At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development and management of innovative digital applications for academic services.
- Company: Join OUP, a leader in educational publishing with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, flexible working, and a generous pension contribution.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with a vibrant culture and commitment to diversity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on academic tools that support authors and journals.
- Qualifications: Experience in product ownership or business analysis, with a strong tech background.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
OUP’s application portfolio includes customer facing digital systems, content and data platforms, web and ecommerce applications, learning and assessment solutions, online journals, and digital research tools. Within this broader portfolio, the Academic Division depends on a focused set of applications that enable Journals and Author Services, supporting submission, production, licensing, ecommerce, and related workflows. This role is responsible for ensuring these applications operate effectively and continue to meet evolving business needs.
The Technical Product Owner (TPO) serves as the technical owner for the applications in the Author and Journal Services portfolio and manages their full lifecycle, ensuring each application is supported, improved, and aligned with Academic growth needs. This includes tools like SciPris for author ecommerce and licensing, along with applications for submission management, production tracking, and specialist support for editors, authors, and product teams. The TPO ensures these applications remain stable, secure, scalable, and aligned with business and customer expectations.
The role ensures technical solutions deliver measurable value by collaboratively guiding requirements, shaping solution design in partnership with an architect, supporting testing and release, and maintaining clear high-quality documentation. As the primary contact for assigned applications, the TPO provides expert guidance, drives alignment across teams, and continuously improves application performance and processes.
We operate a hybrid working policy that requires a minimum of 2 days per week in the Oxford office.
About You
To be successful in this role, you will ideally have:
- Experience of working as a business analyst, product owner or similar role (e.g. project manager, platform manager, product manager)
- Deep understanding of application and systems development, including feature development, delivery processes, and awareness of customer and market needs relevant to the product area.
- High-level technical understanding, including software development methods and practices.
- Knowledge of methodologies associated with digital product development and delivery, in particular Agile, delivery approaches and tooling.
- Strong knowledge of product and development management tools.
- Knowledge of user-centred design principles.
- Experience of working with third party suppliers.
We care about work/life balance here at OUP. With this in mind we offer 25 days’ holiday that rises with service, plus bank holidays and Christmas closure (3-days) and a 35-hour working week. We are open to discussing flexibility in respect to working patterns, dependent on role. We also have a great variety of active employee networks and societies.
We help make your money go further by contributing to your pension up to 12%, offering loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, in addition to travel to work schemes and access to a wide range of local discounts. This role comes with the added benefit of a discretionary annual payment.
We are committed to supporting diversity in our workforce, and ensuring an inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive. We seek to employ a workforce representative of the markets that we serve and encourage applications from all.
Technical Product Owner in Oxford employer: Oxford University Press
At OUP, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. With a strong commitment to professional development, we offer numerous growth opportunities and a supportive environment where your passion for music can flourish. Located in Oxford, our hybrid working policy and generous benefits, including 25 days of holiday and a robust pension scheme, ensure a healthy work-life balance while you contribute to shaping the future of music publishing.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical Product Owner in Oxford
✨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 Oxford University Press!
✨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 Oxford University Press 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 Oxford University Press through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Technical Product Owner in Oxford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Technical Product Owner, 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 Technical Product Owner position at Oxford University Press. 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 Oxford University Press
✨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.
