Key Responsibilities

• The SPM has deep knowledge of Product Management techniques and is developing expert skills. The SPM is experienced in overseeing multiple products and has a proven track record of managing products through the different stages of the product life cycle (products taken to beta/live). SPMs ensure the quality and the value of the work of Product Managers and the rest of the delivery team.
• The SPM manages the strategic roadmap, working with Delivery Managers to ensure that resources are aligned to the highest priority initiatives. They will be responsible for ensuring that all changes to the strategic roadmap are captured, justified and communicated to stakeholders. This includes taking a leading role in governance forums such as IDAM Programme board and the Tech Services Service Alignment forums.
• SPMs lead the assurance of scope, providing direction to meet user needs for multiple products & channels, aligned with strategy. They champion user needs with senior stakeholders, influencing and challenging Policy in relation to changes within the Product/service, to enable user requirements to be met.
• SPMs are strategic leaders, ensuring that the scope and direction of the development and continual improvement of several products align with strategies (e.g. Government, policy, digital) in delivery, acting as the escalation point when needed, and taking action to resolve issues that delay delivery.
• SPMs are active and visible leaders, supporting the PMs and working with the Lead PM in defining product strategy for all their products, building interpersonal relationships and actively influencing and challenging strategy & stakeholders to enable user needs to be met.
• SPMs support and inspire the PM community, wider delivery team & MoJ colleagues, bringing them into the product vision, leveraging existing relationships to best effect; prompting difficult decisions. SPMs interact with x-Gov product activity to develop a wider view of products and services across Government, and spotting opportunities for collaboration.
• SPMs define user journeys where relevant and the direction of user research, empathising with users, translating relevant findings with teams and sharing insights with stakeholders.
• SPMs ensure that all products meet policy intent, acting as an advocate for the digital transformation of services and influencing policy change, within and outside of MoJ. SPMs understand the political landscape so they can support PMs in explaining constraints and enable them to be challenged.

If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!

Person Specification

Essential

• Identity and Access Management: Detailed technical knowledge of enterprise Identity and Access management, including Identity Lifecycle Management, Identity Governance & Administration and Identity Verification/Attestation. Detailed technical knowledge of Microsoft technologies including Active Directory, Azure Active Directory (Entra ID), Single Sign-on, Multi-factor Authentication, password complexity including biometrics, privileged access and secure connectivity to government applications.
• Product Management: Set the strategy and vision for your products, collaborating with others. Create a prioritised roadmap for your products and use it to discuss product strategy at all levels. Plan prioritised work across multiple teams, minimising dependencies and risks. Support multiple teams in delivering quality outcomes in the right way. Coach and mentor others in product management.
• Strategic Ownership: Ensure that the vision and strategy deliver the intended benefits and policy intent and use evidence to challenge this when needed. Work with stakeholders to get agreement on the strategic approach, build trust and adapt based on feedback. Proactively review and iterate the strategy based on user and organisation insights.
• Lifecycle Management: Work and consult with the right people at the right time to move through the life cycle and deliver value. Use evidence to decide when a team should continue, change direction or stop. Identify tools and techniques required at different phases of the life cycle. Guide colleagues and stakeholders through different phases of the life cycle.
• Product Leadership: Seek opportunities for reuse and learning across your organisation. Represent product management in your area in conversations with senior stakeholders. Protect teams, for example, from unnecessary distractions and requests to change direction. Coach and manage others in product management. Lead some product management community activities and participate in cross-government communities.
• Applying User Insights: Use user insights to represent users in internal discussions. Advocate for research to be completed with all types of users of the product or service. Use user needs to agree the work that needs to be done and determine priorities with the team. Work with others to understand and recommend tools to get the appropriate user.
• Agile and Lean Practices: Compare and select the most appropriate delivery methods and processes. Recognise, reflect and adapt when something does not work, encouraging experimentation. Use a blended approach depending on the context. Help teams to measure, evaluate and visualise outcomes. Encourage reflective practice to improve ways of working.
• Creating Value for Money: Advocate for user needs, ensuring user value is balanced against cost and value for the organisation. Determine the benefit of a product and persuade others it's the right product to use. Write or contribute to business cases. Communicate business-value propositions. Help others make value-based decisions, influencing the direction of development.
• Stakeholder Relationship Management: Work with the team to develop and maintain an understanding of stakeholders. Work with the team to develop and implement stakeholder communications strategies. Identify and resolve issues, influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively. Build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders.

Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for SC clearance

We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate based on culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

Our values are Purpose, Humanity, Openness, and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.