What is a Product Manager at AARP?

At AARP, and specifically within the AARP Foundation, the role of a Product Manager (often titled Business Technology Manager or Product Owner) is pivotal to bridging the gap between social mission and technological execution. You are not simply managing software; you are orchestrating the digital experiences that help vulnerable people over 50 build economic opportunity and resilience. This role sits at the intersection of marketing strategy, technology implementation, and user advocacy.

You will be responsible for defining and driving the roadmap for critical platforms, with a heavy emphasis on Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) and related marketing technologies. Your work directly empowers the Marketing & Communications teams to reach millions of members and non-members. You will act as a strategic partner, translating complex business needs into actionable technical requirements while managing cross-functional teams of architects, engineers, and vendors.

This position offers a unique challenge: delivering enterprise-grade technical solutions within a mission-driven, non-profit environment. You will be expected to balance the agility of modern product management with the structural requirements of a large, established organization. Success in this role means delivering incremental business value that ultimately supports AARP’s goal of ending senior poverty and reducing financial hardship.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

To succeed in the AARP interview process, you must demonstrate more than just technical product knowledge; you must show how you apply that knowledge to serve specific organizational goals. Approach your preparation with a focus on structure, empathy, and technical fluency in marketing platforms.

Key evaluation criteria for this role include:

Platform Expertise (MarTech) Since this role is heavily focused on the Adobe ecosystem, you will be evaluated on your specific knowledge of Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), Adobe Analytics, and customer journey tools. Interviewers will expect you to understand the technical constraints and capabilities of these platforms and how to leverage them for marketing success.

Stakeholder Orchestration AARP is a large, matrixed organization. You must demonstrate the ability to build partnerships across the Foundation and the broader enterprise. Evaluation will focus on your ability to align diverse groups—marketing, IT, vendors, and leadership—around shared priorities and roadmaps.

Agile Execution in a Hybrid Environment You will need to show a strong command of Agile and Scrum methodologies. However, you must also demonstrate the flexibility to apply these frameworks within a hybrid office environment and a non-tech-native organizational culture. Proof of relevant certifications (CSPO, PSPO) is highly valued.

Mission Alignment & User Empathy You are designing for a specific, often vulnerable demographic. Interviewers will look for genuine interest in the AARP Foundation’s mission. They will assess your ability to make product decisions that respect the unique needs, accessibility requirements, and user behaviors of the 50+ population.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process for the Product Manager role at AARP typically spans approximately 4 weeks. The process is thorough but structured, designed to assess both your technical competence with specific tools (like AEM) and your behavioral fit within the team. You should expect a mix of one-on-one conversations and panel interviews.

The process generally begins with an HR screening to verify your background and interest. If successful, you will move to a more in-depth phase which often includes a take-home assignment. This assignment is a critical component of the evaluation; candidates have reported being asked to solve an issue related to internal products or workflows. This step tests your problem-solving skills and your ability to document and present a solution clearly.

Following the assignment, you will proceed to a panel interview. This final stage involves meeting with key stakeholders, including potential peers in marketing and technology leadership. The atmosphere is generally described as professional and positive, with a focus on behavioral questions and deep dives into your past experiences managing similar technology stacks.

This timeline illustrates the progression from your initial application to the final decision. Note that the Take-Home Assignment is a distinct stage that requires dedicated time and effort between the initial screens and the final panel. Use this visual to plan your preparation schedule, ensuring you have ample time to prepare your case study presentation before the final onsite or virtual panel.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

AARP evaluates candidates on a specific blend of technical hard skills and adaptive soft skills. Based on candidate reports and job requirements, you should prepare for deep dives in the following areas:

MarTech & Adobe Ecosystem Proficiency

Because this role acts as an Adobe Product Owner, your grasp of the technology stack is the primary filter. You must move beyond general product management theory and discuss the specifics of content management systems.

Be ready to go over:

• AEM Architecture: Understanding sites, assets, and forms within Adobe Experience Manager.
• Analytics Integration: How you use data from Adobe Analytics or Customer Journey Analytics to inform product decisions.
• Migration & Legacy Systems: Experience moving from legacy databases or interfaces to modern cloud solutions.
• Vendor Management: How you hold external technical vendors accountable for delivery.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe a time you migrated a legacy web interface to AEM. What were the biggest technical hurdles?"
• "How do you prioritize technical debt versus new marketing features in your roadmap?"

The Take-Home Assignment

Candidates frequently report an assignment focused on solving an issue within internal products. This is your chance to show how you think. The interviewers are not just looking for the "right" answer, but for a structured approach to problem-solving.

Be ready to go over:

• Problem Definition: clearly articulating the user pain point based on limited data.
• Solution Design: Proposing a feasible solution that considers technical constraints.
• Success Metrics: Defining how you would measure the impact of your solution.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk us through your solution for the internal product issue. Why did you choose this specific workflow?"
• "If we had half the budget you estimated, how would you adjust this proposal?"

Agile Leadership & Process

AARP Foundation operates in an Agile environment but sits within a larger enterprise structure. You will be evaluated on your ability to lead ceremonies and manage backlogs effectively.

Be ready to go over:

• User Story Creation: Translating high-level business ideas into digestible, technical user stories with clear acceptance criteria.
• Backlog Grooming: How you keep the backlog healthy and aligned with long-term strategy.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: How you work with architects and delivery leads to ensure feasibility before development starts.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you handle a stakeholder who wants to push a feature into the current sprint mid-cycle?"
• "Describe your process for determining the MVP of a new marketing initiative."

Key Responsibilities

As a Product Manager / Business Technology Manager at AARP, your day-to-day work is a blend of strategic planning and tactical execution. You are the "CEO" of your specific product domain—likely the Adobe Experience Manager platform—and you are responsible for its health, growth, and adoption.

Your primary responsibility is to manage the full technology lifecycle. This involves collaborating with the Marketing & Communications team during the discovery phase to assess the value and feasibility of new concepts. You will then translate these strategic business ideas into technical implementations. This requires writing actionable user stories, defining acceptance criteria, and ensuring that all regulatory and compliance objectives are met.

You will also serve as a vital connector and liaison. You will work alongside technical architects, engineers, and external vendors to ensure projects are delivered on time and within scope. Beyond the build phase, you are responsible for stewardship: tracking progress, evaluating training needs, and monitoring adoption to ensure the technology delivers actual business value. You will provide counsel to other business units and act as the internal expert on digital engagement tools.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

AARP looks for a specific profile that combines product ownership experience with hands-on technical knowledge of marketing platforms.

Must-Have Skills

• Experience: 3+ years as a Product Owner, Technology Manager, or Administrator specifically for Marketing Communications or Digital Experience platforms.
• Technical Stack: 3+ years of direct experience with Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), Adobe Analytics, or Adobe Experience Platform (AEP). This is a hard requirement for the "Adobe Product Owner" role.
• Methodology: Strong experience in Agile planning and development methodologies.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Certifications: Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), PSPO, or similar Agile certifications are highly preferred.
• Extended Tech Stack: Experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Qualtrics, or other CMS and tag management systems.
• Data Fluency: Knowledge of data management practices and integration best practices.

Soft Skills

• Communication: Effective verbal and written skills are essential for acting as a liaison between technical teams and business stakeholders.
• Independence: The ability to exercise independent judgment and make sound decisions in a hybrid, open-office environment.

Common Interview Questions

The following questions are representative of what you can expect at AARP. They are drawn from candidate data and the specific requirements of the role. While exact wording may vary, these themes are consistent.

Behavioral & Situational

AARP places significant weight on how you work with others and navigate complex environments.

• "Tell me about a time you had to manage a conflict between a technical architect and a business stakeholder."
• "Describe a situation where a project was falling behind timeline. How did you handle the communication and recovery?"
• "Give an example of how you have fostered a sense of partnership across different departments."
• "How do you handle feedback on a product that contradicts your data or research?"

Technical & Platform Specific (AEM)

Expect direct questions about the tools you will be managing.

• "How have you utilized Adobe Analytics to improve a customer journey?"
• "What is your experience with AEM component design versus template creation?"
• "How do you ensure data accuracy when integrating AEM with other legacy systems?"
• "Describe a complex migration project you managed. What was your strategy for data integrity?"

Product Strategy & Agile Process

These questions test your ability to execute the role's core functions.

• "Walk me through how you prioritize a backlog when you have competing requests from Marketing and IT."
• "How do you define 'value' when assessing a new enhancement concept?"
• "Describe your process for writing user stories. How do you ensure they are 'digestible' for developers?"

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the work arrangement for this role? AARP offers a hybrid work environment. Typically, Mondays and Fridays are observed as remote workdays, while you will be expected to be in the Washington, DC office for the remaining days. This fosters both flexibility and the in-person collaboration necessary for this cross-functional role.

Q: Does AARP offer visa sponsorship for this position? No. The job postings explicitly state that AARP will not sponsor an employment visa for this position at this time. You must have existing authorization to work in the United States.

Q: How technical do I need to be? While you do not need to be a software engineer, you must be "technically fluent." You need to understand the architecture of Adobe Experience Manager and be able to discuss APIs, data integrations, and legacy system constraints intelligently with architects and vendors.

Q: What is the culture like within the AARP Foundation technology team? The culture is mission-driven and collaborative. Employees often highlight the balance between professional rigor and the social impact of the work. However, as with many large organizations, you should be prepared to navigate some level of bureaucracy and matrixed decision-making.

Other General Tips

Understand the "Foundation" vs. "AARP" There is a distinction between AARP (the membership organization) and AARP Foundation (the charitable affiliate). This role is likely within the Foundation, focused on ending senior poverty. Frame your answers around impact, vulnerable populations, and economic opportunity, not just general membership perks.

Prepare for the Assignment

Highlight "Orchestration" The job description uses the word "orchestrate." This implies that you aren't just a participant; you are the conductor. In your answers, emphasize how you brought different groups together (Vendors, IT, Marketing) to achieve a harmonious result.

Demonstrate Agile Flexibility Strict adherence to textbook Scrum doesn't always work in non-tech enterprises. Show that you know the rules of Agile well enough to know when to bend them to suit the organization's pace and culture.

Summary & Next Steps

The Product Manager role at AARP is a unique opportunity to apply high-level technical skills—specifically within the Adobe ecosystem—to a cause that impacts millions of lives. You will be challenged to modernize marketing technologies, drive strategy, and lead cross-functional teams in a hybrid environment. The work is substantial, strategic, and deeply connected to the organization’s mission of restoring hope and building economic opportunity for people over 50.

To prepare, focus heavily on your MarTech experience, specifically AEM, and your ability to navigate a large organization with emotional intelligence. Review your past projects for examples of complex migrations, stakeholder negotiation, and data-driven roadmapping. Be ready for the take-home assignment; it is a significant hurdle that requires clear, user-centric problem solving.

The compensation data above provides a baseline for the role. At AARP, the total package often includes a strong pension plan, 401(k), and comprehensive health benefits, which are significant components of the overall value. When discussing compensation, consider the entire package, including the work-life balance and hybrid flexibility that AARP is known for.

With focused preparation on your Adobe expertise and a clear narrative about your ability to lead through influence, you are well-positioned to succeed. Good luck!