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Job summary

Are you a strong product leader who enjoys taking responsibility and pushing boundaries?

Do you have a passion for development and delivery?

If so, we would love to hear from you.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at DVLA roles: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

You will have recent experience and knowledge of product management techniques and will have a strong technical focus. You will have had the experience, responsibility and ownership of the entire product technology stack throughout the life of a product. You will have had responsibility for not only developing new functionality for your product but also prioritising ensuring the product is operationally healthy and is kept up to date to limit and remove security vulnerabilities proactively.

You’ll be adept at creating, owning and delivering complex technical product roadmaps, breaking down barriers for your team, planning at a high level and getting into the detail to make things happen when needed. You can balance and prioritise change initiatives, technical changes, support, maintenance and other tasks to maximise the value of the of development work being undertaken.

You will work directly with development squad(s) on a day-to-day basis, providing guidance and leadership, and ensuring there is a shared understand of the outcomes and objectives that the product, project or change being delivered. You will also protect the team from outside distractions to ensure the team is providing constant value.

You will facilitate the development and continuous improvement of the product, turning the vision into reality. You will ensure the team deliver the vision in the most effective way, whilst building something that is reusable and transformational.

As a Senior Product Manager you will manage multiple products or a single product that is especially complex, high-risk or sensitive through multi-disciplinary, highly skilled digital squads.

You will work closely will programme and change teams to understand the change pipeline and agree and prioritise the initiatives in line with the existing product roadmap.

You will also collaborate with service and business colleagues to understand the user needs and objectives required to ensure successful outcomes.

You will collaborate closely with architecture teams to develop designs and solutions to meet the desired outcomes of change initiatives to ensure any development meets DVLA standards and best practices.

You will be responsible for line management, development and coaching of Agile Delivery Manager(s) who manage the development squads and ensuring that they are set up successfully to deliver the product backlog. You will provide the escalation route through to the Head of Product and ensure the consolidated delivery of technical change across multiple squads. You will have had previous experience of people management.

You will be confident challenging approaches within and outside of the squads and be a positive role model of the values, attitudes and behaviours of the capability. You will facilitate focus on the delivery of the technical outcomes, manage dependencies, identify and manage priorities and ensure the successful delivery of the technical products. You will need to have strong communication skills and will engage with senior stakeholders at all levels to support the effective delivery of those products and services.

As part of this you will already hold or be willing to work towards appropriate development / qualifications to achieve professional standards of technical product management, for example Certified Scrum Product Owner or higher.

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include but will not be limited to:

• Lead products through different phases of the product life cycle, from discovery, through development, delivery and continuous improvement, to retirement.
• Manage associate product managers and product managers.
• Make decisions based on the overall quality and value of your products.
• Being involved in hiring associates, product managers and contractors

For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile.

Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Would you like to find out more about the role, the digital team and what it’s like to work at DVLA? If so, we are organising a familiarisation session where you can virtually 'meet the team' on Wednesday 29th July at 12pm.

Please click here to book on.

Person specification

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• This role requires strong product leadership and the ability to understand the impact actions have on the organisation.
• The successful candidates will have experience of driving a positive team culture, supporting professional development and able to motivate teams to be fully engaged in their work.
• As a leader it’s important that you can be a strong advocate for continuous professional development and be an ambassador for changing culture across government.
• You should have experience in delivering digital products and services and be able to balance multiple priorities, including the successful use of agile methodologies.
• You will have a sound understanding of the digital landscape and be professionally curious taking an interest in the wider community and always looking at the big picture.
• You will be able to adapt to working in a changeable fast-paced environment, working at scale with complex products.
• The role holder will create and own the product's technical vision and roadmap that delivers the Agency's technical strategy and standards.

Additional Information

At DVLA, licensing is just the start. Every project you implement, touch and deliver has a ripple effect that’ll wash across the nation. Here the work you’re doing has the capacity to change the way 53 million people interact with our services. As we aim to keep our roads some of the safest in the world, our innovative, transformative digital-led services help optimise a nation of individuals and business every single day.

To see how our people are transforming our digital services, head over to our DVLA Digital Services Blog and, to understand more about the great opportunities and benefits of working at DVLA read our Inside DVLA blog.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week. Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (the location cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please take note that DVLA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Security Check

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check. To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, candidates will be required to have at least 5 years continuous residency in the UK. All applicants for this role must ensure that they meet this minimum residency requirement - if you do not, your application will be withdrawn.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Senior Product Manager: Agile and Lean Practices (Skill level: Practitioner) -
• Senior Product Manager: Product Management (Skill level: Expert)
• Senior Product Manager: Creating Value for Money (Skill level: Practitioner)
• Senior Product Manager: Managing Product Outcomes (Skill level: Practitioner)

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Best in class learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
• Generous employer contribution of 28.9%, depending on chosen pension scheme
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.
• Digital communities with clear career frameworks
• On-site gym plus personal training available (membership applies)
• On-site nursery, restaurants and coffee bar
• 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays), increasing by 1 each year (up to 30) & 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Free parking

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies (opens in a new window).

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 (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement

Stage 2: Interview and presentation

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and personal statement to Inspire People (our Recruitment Partners) which outlines your experience and suitability for the role (based on the experience points outlined in the essential criteria on this advert).

Upon receipt of your CV and personal statement, DVLA Hiring Managers will complete a sift. Please note; the sift will be completed on a rolling basis whilst the campaign is still live and so there is potential for feedback to be shared with you (on your application) before the advert closes.

To apply please click 'Apply at advertiser's site' at the bottom of the page. For this role you will need to submit a CV (unlimited word count) and personal statement of up to 1000 words. Within your CV and personal statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following essential criteria:

• Experience in owning and delivering digital products and services through different phases of the product lifecycle, including operational running of the product
• Proven experience using agile methodologies
• Proven experience balancing multiple priorities and dealing with changing priorities
• Experience in matrix-managing multi-disciplinary teams

The sift will take place 6/8/26

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Behaviours-

• Delivering at Pace

Technical-

• Senior Product Manager: Agile and Lean Practices (Skill level: Practitioner)
• Senior Product Manager: Product Management (Skill level: Expert)
• Senior Product Manager: Creating Value for Money (Skill level: Practitioner)
• Senior Product Manager: Managing Product Outcomes (Skill level: Practitioner)

Experience –

• Experience in owning and delivering digital products and services through different phases of the product lifecycle, including operational running of the product

The interviews will take place week commencing 17/8/26

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

This interview will be conducted in person at our Swansea office and will include a panel interview and presentation. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

All External applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour

Threats or acts of violence

Illegal activity or substance misuse

Sexually explicit material

Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public.

Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture.

If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.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 : Andrew Medhurst
• Email : amedhurst@inspirepeople.net

Recruitment team

• Email : amedhurst@inspirepeople.net

Further information

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 Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/) to visit Civil Service Commission

Attachments

ITS-GDD-PD-PM-SPM-SPM-G7-Senior Product Manager - V3.0 Opens in new window (pdf, 265kB)DVLA Digital Job Brochure - V1 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 2074kB)