Digital Product Manager (KB) (18 Months FTC)

About Barnet Council

Barnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centres, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

As a Digital Product Manager for Barnet’s Content Knowledge Base, you will play a central role in shaping how the council uses digital, data and technology (DDaT) to improve outcomes for residents and customers. Working within the Strategy & Innovation directorate, you will lead the development and delivery of a new, council‑wide knowledge base that brings together content and information from across Barnet’s services and partners.

You’ll operate at the heart of Barnet’s growing digital function—providing strong matrix leadership across multidisciplinary teams, building productive relationships with stakeholders at all levels, and guiding up to five direct reports. A significant part of your focus will be on the council’s evolving response to Artificial Intelligence and new technologies, ensuring products are well‑designed, user‑centred, and capable of delivering significant efficiencies and financial benefits.

Alongside product delivery, you will contribute to Barnet’s wider DDaT agenda by offering digital consultancy, supporting service areas to understand opportunities, adopt digital best practice, and embed a digital‑first mindset. You will help shape the council’s digital strategy, champion good service design, and play an active role in maturing the organisation’s digital capability, governance, and ways of working.

This is a newly created role with significant scope to shape how Barnet adopts new technology, and offers the opportunity to influence strategy, set standards, and deliver meaningful impact for residents. It is a hybrid role – you will be expected to be in our Colindale offices an average of once a week. We also come into the office as required to meet service stakeholders, work together on collaboration, discovery and user testing sessions and department days.

You are an experienced digital product professional who thrives in complex, multistakeholder environments. You bring a track record of delivering successful digital products across their full lifecycle, ideally with experience in the public sector or similarly service-driven organisations. You understand modern technology platforms, the digital product landscape, and public sector best practice.

You are naturally user-focused and outcomes-driven, able to translate strategic goals into clear deliverables and practical action. Your leadership style is collaborative and adaptable: you’re comfortable guiding multidisciplinary teams, working in a matrix structure, and drawing on expertise across the organisation to deliver results.

Your skill set combines strong product thinking with excellent communication, prioritisation and decision-making. You’re able to scrutinise business cases, identify savings, and make informed recommendations about the direction of digital work. You can confidently develop user stories, support services to adopt digital approaches, and promote digital principles such as accessibility, iteration, inclusion and evidence-based design.

You’ll be part of a capable team with a growing ability to influence the organisation using new technology, and the opportunity to develop your own career whilst delivering innovative solutions.

What We Offer

• 31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents
• Work-life balance options may include hybrid working, flexitime, job share, home working, part-time
• A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more
• Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership
• Excellent training and development opportunities
• Employee well-being training programmes including confidential employee assistance

How To Apply

Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact Dave Worley, Head of Digital Strategy, dave.worley@barnet.gov.uk

Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Barnet operates stringent safer recruitment procedures, this may include AI Detection Screening, Biometric ID/Right to Work Checks, Qualification and Registration Checks, Up to 6 years of Employment Data and Insights to Accelerate Screening (Konfir), Up to 5 years of Employment History References, DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) Checks, Credit Checks and Social Media, Sanctions and Occupational Health Screening.

To deliver Barnet Council’s commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Barnet Council embraces all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working) and is committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

Barnet Council is a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

All posts with the council are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient number of applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, as any further communication regarding your application will be sent electronically. Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted.