At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product strategy and delivery for impactful user-centred solutions.
- Company: Join a growing tech consultancy focused on meaningful change.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, pension contributions, share options, and generous holiday.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by creating services used by millions.
- Qualifications: Experience in product management and agile methodologies required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 70000 £ per year.
Ready to design products and services that make a difference? Do you want to create products that make a meaningful impact? Are you ready to lead strategy and delivery on projects that reach large audiences? If so, Opencast could be the place for you. We’re a growing tech consultancy that creates user-centred solutions with purpose for our clients in government, healthcare and purpose-driven businesses.
As a Product Manager, you’ll lead product strategy and delivery, balancing user needs and business goals across sectors, to create services that are used by millions of UK citizens.
The role
You’ll work with technical teams and stakeholders to develop solutions that deliver our clients’ strategic goals. You'll work in agile teams alongside people in a range of roles spanning design, development, and research. You’ll help deliver the vision, helping to decide the features that each product needs and manage backlogs to meet our client preferences. You'll deliver discovery and ideation workshops across diverse groups of stakeholders. Ensure that work is carried out in accordance with Opencast's quality, environmental, and information security policies and procedures, as well as applicable customer policies, standards, and procedures while working on client.
Requirements
This role involves weekly on-site working. Applicants should be able to travel, as part of their daily commute, to client sites in one of the following locations: Newcastle, Leeds or Manchester. We’re looking for people who value in-person collaboration, enjoy building strong relationships, and are passionate about delivering solutions that make a real difference for our clients. Due to the nature of this role, you must either hold active Security Check (SC) clearance or be eligible and willing to undergo the clearance process. SC clearance is granted in line with UK Government security vetting requirements. Typically, applicants must have UK citizenship and have lived continuously in the UK for at least the past five years, with no single absence exceeding 28 consecutive days. Nationality and immigration status may also be considered as part of the vetting process. We are unable to progress applications from candidates who do not meet these requirements. If you are unsure whether you meet the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to review the guidance or discuss this with us before applying.
Essential experience
To succeed as a senior consultant product manager, you will need to demonstrate a breadth and depth of experience working in product management roles, on complex projects, across the full product lifecycle in different sectors. You will have in-depth knowledge of software development, with experience in agile and user-centred design. In your CV and the interview, you should show how you have:
- Recent government (public sector) experience and/or experience of delivering complex digital services that meet Government Digital Service (GDS) standards.
- Led cross-functional, agile teams to deliver successful products.
- Developed product visions, minimum viable products and roadmaps, understanding business problems and contexts.
- Communicated objectives, plans and progress to a range of stakeholders.
- Used boundary objects to synthesise many different perspectives.
- Facilitated conversations to align large groups of diverse stakeholders.
- Cultivated high performing, constructive and trusting team environments.
Essential consulting skills
In addition to business analysis skills, there are essential core skills you’ll need to be an Opencast consultant. You’ll need to demonstrate how you:
- Contribute to improving ways of working and driving continuous improvements within your teams.
- Share knowledge and best practice with fellow product managers and other disciplines, including proactively engaging in client and Opencast communities of practice.
- Positively challenge decisions or solutions you don’t agree with, striving for the best client outcomes.
- Create lasting value in the projects you work on, ensuring a user‑centric, sustainable approach.
- Engage with Opencast in a meaningful way, supporting the growth of your practice and wider capability.
- Support Opencast's growth plans, by providing case studies and updates into the relevant forums of your project work.
Salary
£60,000 - £70,000 per annum.
What we offer
A competitive package including a 7% employer pension contribution, share options, and a discretionary bonus. You’ll also benefit from 25 days’ holiday and access to 3 annual “life happens” days to support unexpected situations. We provide wellbeing support, ongoing professional development, volunteering opportunities, and the chance to be part of a genuinely supportive team.
Where you’ll work
This role requires regular on-site attendance at our HQ, hub offices, and client sites, as well as the ability to work from home. Applicants must be able to travel to offices and client sites across the UK as part of their normal working arrangements, as travel is essential for fulfilling the responsibilities of the role.
We include you
We welcome candidates from all identities, attributes, ways of thinking and backgrounds to thrive in a career at Opencast. Our aim is for the diversity of our people to be reflected in the solutions we deliver, to help create a fairer society for all.
Interview
Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams. We’re happy to make adjustments to support your needs.
Product Manager - Senior Consultant employer: Opencast
As a growing tech consultancy, we pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. With a competitive benefits package, including generous holiday allowances and professional development opportunities, we ensure our team members are supported both personally and professionally. Working at our HQ offers the unique advantage of being at the heart of innovation, where you can directly contribute to impactful solutions for the public sector while building meaningful relationships with clients and partners.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Manager - Senior Consultant
✨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 Opencast!
✨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 Opencast 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 Opencast through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Manager - Senior Consultant
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Manager - Senior Consultant, 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 - Senior Consultant position at Opencast. 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 Opencast
✨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.
