top of page
Sasha, Senior Content Program Manager at Leading Edtech Company: Advize Career Interview
A career journey from a biology degree and teaching experience to a Senior Content Program Manager at a leading EdTech company offers a dynamic path.
This professional's experience includes managing science programs and STEM partnerships in the NYC Department of Education, showcasing strong leadership and educational expertise.
The role at the EdTech company involves diverse responsibilities, including managing cross-functional projects, building relationships with vendors and partners, and navigating the complexities of content development.
Success in this field requires a blend of tactical and strategic skills, strong communication, and exceptional organizational abilities.
The work is collaborative and impactful, offering variety and the opportunity to contribute to improved teaching and learning, but also presents challenges such as context switching and coordinating numerous individuals across projects.
Entry-level positions could include project management roles, customer support, or leveraging teaching experience.
Building a strong professional network and strategic time management are also highlighted as critical for success, especially in a remote work environment.
A liberal arts education and extracurricular activities contributed to this professional's success, along with a bicultural background that provides unique perspectives and skills.
The interview reveals a compelling narrative of a professional who uses a unique skill set to positively impact education.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Sasha Ban
Senior Content Program Manager
Leading Edtech Company
Barnard College
UCLA MBA
Biology & Related Sciences
Education
Operations and Project Management
Greek Life Member, Student Athlete
Watch all of this Advizer's videos below
Career Path of a Senior Content Program Manager at Khan Academy
Sasha's career journey, beginning with a biology degree and teaching experience ("teaching is a great job...you get to manage a lot of people and really help them develop and grow"), transitioned through business school, a family business, and a decade at the New York City Department of Education managing science programs and STEM partnerships. This ultimately led to their current role as Senior Content Program Manager at Khan Academy, leveraging both educational and managerial skills to work on curriculum development.
Main Responsibilities of a Senior Content Program Manager at a Leading Edtech Company
Sasha's role as a Senior Content Program Manager involves "a lot of different hats," acting as the "connective tissue" across the team and with external vendors and partners. This includes developing internal systems, managing cross-functional projects, and fostering external relationships to support the company's content initiatives.
A Day In The Life Of A Senior Content Program Manager At An Edtech Company
A senior content program manager's day is "not a typical day," varying by time of year and day of the week, with mornings dedicated to "asynchronous work" like data analysis and afternoons filled with meetings across various teams—including "math team meeting" or "ELA team meeting"—to coordinate complex initiatives involving content development, engineering, marketing, and community support; the organization's "no Meeting Wednesdays" are highly valued for focused work.
Most Important Skills For A Senior Content Program Manager At A Leading Edtech Company
A Senior Content Program Manager's success hinges on a blend of tactical program management skills and strategic vision, requiring the ability to "toggle between the day-to-day work and...larger initiatives." Strong communication and relationship management are crucial for coordinating across teams, coupled with exceptional organizational skills to juggle diverse tasks, as demonstrated by the need to switch between "an issue on our YouTube channel" and "developing a recruitment process" within a single workday.
Favorite Parts of Being a Senior Content Program Manager at a Leading Edtech Company
Sasha enjoys the collaborative nature of the Senior Content Program Manager role at the leading Edtech company, citing the ability to "build and develop relationships" and create initiatives with "impact greater than the sum of their parts". The varied nature of the work, with "no two days the same," and exposure to different organizational areas also contribute to Sasha's job satisfaction.
Biggest Challenges For A Senior Content Program Manager At An Edtech Company
Sasha's biggest challenge as a Senior Content Program Manager is the constant "context switching" between diverse projects in different phases, leading to mental fatigue and sometimes tedious administrative tasks. The sheer complexity of coordinating numerous individuals across projects, a "geometric increase in complexity," presents another significant hurdle, making the role demanding despite the collaborative nature of the work.
Favorite Parts Of Working In Edtech As A Senior Content Program Manager
Sasha, a Senior Content Program Manager at a leading EdTech company, finds immense reward in "contributing to systems and structures and resources that support great teaching and learning," particularly at Khan Academy where impactful digital resources are developed. The dynamic nature of the EdTech industry, especially with the rise of AI and a focus on ethical implementation, combined with a flexible work environment that prioritizes "getting things done and impact," makes the career particularly fulfilling.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Edtech Industry, According To A Content Program Manager At An Edtech Company
Sasha, a Senior Content Program Manager in the Edtech industry, highlights the importance of "wanting to make an impact, but also recognizing that impact is incremental," a crucial trait for success alongside strong stakeholder management skills and proactive time management in a remote work environment. Building relationships deliberately is key, as "it is harder to build relationships with colleagues when you work remotely."
What A Senior Content Program Manager At An Edtech Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Edtech
Sasha's experience transitioning from program management in a school district to a leading EdTech company revealed a significant difference in scope; the new role is "much more implementation focused," requiring tactical work across numerous teams, unlike the strategic planning involved in their previous position. This highlights the contrast between vertical, strategically-focused program management and the more horizontal, connective nature of the role in a fast-paced tech environment.
Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Edtech Content Program Managers
For entry-level program management in edtech, consider project manager or associate program manager roles, or customer-facing positions like sales or customer support. Alternatively, experience as a teacher provides "really transferable skills" in project management and problem-solving, while a software engineering background offers valuable technical skills for transitioning into technical program or product management roles.
Significant Career Lesson From a Senior Content Program Manager at Leading Edtech Company
Sasha, a Senior Content Program Manager, emphasizes the importance of building a supportive professional network, stating that "it's really helpful to find roles and most people want to help each other". This approach, she explains, involves strategically connecting with people—perhaps through alumni networks or shared interests—to foster mutually beneficial relationships that open doors to career opportunities.
College Experiences That Helped a Senior Content Program Manager at a Leading Edtech Company Succeed
Sasha's undergraduate experience at Barnard, a liberal arts college, provided invaluable skills; participation in varsity crew instilled "how to work really hard, how to work as a team, and how to manage time," while research internships helped determine career path, leading to a role leveraging teaching and explanation skills developed through volunteering and teaching assistant work.
How Identity Has Influenced A Senior Content Program Manager's Career At An Edtech Company
Sasha's bicultural and bilingual background, honed in a household with an immigrant parent, provided invaluable skills in navigating career challenges. This experience enabled Sasha to understand nuances in student populations and international teams, illustrated by their ability to identify subtle translation issues—"like, if we have a multiple choice question and our answers are like red, blue, green, and yellow"—and propose solutions informed by their linguistic expertise.
Advizer Personal Links
bottom of page