifications, improving usability by 40% and streamlining clinical workflows.

Partnered with founders to develop product messaging that supported go-to-market strategies for subscription-based solutions.

Supported sales teams with Power BI dashboards, tracking key metrics to drive strategic product decisions.

DIGITAL DIAGNOSTICS, INC. Coralville, IA

Engineering Project Manager / Product Manager May 2018 – August 2019

Managed the product lifecycle for an AI-driven HealthTech platform, ensuring FDA compliance and OEM integration, leading to over 50 client acquisitions.

Gathered clinician feedback to inform product enhancements, reducing development time by 60%.

Collaborated with marketing to create collateral that supported sales in the regulated AI/FDA/AMA market for the first AI in the U.S. to diagnose a disease without doctor oversight.

HIGHER LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES (HLT), INC. Coralville, IA

Product Manager / Product Owner June 2012 – April 2018

Led product management for over 100 EdTech SaaS apps, defining strategies that scaled revenue from $0 to $5M-$6M annually.

Conducted market research to guide product development and positioning, aligning with customer needs.

Utilized MixPanel data and customer interviews to drive product improvements, resulting in a 22% increase in user retention.

Partnered with engineering to implement features like user management systems based on market demands and to implement bug improvements, resulting in a 36% increase in crash-free rates.

Education / Certificates

University of Northern Iowa, Master of Arts in Kinesiology; Human & Sports Performance (Pursued)

Henry B. Tippie School of Management, University of Iowa, BBA in Management & Organization Entrepreneurial Management Certificate

Pomerantz Career Center, University of Iowa, Leadership Academy Certificate

SAFe POPM – Product Owner / Product Manager Certified 2021-2022

Additional Information

Enabled College Raptor’s acquisition through strategic product leadership and Refi.me development.

Early stage contributor for eventual billion-dollar valuations of OpenLoop Health (3.5B) and Digital Diagnostics (1B+).

Published NSCA-CSCS Mastery, an EdTech application enhancing career readiness and certification.

Authoring thought leadership content on product management, AI, and blockchain.

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