At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the creation of innovative digital products that enhance community services.
- Company: Join Lewisham Council, a pioneer in supporting diverse communities.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holidays, flexible working, and excellent training opportunities.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with a supportive and inclusive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives through impactful digital solutions.
- Qualifications: Experience in managing digital products and leading teams is essential.
The predicted salary is between 63816 - 66084 £ per year.
Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities! We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.
Looking to build innovative digital products that users love? The Digital Product and Development team is passionate about delivering new and improved digital products for residents, staff and businesses in Lewisham. Our team combines product managers, product designers, software developers and delivery specialists, who work together seamlessly, taking services from concept through to launch. We deliver services in a modern, agile way, with the user at the heart of delivery.
Here's what sets us apart:
- Cross-functional Collaboration: We break down silos, fostering communication and innovation.
- Agile Delivery: We iterate quickly, adapting to changing needs and user feedback.
- User-Centric Design: We create beautiful, intuitive interfaces that solve real problems.
- Data-Driven Decisions: We use data to measure success and continuously improve.
- Modern tooling: We use industry standard tooling such as Azure DevOps for lifecycle management, Figma for UX/UI designs, UserZoom for user research and testing, Miro for process design and discovery, plus more…
What’s the role? The Lead Product Manager is a pivotal role in the team with overall responsibility for Housing Digital Products and Roadmap. Reporting to the Head of Digital Product & Development, the successful applicant will be responsible for creating new and improved digital products that meet the needs of our residents, businesses and staff. You own the product roadmap, vision and strategy for the products, using data to help prioritise the backlog of requirements for a multi-disciplinary software development team.
You will lead a team of product managers, providing support, training and coaching, and coordinating a roadmap of services across your domain. You provide support and coaching to your team and the wider Product team in developing roadmaps, high quality requirements and user stories, and identifying and measuring key outcomes.
In a typical week, you could be creating a backlog for a new product for services across the council, such as the Housing management system, Repairs management system or the Temporary accommodation system. You could be creating a vision for a product, understanding the measures and objectives, both qualitative and quantitative, to track the success of the product. You could be working with software developers to understand the benefits of tackling a piece of technical debt. You could be coaching your team of product managers to improve their technical skills, or running workshops for the wider organisation on agile software development.
What’s in it for you? Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:
- Generous holiday allowance
- Local Government Pension scheme
- Flexible working and family friendly policies
- Season ticket and bicycle loans
- A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
- Supportive staff networks
What we’re looking for:
- Experience of managing multiple digital products, creating a product vision and goals and leading a development team towards these goals.
- Experience of managing a team of product managers and building a training programme for product ownership.
- Experience of creating a roadmap for a portfolio of digital services.
- Strong knowledge of the IT industry/technology solutions to manage and support the provision of digital solutions across the Council.
- Excellent understanding and experience of gathering and clarifying business requirements.
- Excellent understanding and experience of managing the delivery of digital products to agreed business specifications.
- Experience of managing 3rd party IT and service suppliers.
- Experience of building, planning and managing project and department budgets.
- Solid operational understanding and experience of working within a Local Authority commercial environment, with housing services.
- Experience working with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and associate technology.
Location: The job is primarily based in Laurence House, Catford, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.
Special conditions: Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) – Desirable. Certified Scrum Master (CSM) – Desirable.
Diversity: Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident 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.
Lead Product Manager in London employer: Borough of Lewisham
The Borough of Lewisham is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises the well-being of both employees and the children they serve. With excellent training opportunities and a strong emphasis on collaboration, staff are empowered to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact in the community. Working in Lewisham not only provides a chance to contribute to service development but also fosters a sense of belonging through various supportive networks.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Product 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 Borough of Lewisham!
✨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 Borough of Lewisham 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 Borough of Lewisham through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Product Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Lead Product 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 Lead Product Manager position at Borough of Lewisham. 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 Borough of Lewisham
✨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.
