At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of innovative educational products that empower students and schools.
- Company: Join Blue Education, a mission-driven company transforming student success.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, performance bonuses, private medical insurance, and hybrid work options.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for growth and creativity in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in education by turning ideas into practical solutions for schools.
- Qualifications: 3-5 years in product management with a knack for tech and education.
The predicted salary is between 85000 - 100000 £ per year.
Salary: £85,000–£100,000 (depending on experience and technical/product depth). Bonus/stock options available based on performance. Location: London, hybrid.
About us
At Blue Education, our unwavering mission is to empower students on their journey to academic excellence and personal growth, guiding them toward the realisation of their dreams to attend the world's most prestigious universities. We recognise the unique challenges that international students face, from mastering complex subjects to adapting to new cultures and educational systems. Our commitment is to provide comprehensive, personalised, and culturally sensitive tutoring services that foster confidence, competence, and global-mindedness.
Our core values drive our mission:
- Excellence: We uphold the highest standards of academic rigour and teaching excellence, helping students achieve their full potential and stand out in competitive admissions processes.
- Diversity and Inclusivity: We embrace and celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures and backgrounds that international students bring, fostering an inclusive environment where every student feels valued and supported.
- Individualised Approach: We understand that every student is unique, and we tailor our tutoring to their specific needs and goals, nurturing their strengths and addressing their challenges.
- Global Perspective: We instil a global perspective in our students, preparing them not only for academic success but also for a life enriched by cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
- Continuous Learning: We are committed to the continuous development of our tutors and the evolution of our teaching methods to stay at the forefront of educational excellence.
At Blue Education, we are not just tutors; we are mentors, advocates, and partners in your educational journey. Our ultimate goal is to see our students thrive academically, gain admission to the world's top universities, and go on to make meaningful contributions to society.
Why this role exists
Blue Education has existing internal tools, dashboards, workflows and academic knowledge that could become valuable school-facing products. The next stage is to turn this expertise into practical software that schools can use, helping Blue build deeper school relationships and create scalable distribution for its wider education services. This role will bridge the gap between academic expertise, product opportunity and technical execution. This is a product discovery, prototyping and technical delivery role.
The Role
We are looking for a Technical Product Lead to identify high-value product opportunities, shape product concepts and take ideas from discovery through prototype, MVP and implementation. Working closely with the academic and leadership teams, the successful candidate will understand real education and admissions problems, define the right product response, prototype quickly using AI-assisted, no-code and low-code tools, and manage the route to a more robust solution where appropriate. This is not a pure software engineering role, but the person must have enough technical fluency to understand data, APIs, integrations, technical trade-offs and outsourced development. You should be able to move comfortably between product discovery, practical prototyping and technical delivery. Internal efficiency projects may form part of the work where relevant, but the core objective is to build and validate new technology products for schools.
Responsibilities
- Work with the academic team, leadership team and operational users to identify high-value product opportunities across Blue Education’s workflows, dashboards, admissions expertise and school-facing services.
- Translate ambiguous problems into clear user journeys, product requirements, MVP scopes, user stories, acceptance criteria and delivery plans.
- Build lightweight prototypes, proof-of-concepts, dashboards, mock-ups and MVPs using AI-assisted coding, no-code, low-code and relevant SaaS platforms.
- Use tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Replit, Lovable, Airtable, Retool, Zapier, Make, Tableau or similar platforms where appropriate.
- Assess whether a problem is best solved through software development, AI-assisted prototyping, automation, no-code tooling, an off-the-shelf product, outsourced development or a simpler process change.
- Write clear briefs for freelance developers, agencies or external technical partners where more robust technical development is required.
- Manage external development work, including scope, milestones, timelines, testing, quality control, handover and documentation.
- Test prototypes and MVPs with internal users and selected schools, gather structured feedback and translate evidence into product improvements.
- Work with school-facing and commercial colleagues to understand user needs, adoption barriers and opportunities for product improvement.
- Measure impact through adoption, usage, time saved, quality improvement, user experience, school engagement and commercial value.
- Document workflows, product decisions and technical logic so that products can be maintained and scaled over time.
Required skills and experience
- Around three to five years’ experience in product management, technical product management, product operations, product engineering, startup building, digital transformation, automation, business analysis or a similar hands-on product role.
- Strong ability to diagnose ambiguous problems and turn them into clear product options, MVP scopes and delivery plans.
- Practical experience using AI tools, no-code or low-code platforms, or AI-assisted coding tools to create prototypes, workflows, dashboards or lightweight applications.
- Comfortable working with technical concepts such as APIs, data structures, integrations, permissions, databases and software architecture at a practical level.
- Able to work closely with non-technical stakeholders and translate academic, operational or commercial needs into product requirements.
- Able to write clear project briefs, user requirements, acceptance criteria and implementation plans.
- Able to manage freelancers, agencies or technical partners without needing constant technical supervision.
- Strong judgement about when to build, buy, automate, outsource or simplify.
- Excellent written communication and stakeholder management skills.
- High ownership mentality, with the ability to take a problem from discovery through to delivery.
Nice to have
- Experience in education, tutoring, university admissions, schools or ed-tech.
- Experience building internal AI tools, chatbots, automations, dashboards, lightweight web applications or school-facing software.
- Basic familiarity with Python, JavaScript, SQL, APIs, databases, prompt engineering or system architecture.
- Experience working in a startup, scale-up, consultancy or founder-led environment.
- Experience translating service expertise into scalable software products.
- Experience with CRM systems, workflow automation or knowledge-management systems.
What success looks like
A successful person in this role will be able to take an unclear product opportunity, such as improving how schools support university applications, and turn it into a clear product definition, user journey, MVP scope, prototype, delivery plan and tested implementation. In the first phase, success should include:
- Clear prioritisation of the highest-value product opportunities.
- Rapid prototypes and MVPs that can be tested with internal users and selected schools.
- Strong evidence-based recommendations on what should be built, bought or outsourced.
- Effective management of any external developers or agencies.
- Early evidence of internal or school adoption.
- Clear documentation and handover so that products can be maintained and improved.
Compensation and benefits
Performance-related bonus and equity options, subject to company policy. Private medical insurance. Paid annual leave and public holidays. Hybrid working arrangements. Budget for AI tools, productivity software and relevant technical platforms. Exceptional candidates with stronger product-builder or technical delivery experience may be considered above the advertised salary range, subject to internal approval.
If you are passionate about helping talented young people achieve their potential in the field of Chemistry, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity today!
Technical Product Lead employer: Blue Education
Blue Education is an exceptional employer that prioritises the success and well-being of both students and staff. With a supportive work culture that values collaboration and communication, employees are encouraged to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact in the lives of families. Located in vibrant London, this role offers unique opportunities for engagement and development, particularly for those fluent in Mandarin, making it a rewarding place to work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical Product Lead
✨Discover Your Niche
In the product management and development realm, it's crucial to find your specific niche. Are you into agile methodologies or more traditional project management? Make sure your portfolio showcases your strengths in your chosen area—this helps you stand out to potential clients who are looking for that expertise.
✨Join Product Management Communities
Connecting with other freelancers in product management can open doors for collaborations and referrals. Join communities like ProductCoalition or PMHQ on LinkedIn. Engage in discussions, share your experiences, and let people know you’re on the lookout for freelance gigs—they can lead you to opportunities you wouldn't find otherwise.
✨Craft a Killer Online Portfolio
As a freelancer, your online presence is everything. Create a compelling portfolio that highlights your past projects, including case studies and testimonials from previous clients. Use platforms like Behance or your own website to display your work visually—this gives potential clients a taste of what they can expect when they hire you.
✨Pitch to Startups and Local Businesses
Look for startups or local businesses that need help with product management or development. These smaller organisations often look for freelance talent and appreciate fresh ideas. Reach out directly via email or at networking events, and propose how you can help them with their current challenges. Don’t forget to check out opportunities directly on platforms like ours at Blue Education—it’s where many freelancers find their next gig.
We think you need these skills to ace Technical Product Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Product Management Experience:When applying for the freelance Technical Product Lead role at Blue Education, make sure your CV highlights your relevant product management experience. Include specific projects where you led product development, focusing on how you identified user needs and managed the development cycle. This gives us a clear picture of your skills and real-world applications.
Prepare a Portfolio of Your Work:A stellar portfolio can make all the difference in the freelance world! Put together case studies of previous products you've worked on, including your role in the project, challenges faced, and the impacts of your decisions. We love seeing tangible results and learning about your thought process.
Be Ready to Discuss Your Methodologies:In your application, mention any specific methodologies or frameworks you’re familiar with, like Agile or Scrum. We’re interested in how you approach product development, so sharing your working methods could really set you apart as a candidate.
Outline Your Availability and Rates:As a freelancer, it’s important to be upfront about how much time you can dedicate to the role and your rate. Make sure to include this information in your cover letter — it shows you're transparent and ready to jump in at Blue Education. Plus, it helps us understand if we can align expectations from the get-go!
How to prepare for a job interview at Blue Education
✨Show Off Your Product Vision
For a freelance Technical Product Lead role, it’s crucial to demonstrate your ability to not just manage products, but to have a vision for them. Prepare to discuss previous projects where you identified a gap in the market or improved an existing product—show how your insights led to tangible results.
✨Be Ready for Agile Discussions
Agile methodologies are the bread and butter of product management. Brush up on your knowledge of Agile principles, and be prepared to discuss how you've implemented Scrum or Kanban in past projects. We want to see your familiarity with tools like JIRA or Trello, and how you've used them to streamline workflows.
✨Portfolio Power
As a freelancer, your portfolio speaks volumes. Make sure it showcases a variety of projects that highlight your skills in product development, user research, and stakeholder management. Include case studies that outline your role, the challenges you faced, and how your solutions brought value.
✨Master the Pricing Conversation
Freelancing often comes down to negotiating your worth. Be prepared to discuss your rates confidently. Know what you bring to the table, and don’t shy away from justifying your pricing based on your past successes and the unique skills you offer—this is how we ensure a good fit with Blue Education.
