Lead Product Manager

Job summary

We are looking for a Lead Product Manager to work within the Digital Development and Operations Team, which is part of UKHSA Chief Data Officer (CDO) Group.

The CDO Group mission is to enable UKHSA to make the nation’s health secure through safe and innovative digital capabilities and by the transformation of public health data, analysis, insight and surveillance. In Digital Development and Operations, we do this by delivering services which meet and maintain the Digital Service Standards (https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/digital-by-default). We proactively partner, across UKHSA and beyond, to influence, design and deliver digital and technology products and services that underpin Agency objectives, and provide tangible, valued business and citizen health outcomes.

As a Lead Product Manager, you will be responsible for a product portfolio, and the delivery of product quality and value. You will work with teams to identify, implement and improve strategies and tactics for their products and engage with senior stakeholders including Director Generals, Permanent Secretaries, and Ministers. You will be a member of the Digital leadership team, provide product leadership and direction across multiple teams, and contribute to the development and execution of digital and technology strategies.

Job description

• Lead a large and diverse product portfolio, using evidence to guide product decisions, set priorities, and ensure the portfolio aligns with and supports UKHSA’s strategic objectives.
• Oversee and support multiple multidisciplinary product teams to turn strategic vision into reality - delivering, operating, and continuously improving products to better meet evolving user needs.
• Ensure each service and product within the portfolio has a clear strategy and roadmap that deliver the vision, outcomes, and benefits, aligning priorities to user and business needs for maximum value and efficiency.
• Direct and lead senior stakeholder relationships to resolve issues, drive outcomes, and ensure appropriate governance, assurance, resources and funding are in place.
• Provide leadership across the organisation in digital, championing product-led, agile ways of working.
• Work closely with the Digital leadership team and Heads of Profession to ensure alignment with digital standards, contribute to the wider strategy, and support cross-functional collaboration and integration.
• Be involved in recruiting product managers at all levels, including contractors, to build and strengthen product management capability across the organisation.
• Coach and mentor other members of the product community, identifying learning and development opportunities for people and teams.

• Strategic awareness of trends and changes in user behaviour, wider policy and technology initiatives such as AI and their implications for successful delivery of government digital services.
• Work closely with Commercial teams to produce Statements of Work, evaluate suppliers, and support procurement exercises

.In addition to the key responsibilities above this role will:

• Require adherence to all UKHSA Policies and Procedures
• Contribute to the delivery of corporate goals and objectives
• Support corporate service activity as set out in the Corporate Services Standard Operating Procedures
• Perform any other duties that may reasonably be required by their line manager
• The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the team, Directorate and the Organisation.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• A degree-level qualification, or similar, in a relevant subject such as Digital Product Management, Computer Science, Information Systems, or Business Technology.
• Significant experience in digital product management.
• Experience of applying the Digital Service Standard to products and services and leading on service assessments.
• Deep understanding of agile principles, user-centred design, and product delivery methods.
• Experience leading and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams including DevOps, developers, UCD specialists, and business analysts.
• Proven track record of developing product roadmaps and overseeing successful deployments.
• Experience producing business cases, value assessments, and benefit realisation plans.
• Experience leading supplier engagement, contractual oversight, and outcome delivery via Statements of Work.
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills with the ability to influence at all levels. Shaping the strategic direction of your team, influencing directorate plans and organisational outcomes.
• Have in depth practical knowledge and experience of digital product management with clear views on the key standards that should be recognised in its application across the business.
• Product ownership - the core tactical skills of product management, capturing user needs to inform decision-making and prioritisation, and translated into actionable goals for a team (often through tools such as the backlog and user stories). You’ll be working to at least ‘practitioner’ level, capable of working with a range of specialists in a multidisciplinary team and applying the tools, terms, and concepts in a variety of ways to suit your context.
• Strategic ownership - the core strategic skills of product management, building the overall value proposition, business model, vision and roadmap that enable us to focus on outcomes, not outputs. You’ll be working to at least ‘practitioner’ level, capable of building a strategy from scant information and getting buy-in from colleagues.
• Lifecycle perspective - Understanding of the different phases of the product lifecycle and the impact this has on product strategy. You’ll be at least ‘expert level’ in this skill, have expertise in moving a product or service from one stage of the product lifecycle to another (e.g. how this informs the product’s goals, users, and team).
• User Focus - User-centred design is at the heart of our work. You’ll be working to at least ‘practitioner’ level in this area: able to collaborate with user researchers and can sell or represent users internally; understand the difference between user needs and desires of the user; able to champion user research to focus on totality of all users; able to prioritise and defines approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so; can offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to be used.
• Problem ownership - You know how to ensure that the right actions are taken to investigate, resolve and anticipate problems. You can coordinate the team to investigate problems and implement solutions and preventative measures.

You can find out more about what we expect from a Lead Product Manager here.

Desirable criteria:

• Ability to deliver against KPIs and OKRs in a fast-paced operational environment.
• Active member of a product community or thought leadership group.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £70,797, UK Health Security Agency contributes £20,509 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles and will assess your Behaviours, and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 15 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1250 word supporting statement.

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.

Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1250 words. We will not consider any words over 1250 words.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

If used, the following pile(s) will proceed to shortlisting:

1. Meets all essential criteria

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we may conduct an initial sift, on the lead criteria of:

• Product ownership - the core tactical skills of product management, capturing user needs to inform decision-making and prioritisation, and translated into actionable goals for a team (often through tools such as the backlog and user stories). You’ll be working to at least ‘practitioner’ level, capable of working with a range of specialists in a multidisciplinary team and applying the tools, terms, and concepts in a variety of ways to suit your context.
• Strategic ownership - the core strategic skills of product management, building the overall value proposition, business model, vision and roadmap that enable us to focus on outcomes, not outputs. You’ll be working to at least ‘practitioner’ level, capable of building a strategy from scant information and getting buy-in from colleagues.
• User Focus - User-centred design is at the heart of our work. You’ll be working to at least ‘practitioner’ level in this area: able to collaborate with user researchers and can sell or represent users internally; understand the difference between user needs and desires of the user; able to champion user research to focus on totality of all users; able to prioritise and defines approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so; can offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to be used.

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications/large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Success profiles Success Profiles - GOV.UK

You will be invited to a single remote.

Behaviours and Experience will be tested at interview.

You will be asked to prepare and present a 10 minute presentation. The presentation will be assessing:

• Experience of leading large portfolios of product, services or capabilities.

The subject of the presentation will be sent to you prior to interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making effective decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Interviews dates to be confirmed.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at any of our Core HQs. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQs (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London).

Our core HQ offices are modern and newly refurbished with excellent city centre transport links and benefit from co-location with other government departments such as the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.

Eligibility Criteria – External

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).

Salary Information
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.

Grade 6
• £70,797-£81,450 (National)
• £72,950- £83,443 (Outer London)
• £75,104- £85,436 (Inner London)

Future location
UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone. To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any
reasonable adjustments that could help you. An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work. This is separate to the Disability
Confident Scheme. If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.

You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/

International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud Check
If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be
checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub, and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional
circumstances. Currently this is only for external candidates to the Civil Service.

Careers website
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Gurkamal Bhambra
• Email : gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the
basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's
Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment
Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should
contact the UKHSA Complaints team via email at: Complaints@ukhsa.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can
contact the Civil Service Commission. Visit the Civil Service Commission website for
further information: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk