At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product strategy for new car advertising, balancing buyer and seller needs.
- Company: Join Autotrader, the UK's trusted automotive marketplace and tech innovator.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, share options, 28 days holiday, and comprehensive health cover.
- Other info: Enjoy a hybrid working model and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Shape the future of car advertising with cutting-edge AI technology.
- Qualifications: Experience in product strategy within digital marketplaces and strong commercial acumen.
The predicted salary is between 65000 - 90000 £ per year.
Manchester
You’ve probably heard of Autotrader, but do you know what we’re all about?
We're the most trusted, most visited automotive marketplace in the UK.
A heritage brand and a tech innovator.
We bring together vehicle buyers and sellers to give them real choices.
Cars may be what we're best known for but we’re also the place for pretty much everything else on wheels, from e-bikes to caravans.
In the automotive world, change is a constant, that’s why we take our job of untangling the complex car-buying journey very seriously.
At our core, we’re all about people. We go our own way while embracing diversity and celebrating our differences. We dedicate ourselves to the idea that we work better together.
Autotrader is a beautiful, surprising and vibrant place to work. We might not be for everyone, but we could be perfect for you.
About the role
Autotrader’s marketplace helps thousands of sellers advertise and sell vehicles to the largest car-buying audience in the UK, while supporting millions of buyers to find and buy their next car safely.
It is an area that is evolving rapidly and increasingly being shaped by AI, as consumers search in new ways and as we integrate
Autotrader Intelligence into the core of our user experience. It isthe enginethat drivesthe commercialperformanceof our business, delivering
£500m+ in revenue through advertising, transactional, and data products.
A two-sided marketplace naturally creates a healthy, dynamic tension between buyer and seller priorities.
Navigating this complexity and striking theoptimalbalance is a central requirement of this role, including:
Delivering a market-leading experience for car buyers.
Ensuring advertising products deliver clear value and return on investment for sellers.
Maximisingcommercial opportunities for Autotraderwith careful consideration for both buyers and sellers.
As a Senior Product Lead - New Car Advertising Products within our Marketplace community, you will own the advertising products we offer to our partners (new car manufacturers, like Ford, Tesla and BYD).
This is an area of strategic importance for Autotrader as we diversify our revenue outside of our core used car business, and the opportunity is growing with more new brands looking to enter the UK (mostly from China).
Examples of products that sit in within New Car Advertising Products
- Lead generation products that deliver high-intent buyers to manufacturers.
- Awareness raising products that support integrated campaigns (i. e. new model launch).
- Stock based products that allow brands and retailers to advertise physical new car inventory.
- What you’ll do
- Lead the strategic planning process for your product domain, setting a clear direction, coherent vision, and outcome-driven roadmap.
Communicate this effectively across business stakeholders.
- Use quantitative data, qualitative user research, and your product intuition to make high-impact prioritisation calls.
- Work collaboratively with cross-functional engineering, UX, data science, and commercial teams to iteratively deliver value.
- Navigate complex cross-functional relationships, creating alignment across teams and ensuring smooth go to market delivery.
- Role-model product excellence, mentoring more junior Product Leads and Product Analysts, and contributing to the wider Product & Technology (P&T) community at Autotrader.
- What we’re looking for
- Strong experience leading product strategy and execution in a scaled digital marketplace, e-commerce, or Saa S platform.
- Proven commercial acumen with accountability for revenue, P&L, or key commercial outcomes.
- Experience managing two-sided marketplace dynamics and balancing buyer/seller priorities.
- Familiarity leveraging data, experimentation, and using emerging technology (e. g. AI/ML capabilities) to optimise for conversation and enhance product experiences.
- Collaborative communicator who can align technical teams, commercial partners, and senior leadership.
- Curiosity and adaptability with regards to how AI is changing how teams build and deliver products.
- We’re offering a salary of £65,000 - £90,000 plus an additional 10% of your salary awarded to you in shares each year.
These awarded shares will become yours in yearly instalments over the next three years, and you can choose to either sell them or keep them as shares.
And you'll receive 28 days holiday, plus bank holidays and comprehensive private medical cover.
- That’s not all. You'll be enrolled in our pension scheme, where our standard contributions are 7% and employee contributions are 5%.
- We also have comprehensive private medical cover , enhanced family leave provisions, a car salary sacrifice scheme, share-save options, and much more.
- We always want to give you the support you need and help prioritise your wellbeing, that’s why we provide access to 24/7 online GP and dentist, as well as specialist support for assisted fertility, gender dysphoria, menopause, period care plans and lots more.
- On top of all that, our hybrid model, Connected Working, combines the best of both worlds – office and home working.
You'll spend a minimum of 3 days a week in the office with your team, focused on collaboration and connection.
- Additionally, we have our remote-first periods at set times during summer and winter.
During these periods, you can work remotely anywhere in the UK and from certain location abroad.
We are a disability confident leader. We offer a first stage interview to any applicant who identifies as disabled and meets the minimum criteria for the role.
We are committed to making Autotrader a diverse and inclusive environment for everyone.
For us to be successful, we want to attract and build a group of people where everyone is unique in their own way.
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Senior Product Lead (New Car Advertising Products) in Manchester employer: Autotrader
Autotrader is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Manchester where innovation thrives. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, we provide opportunities for mentorship and collaboration across teams, alongside a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package that includes share options and generous holiday allowances. Our hybrid work model ensures flexibility, allowing you to balance your professional and personal life while contributing to meaningful projects that shape the future of consumer products.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Product Lead (New Car Advertising Products) in Manchester
✨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 Autotrader!
✨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 Autotrader 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 Autotrader through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Product Lead (New Car Advertising Products) in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Senior Product Lead (New Car Advertising Products), 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 Senior Product Lead (New Car Advertising Products) position at Autotrader. 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 Autotrader
✨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.