At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product delivery and evolution, turning strategy into impactful execution.
- Company: The National College empowers education professionals with innovative technology.
- Benefits: Generous holiday, mental health support, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Join a supportive team that values growth and celebrates success.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in education while shaping future products.
- Qualifications: Proven product management experience, especially in EdTech or SaaS.
The predicted salary is between 51750 - 63250 £ per year.
At The National College, we empower education professionals to transform children’s lives. Our all-in-one platform helps schools, trusts, and nurseries stay compliant, raise standards, and reduce staff workload through intuitive, impactful technology. If educators need it, we build it.
We’ve created a unique platform that combines the world’s largest CPD and policy library with innovative software tools, developed in collaboration with thousands of schools and more than 1,000 education experts.
We’re looking for an experienced Lead Product Manager to drive the delivery and evolution of our core products while helping shape our future product portfolio. Working closely with the Chief Product Officer, you’ll lead cross-functional teams, own the end-to-end product lifecycle, and support the development of a high-performing product team. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys turning strategy into execution, making data-informed decisions, and delivering products that create meaningful value for customers and the business.
Job Requirements
- Demonstrable track record of delivering high-quality products consistently and at pace across multiple workstreams.
- Proven experience taking products from discovery through to launch, including user research, stakeholder alignment, prioritisation, and delivery planning.
- Experience managing multiple products, platforms, or technology workstreams simultaneously.
- Experience within an EdTech, SaaS, or subscription-based business. Familiarity with the UK education sector is desirable.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong product management fundamentals, including backlog prioritisation, requirements gathering, and writing clear user stories and acceptance criteria.
- Confident working with design teams, providing direction and prioritising design work to support product delivery.
- Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively, manage stakeholder expectations, and elevate risks early.
- Highly organised and self-motivated, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability in a fast-paced environment.
- Commercially minded, with the ability to balance customer needs, technical constraints, and business priorities when making product decisions.
- Data-informed approach to decision-making, using qualitative and quantitative insights to guide prioritisation and measure success.
- Comfortable working in ambiguity and adapting quickly as priorities evolve.
Job Responsibilities
- Lead the end-to-end delivery of products and features, from initial scoping and discovery through to first release, proactively identifying and resolving blockers before they impact delivery.
- Own and manage the product backlog, writing clear user stories, requirements, and acceptance criteria to ensure engineering teams always have well-defined, prioritised work.
- Provide day-to-day direction to the UX Designer, setting clear briefs, offering timely and actionable feedback, and prioritising design work across competing initiatives.
- Ensure the quality of product releases through effective testing and validation before launch, maintaining a high standard of user experience.
- Communicate progress, priorities, risks, and decisions clearly with engineering, commercial, and leadership stakeholders.
- Coordinate with the wider Product team to manage shared platform dependencies and ensure effective cross-functional delivery.
- Work closely with the Chief Product Officer, keeping them informed of progress, risks, and key decisions while operating with a high degree of autonomy.
Job Benefits
- Life assurance.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
- 24/7 online GP access.
- Mental health and wellbeing support.
- Charity day.
- 25 days’ holiday, increasing to 30 days with service.
- Professional study support.
- Plus more.
Lead Product Manager in Sheffield employer: The National College
The National College in Sheffield is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters professional growth and collaboration. With generous benefits such as life assurance and up to 30 days of holiday, employees are supported in achieving a healthy work-life balance while contributing to meaningful educational advancements. The college's commitment to innovation in the Education SaaS sector ensures that team members are at the forefront of industry developments, making it a rewarding place to build a career.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Product Manager in Sheffield
✨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 The National College!
✨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 The National College 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 The National College through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Product Manager in Sheffield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Lead Product Manager, 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 position at The National College. 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 The National College
✨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.
