At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the scaling of innovative digital products for children's development.
- Company: Nesta, a pioneering research and innovation foundation focused on social impact.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous pension contributions, private medical insurance, and flexible working options.
- Other info: Join a diverse team committed to innovation and positive change.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while developing your skills in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in product management and agile methodologies, with a passion for social impact.
The predicted salary is between 53192 - 65012 £ per year.
About Nesta
Nesta is a research and innovation foundation that designs, tests and scales solutions for the biggest challenges of our time. Driven by a vision to improve the lives of millions of people, our focus up to 2030 is on three missions: breaking the link between family background and life chances, halving obesity and cutting household carbon emissions. We work with partners across the public, private and third sectors to develop high-potential solutions and test them as they evolve, drawing on deep expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, data science, behavioural science and design.
We are recruiting a Product Manager to be embedded in our Fairer Start mission.
About the Fairer Start mission
We want every child to have the fairest possible start in life, so they can thrive and realise their potential. Children born into disadvantage are far more likely to experience poor health, lower earnings, shorter life expectancy and lower levels of happiness than their peers. Closing the gap through targeted support at crucial moments of development is not just good policy, it is good economics: such interventions and system shifts are easily paid for by the long-term benefits of higher economic productivity and lower social costs. The Fairer Start mission works to develop innovative, scalable solutions to the factors that prevent children from disadvantaged backgrounds from thriving.
The role
- Strategically deliver and de-risk the scaling of priority digital products and services in the Fairer Start mission as they mature beyond early validation.
- Develop outcome-focused strategies and roadmaps that align user value with mission goals and long-term sustainability.
- Manage the full product lifecycle, from scaling and ongoing maintenance through to strategic retirement or spin-out.
- Lead multidisciplinary teams (e.g. design, data science, engineering, domain experts) to use live data and ongoing discovery to focus iteration toward increasing impact, and resolve roadblocks as needed.
- Embed lean-agile principles to ensure teams release working solutions quickly and often, learning from real-world feedback and data to improve value.
- Cultivate relationships with delivery partners and key stakeholders to support the widespread adoption and impact of products and services.
- Translate complex user needs into concrete requirements and realistic release plans that match team capacity.
- Identify new digital opportunities and occasionally undertake discovery to validate new solutions when mission needs evolve.
- Support capability building through facilitating learning opportunities within a community of people interested or involved in product-related work.
The person
Essential
- Experience leading digital products and services through the transition from validation to sustained impact, with a focus on de-risking growth and navigating the complexities of scaling whilst ensuring stable and secure service delivery.
- Experience using lean-agile principles and using live data and ongoing discovery to focus product iterations toward increasing the impact and scale of existing solutions.
- You have experience supporting multidisciplinary teams to develop digital products and services that meet the needs of users and stakeholders, as well as having the desired business and/or social impact; including helping them to uncover and understand user and stakeholder needs through user research and testing.
- Ability to translate user needs and mission goals into strategic roadmaps and realistic release plans that account for team capacity and operational constraints.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams through the product lifecycle, aligning around strategic choices, establishing routines for releasing working solutions quickly to learn and improve, facilitating decisions and resolving roadblocks.
- Skilled at building relationships with delivery partners and technical/non-technical stakeholders to support progress and impact.
- Experience managing products at various stages of maturity through to retirement.
Desirable
- Comfortable using code or no-code/low-code tools to quickly validate new solutions when mission needs evolve.
- Experience developing digital products and services specifically designed for social impact or mission-driven outcomes (specifically early years), including navigating ethical considerations and the needs of more disadvantaged users.
- Familiar with design disciplines (like UX design and service design) and are able to apply some of the mindsets and tools.
What we offer
- Salary: circa £58,500 plus array of benefits, including up to 12% employer pension contributions, Private Medical Insurance, dental insurance, the ability to buy and sell annual leave, and more.
- Location: Blackfriars, Central London - hybrid working arrangement, with a minimum of two days working from the office.
- Term: 2 year fixed-term.
- This is a full-time role but we offer a range of flexible working arrangements and encourage our people to take advantage of them.
- Reports to: Product Lead, Design & Technology.
Making an application
To apply for this role, please submit your application before 25th November 2026. Round 1 interviews are expected to take place w/c 7 December 2026, and Round 2 interviews (including a presentation) on 14 December 2026.
At Nesta, we believe that a diverse workforce leads to an organisation that is more innovative, more creative and gets better results. We want our workforce to represent the diversity of the people and communities we serve. We also want our workplace to be one where different experiences, expertise and perspectives are valued, and where everyone is encouraged to grow and develop.
This means that when we are recruiting, we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates. It also means that we are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful. We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed or part-time hours, job shares and other arrangements.
Product Manager - A Fairer Start - 2 year Fixed Term Contract in London employer: Nesta
Nesta is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, perfect for those passionate about driving innovation in the UK startup ecosystem. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, you will have access to unique opportunities for professional development while working in the vibrant city of London, where collaboration and creativity thrive. Join us to make a meaningful impact and be part of a community dedicated to shaping the future.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Manager - A Fairer Start - 2 year Fixed Term Contract 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 Nesta!
✨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 Nesta 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 Nesta through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Manager - A Fairer Start - 2 year Fixed Term Contract in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Manager - A Fairer Start - 2 year Fixed Term Contract, 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 Product Manager - A Fairer Start - 2 year Fixed Term Contract position at Nesta. 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 Nesta
✨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.
