At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic Product Development team to create high-quality digital products.
- Company: Join AJ Bell, a top UK investment platform with a supportive culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 27 days holiday, a generous pension scheme, and health benefits.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with a focus on collaboration and inclusivity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the financial services sector while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in product development and agile methodologies is essential.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
We’re looking for an experienced Product Development Manager to lead and develop a Product Development team working across multiple digital feature teams at AJ Bell. This is a key leadership role focused on helping our teams turn product strategy and customer needs into well defined, high quality digital products and experiences. You’ll provide clarity and direction to the team, establish effective product development practices and ensure work is ready for successful delivery. Working at the centre of Product, UX and Technology, you’ll bring teams together, resolve ambiguity and help navigate competing customer, commercial, technical and regulatory priorities.
What you’ll be doing:
- You’ll lead, coach and support a Product Development team working across multiple agile feature teams, creating clear ownership and helping colleagues develop the capability and ways of working they need to perform at their best.
- Set and maintain high standards for product definition, requirements, acceptance criteria, refinement and Definition of Ready.
- Ensure work is clearly understood before entering development, with customer, business, technical, regulatory and operational considerations identified early.
- Support teams in resolving ambiguity, managing dependencies and unblocking decisions.
- Work closely with Product Managers to translate product strategy, customer needs and business objectives into clear, deliverable outcomes.
- Partner with UX and Technology to ensure customer insight, design, technical constraints, APIs, architecture and dependencies inform product decisions from the outset.
- Facilitate constructive challenge and decision making across multidisciplinary teams.
- Build strong relationships across Product Development and the wider business, influencing stakeholders at all levels.
- Ensure priorities, decisions and outcomes are clearly communicated and understood across affected teams.
- Work closely with Project Management to align product development activity with wider programme plans, dependencies and delivery commitments.
What we’re looking for:
- You’ll have significant experience within product development, product ownership, digital delivery or a related discipline, with a strong understanding of how successful digital products move from strategy and customer need through definition, refinement and delivery.
- Experience leading or working across multiple agile feature teams.
- Strong experience working across Product, UX and Technology in a multidisciplinary digital environment.
- A track record of defining, refining and delivering requirements for digital products.
- Experience coaching or leading Product Owners, Business Analysts, Product Development Analysts or similar roles.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, including the ability to bring together different perspectives and drive decisions.
- The ability to operate comfortably at both a strategic level and in the detail when needed.
- A collaborative leadership style, with the confidence to challenge constructively and create clarity in complex environments.
- Experience delivering consumer facing digital products or applications would be particularly valuable.
- Experience within financial services or another regulated environment, or working with APIs, digital channels, complex technology ecosystems, transformation or platform programmes, would also be beneficial.
About AJ Bell
At AJ Bell, we believe investing should feel good. Whether you're looking for an ISA, pension or dealing account, whether you want to invest with the help of a financial adviser or do it yourself, we have easy-to-use solutions to suit people from all walks of life. We're one of the UK's fastest-growing investment platform businesses, trusted by everyone from professional financial advisers to first-time investors. Today, over 762,000 customers trust us to manage more than £121.5 billion of assets. By continually striving to make investing simpler and more accessible, we're helping more people take control of their financial futures. We're proud to be recognised as one of the UK's Best 100 Companies to Work For for six consecutive years, and a Great Place to Work in 2025 and 2026, a reflection of our supportive and collaborative culture.
What we offer:
- 27 days holiday, increasing with service + buy/sell scheme + bank holidays
- 8% Pension with matched contributions
- Discretionary bonus scheme
- Share schemes (including free shares and BAYE)
- Health Cash Plan and discounted private healthcare
- Free gym
- Enhanced family leave (subject to qualifying criteria)
- Travel and bike loan schemes
- Employee Assistance Programme
Life at AJ Bell
- Regular social events including summer and Christmas parties
- Learning and development opportunities tailored to you
- Casual dress code
- Friendly, supportive team environment
Our ways of working
We offer hybrid working, with a minimum of 50% of your working time per month spent in the office. For new starters, there is an initial period of full-time office working to help you settle in and build relationships.
Inclusion & diversity
We’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and able to be themselves at work. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and make hiring decisions based on skills, experience, and potential.
Product Development Manager in London employer: AJ Bell Careers
AJ Bell is an exceptional employer, recognised as one of the UK's Best 100 Companies to Work For for six consecutive years. With a strong focus on employee growth, a collaborative culture, and a range of benefits including generous holiday allowances, a robust pension scheme, and tailored learning opportunities, we ensure our team members thrive both personally and professionally. Our hybrid working model and commitment to inclusion make AJ Bell a rewarding place to build a meaningful career in the financial services sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Development Manager in London
✨Join Product Management Meetups
Get involved in local product management meetups or workshops. These events are perfect for meeting industry folks, sharing ideas, and staying updated on trends. Plus, you never know who might be hiring—it's a fantastic way to make connections that could lead to a job at places like AJ Bell Careers!
✨Show Off Your Product Sense
Create case studies or mini-projects showcasing your product management skills, and share them on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn. This not only puts your skills on display but also boosts your visibility in the product community. Imagine how impressed the hiring team at AJ Bell Careers would be by your initiative!
✨Utilise Online Communities
Dive into online product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights. These platforms are goldmines for networking and finding hidden job opportunities—many companies often scout talent from within these circles.
✨Leverage Your University Network
If you’ve recently graduated or are still in uni, tap into your alumni network for connections in product management. Many universities have their own job boards and affinity resources to help graduates land roles. Don't forget to keep an eye out for job openings at AJ Bell Careers through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Development Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Development Manager, let your passion for developing products shine through in your cover letter. Share specific examples of products you've managed, how you solved user needs, and any successful outcomes you've achieved. This is your chance to showcase your understanding of the product lifecycle!
Highlight Your Cross-Functional Skills:Product management isn't just about understanding the product; it’s about collaborating with different teams! Make sure to emphasise your experience working with developers, designers, and marketers. Use your CV to showcase your ability to bridge gaps between these areas, and include relevant experiences that demonstrate your communication and leadership skills!
Include Your Metrics and Achievements:In a full-time product management application, data speaks volumes! Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you increase user retention by a certain percentage? Launch a product ahead of schedule? Include these metrics in your CV to paint a picture of your impact and effectiveness in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV to the Role:Make sure your CV is tailored for the Product Development Manager position at AJ Bell Careers. Use keywords from the job description and ensure your relevant experiences are front and centre. Highlight any certifications or relevant training you’ve completed that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the role. And remember, we’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at AJ Bell Careers
✨Understand the Product Life Cycle
As a product management candidate, we need to get our head around the complete product life cycle. Be prepared to discuss real-world examples of how you’ve managed product development from ideation to launch. Bring specific insights on tools like JIRA or Trello that can help streamline these processes.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Product management is all about collaboration. We should be ready to highlight how we’ve worked across teams—think marketing, engineering, and design. Prepare to discuss scenarios where you had to mediate differing opinions and how you got everyone on board with a shared vision.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In a full-time role, we can expect to encounter case study questions during our interviews. Practise solving hypothetical product problems on the spot, such as prioritising features for a new app or improving user engagement metrics. This will show our analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
✨Know Your Metrics
Let’s face it, numbers are our best friends in product management. We should prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and how we've used analytics to inform product decisions. Dive into examples where data has driven our strategy for improvements or justified product changes.
