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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Own a critical application, translating business needs into clear requirements for developers.
- Company: Join FORT, a leading tech recruitment consultancy focused on long-term fit and technical expertise.
- Benefits: Competitive contract rate, hands-on role, and the chance to make a real impact.
- Why this job: Step into a vital role, driving improvements in a complex system that supports thousands of users.
- Qualifications: Experience as a Product Owner or Technical Consultant, with a grasp of legacy systems and workflows.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration with talented teams.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
We are looking for an experienced Senior Product Owner / Systems SME to take full ownership of a complex, business-critical application supporting thousands of customer workflows. This system drives underwriting, customer processing, and requires someone confident navigating legacy environments, identifying gaps, and making clear recommendations to both business and technical teams.
This is a hands‑on, highly autonomous role. You’ll be stepping into a gap created by the sudden absence of the internal SME, taking responsibility for understanding the full system landscape, working closely with development teams, and advising stakeholders on limitations, risks, and improvements.
You don’t need to code — but you must understand how systems work, how backend components interact, and how infrastructure (AWS) and APIs underpin the wider customer workflow.
What You’ll Do
- Take full ownership of a large, business‑critical customer application system
- Act as the system SME: understanding backend logic, API interactions, and infrastructure constraints.
- Translate business problems into structured requirements for developers and senior stakeholders.
- Work closely with development teams and external dev partners.
- Review and assess system limitations, technical debt, legacy complexity, and workflow bottlenecks.
- Support ongoing feature development and parallel code‑change initiatives.
- Own JIRA workflows, requirements gathering, acceptance criteria, and backlog clarity.
- Engage regularly with business teams (sales, underwriting, operations) to understand real‑world usage and pain points.
- Provide consultative input similar to an architect: system‑wide insight, recommendations, and impact analysis.
Tech & Domain Experience (Not all essential, but beneficial)
- Strong experience as a Product Owner, or Technical Consultant.
- Background in legacy systems, complex workflows, or high‑volume transaction systems.
- Understanding of cloud‑hosted infrastructure (AWS preferred).
- Familiarity with software development processes and modern engineering teams.
- Experience using JIRA.
- Consumer applications workflows.
- Comfortable working with developers, understanding constraints without needing to code.
Who We Are
FORT – Future of Recruiting Technologists is a specialist technical & IT search consultancy placing experienced professionals with leading technology‑driven organisations across the UK. We focus on long‑term fit, deep technical understanding, and honest, consistent delivery. Our values — Continual Development, Compassion, and Consistency — guide every interaction with our clients and candidates.
Product Owner in Manchester employer: FORT
Contact Detail:
FORT Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Owner in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, attend meetups, and engage with online communities. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly to hiring managers.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by understanding the company’s products and challenges. Dive deep into their tech stack and think about how your experience as a Product Owner can help solve their specific problems. This shows you’re not just another candidate; you’re the right fit!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, send a quick thank-you note expressing your appreciation for the opportunity. It keeps you fresh in their minds and shows your enthusiasm for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got a range of roles that might be perfect for you. Plus, applying directly helps us get to know you better and increases your chances of landing that dream job.
We think you need these skills to ace Product Owner in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Senior Product Owner. Highlight your experience with legacy systems and complex workflows, and don’t forget to mention any relevant projects where you’ve taken ownership.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Talk about your understanding of backend logic and how you’ve successfully navigated similar challenges in the past.
Showcase Your Technical Knowledge: Even though you won’t be coding, it’s important to demonstrate your understanding of how systems work. Mention your familiarity with AWS, APIs, and JIRA, as these are key to the role.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It helps us keep track of your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any updates!
How to prepare for a job interview at FORT
✨Know Your System Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you have a solid understanding of the application you'll be working with. Familiarise yourself with its backend logic, API interactions, and any legacy complexities. This will help you speak confidently about how you can take ownership and improve the system.
✨Prepare Real-World Examples
Think of specific instances where you've successfully navigated similar challenges in past roles. Be ready to discuss how you identified gaps, made recommendations, and worked with both technical and business teams. This will demonstrate your hands-on experience and problem-solving skills.
✨Get Comfortable with JIRA
Since you'll be owning JIRA workflows, brush up on how to effectively manage requirements gathering and backlog clarity. If you can show that you're proficient in using JIRA to streamline processes, it’ll give you an edge in the interview.
✨Engage with Stakeholder Perspectives
Understand the pain points of various business teams like sales and underwriting. Prepare to discuss how you would engage with them to gather insights and translate their needs into structured requirements. This shows that you’re not just a techie but also someone who values collaboration.
