Lead Product Manager - Bristol

Lead Product Manager - Bristol

Bristol Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
HMRC

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead product teams to shape the future of digital tax services.
  • Company: Join HMRC, a key player in transforming the UK's tax system.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous leave, and flexible working options.
  • Other info: Be part of a dynamic team with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on millions by enhancing user experiences in tax services.
  • Qualifications: Experience in product management and leading cross-functional teams is essential.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

About the job

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it's really like to work at HMRC. HMRC is transforming the UK's tax system through cutting-edge digital innovation, and the Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) Group is at the heart of that mission. We are building high quality digital services that will enhance the customer experience, enable real time interactions, and make tax simpler and more intuitive for everyone.

You will join the Chief Digital Product Officer (CDPO) Digital Services team, responsible for the design, delivery and operation of some of HMRC's most critical digital services. Bringing together expertise across product, delivery, technology and operations, the team runs services at national scale, supporting millions of users and enabling core tax and customs functions.

Job description

You will lead a group of product teams within a defined service or domain, setting direction, aligning delivery, and ensuring consistent product management practices are applied. You will:

  • define and communicate portfolio-level strategy
  • ensure effective prioritisation across teams
  • manage dependencies and risks across services
  • influence senior stakeholders to support evidence-based decisions

You will balance user needs, policy intent, and operational constraints to deliver high-performing digital service.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Strategy & Direction

  • Define and own the product strategy and vision for a portfolio of services, aligned to organisational priorities.
  • Translate business goals into clear product direction, roadmaps and value propositions.

Product Leadership Across Teams

  • Lead multiple product teams, across a service.
  • Resolve cross-team dependencies, risks and trade-offs to maintain delivery flow.

Accountability for Outcomes

  • Own product performance and outcomes across the portfolio, including service quality, adoption and user satisfaction.
  • Define and track KPIs and success measures, taking corrective action where required.

Stakeholder Influence & Decision-Making

  • Influence and challenge senior stakeholders (Director level) to support product priorities and evidence-based decisions.
  • Secure alignment on investment, scope and trade-offs.

Enable High-Performing Teams

  • Ensure teams have the right skills, roles and operating environment to deliver effectively.
  • Provide leadership, guidance and support to Senior/Product Managers, including line management where appropriate.

Drive Consistency and Best Practice

  • Apply and embed consistent product management practices across teams in line with Government Digital and Data expectations.
  • Work with Heads of Product and other leads to continuously improve how product teams operate.

Success in Role

You will be successful when you:

  • Deliver measurable improvements in product outcomes across your portfolio
  • Establish clear, prioritised and achievable roadmaps across teams
  • Effectively manage dependencies and complexity across services
  • Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders to enable delivery
  • Develop capable, confident product managers and high-performing teams

Essential Criteria

  • Leading product delivery across multiple teams - Must have prior experience in a Product Manager role, owning delivery and outcomes across a portfolio or group of products, managing priorities, dependencies and trade-offs.
  • Product strategy and prioritisation - Proven ability to define product strategy, roadmaps and value propositions, balancing user needs and organisational goals.
  • Accountability for outcomes and performance - Experience defining and using KPIs to drive product decisions and improve service performance.
  • Senior stakeholder influence - Experience influencing Director level stakeholders, negotiating priorities and securing alignment on complex decisions.
  • Developing product capability - Experience leading, coaching or managing product managers to improve capability and performance.
  • Applying digital and product frameworks - Strong understanding of user-centred design, agile delivery and Government Digital and Data principles, applied to real-world delivery.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 71,725, HM Revenue and Customs contributes 20,778 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs. We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

Lead Product Manager - Bristol employer: HMRC

HMRC is an exceptional employer that prioritises employee growth and well-being, offering a supportive work culture where innovation and collaboration thrive. With flexible and hybrid working policies, generous leave allowances, and a commitment to continuous improvement, employees can achieve a healthy work-life balance while contributing to meaningful public service. Located in Birmingham's vibrant Arena Central, this role as an Operating Model Manager provides the opportunity to lead impactful change within a large organisation, making a real difference in how technology services are delivered.

HMRC

Contact Details:

HMRC Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Lead Product Manager - Bristol

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 HMRC!

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 HMRC 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 HMRC through your school's career services!

We think you need these skills to ace Lead Product Manager - Bristol

Product Strategy
Portfolio Management
Stakeholder Influence
KPI Definition and Tracking
User-Centred Design
Agile Delivery
Team Leadership

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Lead Product Manager - Bristol, 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 - Bristol position at HMRC. 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 HMRC

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.