Attend our AGM on June 18th and cast your vote for our new board! More info here (PDF)
VOLUNTEER
The TPMA offers a volunteer program that allows individuals to contribute their expertise and help build Toronto’s largest product community. The volunteer program is designed to connect local product management professionals and individuals looking to start their product management careers or to enrich their knowledge of the profession.
We are growing and are searching for passionate volunteers to embark on a journey with us. It's the spirit and dedication from our volunteer community that fuels all the great initiatives we put forward to the product community.
Committed volunteers get access to the following perks:
We are seeking a dedicated volunteer to assist with the screening of applications for our bursary program. This role is crucial in ensuring that only eligible candidates are considered, enabling our committee to focus on selecting the most deserving recipient.
Term: October, 2024 (1 month)
Time Commitments: The screening would need to be completed in a week by 3 volunteers so looking at a commitment for 2-6 hours per volunteer based on the number of applications
What you’ll do and love doing:
How might this role help you:
As the Event Live Stream Producer, you are creative and technically skilled. Your mandate is to elevate our current live streaming experience and make it compelling for both live and post-stream audiences.
Term: Sept ’24 – June ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: On average, 5-7 hours every month. Must be available for live events
What you’ll do and love doing:
How might this role help you:
As the Member Support Lead, you’ll be responsible for managing member support related issues. You will be monitoring our info@tpma.ca email account and serve our members with common queries related to upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, our mentorship programme, access to member perks, etc.
Term: Sept ’24 – July ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: 0.5 to 3 hours per week. 3 hours is more likely required before our events which happen on the final Tuesday of every month.
What you’ll do and love doing:
We’re looking for someone who loves playing in a service role with excellent written skills, ability to execute on the time commitment required, and demonstrates reliability. You will be the face of our organization outward to the community.
How might this role help you:
As the Member Support Lead, you’ll be responsible for managing all operations related to membership. Using our membership platform, WildApricot, you’ll ensure all members are in the correct tier, support new or existing members with access to perks, monitor our membership email account, and periodically conduct an audit of our membership platform.
Term: Sept ’24 – July ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: 3-5 hours a month
What you’ll do and love doing:
This role requires someone with great attention to detail, tech-savvy, trustworthy, and reliable.
How might this role help you:
As the Sponsorships Manager (Donations / Grants), you’ll be responsible for developing and implementing a donations strategy that includes both virtual and in-person opportunities. You will experiment with various approaches to donation generation and work to establish a sustainable, repeatable donations program that aligns with TPMA’s goals and values.
Term: Sept ’24 – July ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: on average, 3-5 hours a month
What you’ll do and love doing:
This role requires someone with strong skills in creative thinking, communication, financial strategy, and collaboration, with a passion for driving community engagement.
How might this role help you:
As the Sponsorships Manager (Financial / In-Kind), you’ll be responsible for identifying, cultivating, and managing relationships with sponsors and partners that align with TPMA’s mission. You will play a key role in securing financial and in-kind contributions that support our programs and events, ensuring the sustainability and growth of our organization.
Term: Sept ’24 – July ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: on average, 3-5 hours a month
What you’ll do and love doing:
This role requires someone with strong skills in communication (written and oral), relationship management, and resilience, with a keen sense of financial objectives.
How might this role help you:
As the Volunteer Engagement Manager, you will lead the development and execution of our volunteer engagement strategy, driving initiatives that foster a connected volunteer community. You’ll be responsible for creating and managing a dynamic engagement program, building a dedicated sub-community, and establishing metrics to monitor participation and effectiveness. Your role includes implementing feedback mechanisms, coordinating engagement activities such as Monthly Volunteer Spotlights and recognizing volunteer contributions. You will play a crucial role in enhancing the volunteer experience and driving meaningful connections within our community.
Term: Sept ’24 – July ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: On average 5 hours a month (some variability depending on active recruitment needs)
What you’ll do and love doing:
How might this role help you:
We are seeking an experienced Product Manager (PM), Senior PM, or higher to join our team as a Workshop Instructor Coordinator. In this role, you will play a pivotal part in shaping the success of our workshops by identifying and engaging with potential workshop instructors. Your expertise will ensure that we bring in high-quality speakers and facilitate a smooth experience for them and our participants
Term: Sept ’24 – June ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: 2-3 hours per week
What you’ll do and love doing:
How might this role help you:
We are looking for a detail-oriented and creative volunteer to join our team as a Workshop Planning Coordinator. In this role, you will assist in the successful planning and promotion of our workshops. You will be responsible for setting up events, creating promotional materials, and coordinating with the website team to ensure that all event details are communicated effectively.
Term: Sept ’24 – June ’25 (with opportunity to extend)
Time Commitments: 2-3 hours per week
What you’ll do and love doing:
How might this role help you:
Azman is a Product Manager with over 3 years of experience building products in the manufacturing & PR spaces. He grew up in India, then spent some time in the US before settling down in Toronto in 2022. When he's not working, you'll catch him doing Crossfit, discovering new ice cream joints in the city, and hanging out with family.
After I moved here, I was looking for ways to get involved with the product community in TO and meet new people in the space.
I initially joined TPMA with the intention of building connections. However, after volunteering for several events, I've come to realize that it's much more than that. I've met a diverse group of interesting professionals who have helped me in various ways. Volunteering has become a meaningful way for me to pay that forward.
Just go for it! You'll gain so much more from the experience than you expect.
Femi is a product manager with experience in financial services and digital commerce, complemented by prior sales roles in the CPG industry in Nigeria. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, watching the NBA, and occasionally diving into the black hole of YouTube video recommendations.
Having recently moved here, I was inspired to join the volunteer team as an opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, expand my network, and contribute to the community as I advance in my career in product management
Volunteering here is deeply meaningful to me due to the significant impact the association has on the lives of both established and aspiring product managers. It's been a rewarding experience learning from others and offering assistance wherever possible.
My advice to those considering volunteering with TPMA is to not hesitate to reach out and inquire about volunteer opportunities. Be proactive in offering your skills and time to contribute to something you believe in. Remember that volunteering is a two-way street - you'll be giving back to the community while also gaining personal and professional growth.
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Justin is a Product Management student and growth hacker with experience leading teams to build products from ideation to launch in the FinTech space. Outside of his professional endeavours, he enjoys weightlifting, backpacking, and exploring new culinary delights in Toronto.
Originating from a non-tech educational background, I was inspired to join the TPMA volunteer team to immerse myself in Product Management and meet like-minded individuals who I can learn so much from.
Volunteering at an amazing community like TPMA can help you build that skillset and experience you need for the real world, all while being able to help build Toronto’s largest Product Community. Plus, you'll meet awesome people who help each other succeed professionally.
If you’re thinking about volunteering at TPMA, it’s a valuable experience that you should jump on. Offer your time and skills to help out with something you care about, but at the same time be willing to fail fast to learn from your mistakes.
Christian is a Digital Product Manager and Entrepreneur. As a Digital Product Manager, he enjoys creating delightful user experiences leveraging data insights, emerging technologies and design thinking while mediating among cross-functional teams. As an entrepreneur, he is the Founder and Creative Director of Omilia Visuals, a Creative Agency helping businesses and individuals tell stories improving positioning, reaching and attracting their target audience. Outside professional activities, he enjoys watching and playing soccer, appreciating creative art, and spending time in nature.
I wanted to be a part of a product community. The TPMA was organizing an event at the Schulich School of Business while I was a student, and I thought it was a great idea to help make that happen. It was a successful event with a large turnout and with lots of learnings, insightful conversations and brilliant connections. I thought it made sense to keep helping facilitate that experience.
It’s fulfilling that I’m a part of a large group of exceptional individuals who give their time and energy to ensure that Toronto product professionals are never short of community and resources that help in their professional careers.
Just do it! You can’t go wrong with taking an opportunity to be a part of something impactful while allowing yourself to learn, develop or hone a skill, and connect with like-minded professionals. I think it’s worth it.
Elena is a product designer currently working at the TMU's Microcredential unit, designing educational products. She also creates virtual simulation games for educational institutions across Ontario. Her specialties include UX, UI, and 3D design. When not designing, she freelances as a DJ, studies, and volunteers extensively.
As a former small business owner, I recognize the importance of aligning product design with business strategy. This led me to explore the field of product management further, which inspired me to join TPMA’s volunteer team. TPMA offers an excellent platform to connect with the local product community.
Volunteering allows me to make a tangible impact on the growth of the product management community in Toronto. I've had the chance to work with talented individuals from diverse backgrounds.
My advice would be: don't hesitate! Volunteering at TPMA is a rewarding experience that offers numerous benefits, both personally and professionally. It's a chance to give back to your community, learn from others, and expand your network.
A.J. is a product owner at Bell Media, where he leads the delivery of core video solutions. He wrote a civics textbook with a friend, entitled Canadian Political Structure and Public Administration (2023), and, when he’s not reading, he walks everywhere and often.
Before I started in product, I directed communications for the RCMP member association amid their (now) successful unionization campaign. That experience taught me how the selfless efforts of a few can raise the quality of life for all. Joining the TPMA volunteer team is a chance to do right by that example while also helping to build a better community of practice.
Connecting with the many members of our community remains very meaningful to me—and volunteering is an accelerated way to do that—but, lately, leveraging those connections to introduce members to one another has taken that experience to a whole other level. Additionally, I am grateful for the opportunity to help launch a bursary in honour of TPMA founder Alan Armstrong. That will be very meaningful to all of us, the community he founded in 2001, and our (as-yet determined) inaugural recipient this Fall.
You are always welcome to reach out and help us refine a core competency or experiment with a new way to deliver value for our membership. As everyone in product knows, delivering the results you want to see means supporting your team and being willing to lead the charge.
Toronto Product Management Association (TPMA) is a community focused on development, growth and networking of Product professionals in the Greater Toronto Area.
