At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to manage stock and pricing technology for a leading retail brand.
- Company: NEXT, a fast-paced retail giant with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a collaborative environment with excellent career advancement opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in retail tech while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in project management and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 59576 - 65000 £ per year.
We are looking for an experienced Product Group Manager to join the NEXT Technology Department. You will play a key role in driving NEXT forward within a fast-moving retail and growing international environment. This role demands strong leadership, technical understanding and excellent communication skills. As a Product Group Manager, you will work alongside your team of Product Delivery Managers to deliver a suite of technology products of strategic business importance. Your responsibility spans from inception to retirement, ensuring your teams provide daily support and develop prioritised business features.
The Stock & Pricing team supports product merchandisers by ensuring the right stock is in the right place across our UK high street, TP Partners, international wholesale and franchise stores and online customers. In retail today, few areas of expertise are as important as this. Stock & Pricing Technology is pivotal to ensuring our products are always available, both in our stores and for online customers. You will hold line management responsibility for Product Delivery Managers and a Senior Business Analyst, ensuring efficient resource use within your portfolio while balancing stakeholder interests. You will provide clear board-level communication that demonstrates progress, cost control and strategic alignment. You will manage budgeting for the product domain, ensuring continuous improvement is anticipated and provisioned. With strong supplier management and proven negotiation skills, you will deliver excellent cost control. You will oversee all aspects of delivery within a collaborative and agile framework, providing transparent communication aligned with the quality standards expected by stakeholders and IT governance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Manage business alignment and expectations by effectively communicating portfolio deliverables, backlogs and priorities
- Oversee the successful delivery of all projects within the portfolio
- Manage accounting, estimating and billing for all resource utilisation
- Lead, coach and develop a team of Product Delivery Managers to consistently deliver the highest standards of service
- Ensure complete adherence to design, creation, testing approaches and documentation standards
- Develop the technical and behavioural skills of the team, promoting a continuous learning culture
- Ensure NEXT Technology and business stakeholders remain fully aligned on project aims and deliverables
- Evaluate, prioritise and resource issues raised by business users effectively
- Maintain professional, clear and purposeful communication with the business
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders and business users
- Work closely with other systems teams to improve cross-team collaboration
- Ensure budgets for resources and services are correctly provisioned through the appropriate financial processes
- Maintain, review and negotiate supplier contracts to maximise cost-effectiveness
What You’ll Bring:
- A proven track record of delivering large-scale, high-profile enterprise initiatives from inception to completion within an agile environment as a Software Development, Project or Product Manager
- Demonstrable experience creating service level roadmaps, prioritising backlogs, developing business cases and utilising insights like user feedback and performance analytics
- Strong legal, compliance and commercial competencies, with experience negotiating contracts in excess of £5m TCO
- Extensive experience managing complex projects and portfolios
- The ability to manage executive stakeholders and build key business relationships
- Exceptional people management skills, with a focus on leading, developing and coaching multi-disciplinary teams across various specialisms such as security, design and operations
- Strong leadership skills and previous experience managing teams
- Transferable skills applicable across multiple domains
- Experience managing a demanding workload with a strong ability to plan and prioritise multiple streams of work
- Proven performance communicating program status, costs and risks clearly to executive stakeholders
- Excellent ambassadorial skills when representing the business in front of clients, suppliers and partners
Product Group Manager - Stock & Pricing in Leicester employer: Next Careers
At Victoria’s Secret, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a vibrant work culture where teamwork and passion for customer service thrive. Our Sales Associates enjoy flexible shifts, comprehensive training, and opportunities for personal growth in a supportive environment, all while being part of a globally recognised brand that values creativity and innovation. Located in Exeter, our store provides a unique chance to engage with customers in a dynamic setting, making every day rewarding and enjoyable.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Group Manager - Stock & Pricing in Leicester
✨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 Next Careers!
✨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 Next Careers 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 Next Careers through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Group Manager - Stock & Pricing in Leicester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Group Manager - Stock & Pricing, 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 Group Manager - Stock & Pricing position at Next Careers. 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 Next Careers
✨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.
