[Wattpad] Technical Project Manager

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through webnovel stories. Since 2006, we’ve been on a mission to use the power of community and technology to unleash the full potential of stories to the world. Representing a tapestry of cultures and languages, around the world come to Wattpad every month to share and discover stories they can’t find anywhere else. Come build the future of entertainment and storytelling with our global team, and write your next chapter with us!

Wattpad is part of the WEBTOON family of brands, the largest storytelling platform in the world that enables creators and users to discover, create, and share stories. With over 24 million creators and ~170 million active users per month, we are truly empowering creation by anyone, for everyone. To read more about our family of Brands, check out our website here. 

We are looking for a Technical Project Manager to join our Delivery team. In this high-impact role, you will work cross-functionally with our product and engineering teams to deliver on key initiatives and projects. As a Technical Project Manager, you will bring your knowledge of agile and lean practices, sharing your passion to keep up with evolving practices; and constantly improve delivery. You will think ahead and anticipate risks, blockers, and other potential barriers to delivery; working to address/remove these in advance and shield the team so they can focus on their day-to-day priorities.

If you like solving problems and tackling challenges in a supportive environment, Wattpad is the place for you. Your work will reach a massive global audience: our apps have 130 million downloads!

What you’ll be doing:

• Drive delivery on a cross-functional project team within time and quality constraints, working closely with the Product, Engineering and Experience Design teams;
• Helping the project team with project planning, preparing a delivery plan that outlines the critical path activities, timelines and milestones of the project to ensure accurate planning and efficient delivery;
• Establishing effective communication, collaboration, and decision-making within the project team;
• Identifying, regularly monitoring and mitigating project risks and dependencies. Anticipating and addressing potential obstacles that may impede project progress. Encouraging an environment where issues are openly discussed and resolved.
• Providing regular project updates to stakeholders. Managing expectations and ensuring alignment;
• Engage with other project or technical program managers (TPMs) to discuss and align on potential risks and dependencies;
• Collaborating with other TPMs and functional managers to define and establish project management processes tailored to Wattpad’s needs;
• Assessing and analyzing the effectiveness of existing project management practices. Identifying areas for improvement by working with stakeholders to optimize processes, and addressing any challenges or bottlenecks that may hinder project success;
• Maintaining project management standards across Wattpad’s projects.

What we're looking for:

• A agilist who can empower the team through the delivery process i.e. instead of telling them what to do, working through problems collaboratively
• An advocate for team members, ensuring that they remain focused on the most important issues to solve
• An effective communicator, you have the security to say no but also to recognize and negotiate effectively
• Process oriented - the idea of building something from nothing is exciting to you
• Experience leading a team in an agile environment
• Someone who relishes in creating a culture of learning and helping bring the joy of storytelling to millions around the world
• User focused - you have a desire to make great experiences for our millions of users

Bonus points for:

• You have an engineering background, either through education or a career path
• You bring similar experience from an agile start-up or tech environment
• Previous ad tech exposure
• CSM, PMP, or equivalent

What we offer:

• Career development; we believe in mentorship and investing in your learning, supporting you to achieve your goals
• Health benefits, including vision and dental!
• RRSP Contributions (Canada), 401K Contributions (USA)
• Generous vacation and Parental Leave Top-up
• Corporate discount for gym memberships for you and your family
• Winter break shutdown and a whole lot more!

Wattpad is conducting all interviews in a distributed manner using applicable third party software where needed and using visual interface tools such as Google Meet and Zoom.

About Wattpad

Who are we? Entrepreneurs and Do-ers. Our vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories, and our mission is to use the power of community and technology to unleash the full potential of stories to the world.

What does that mean? We are visionaries, community builders, passionate problem solvers, storytellers, coffee snobs (tea drinkers, too!), curious by nature, and culturally diverse.

What are we obsessed with? Our users. Solving complex problems and maximizing flow. Learning constantly. Building the next great storytelling product. Finding the greatest stories ever told. Dogs (and cats), coffee, and good snacks.

How do we work? Autonomously, collaboratively, respectfully. Balancing with work, family, and play...and all while having a great time.

Wattpad is a remote friendly company and encourages remote candidates to apply as long as they are located and authorized to work in either the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) as a precondition of employment. We are not able to sponsor applicants for work permits.

If you happen to live near the areas of either Toronto, Ontario or Halifax, Nova Scotia, you may also have the opportunity to work from our beautiful offices - 1 located in Downtown Toronto and the other in Halifax.

Culture and Diversity

Wattpad is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate. Period. 

Wattpad welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. We have taken a leadership position on creating a culture and an organization that truly values diversity. We are committed to fostering a global team that reflects the diversity of the Wattpad community. At Wattpad, we believe cultural fit doesn’t mean culturally identical, and diversity of thought helps us to challenge one another to think big and think differently. We consider employment applicants without regard to age, race, colour, national origin, citizenship, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, disability status or any other protected status.

If you have any special needs or accessibility requirements, please let us know. We will do our utmost to accommodate, in accordance with applicable local legislation.

Don’t meet all the requirements? Studies show women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs if they do not meet all the qualifications. Therefore, in an effort to build a more diverse workplace, we encourage you to apply anyways. You might actually be the right person or you may be a good fit for a number of other openings we currently have.