At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product strategy and delivery for digital transformations, driving innovation and customer satisfaction.
- Company: WPP Enterprise Solutions, a leader in business transformation and marketing modernisation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team with access to top-tier partners and cutting-edge technology.
- Why this job: Shape the future of products and make a real impact in a dynamic tech environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in product management and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 58349 - 71315 £ per year.
Who We Are
WPP Enterprise Solutions designs, builds, and operates the growth systems that competitive businesses rely on. In a world where AI is reshaping how companies drive growth, we lead clients in business transformation and marketing modernization, connecting strategy directly to execution. Our 12,000 experts in engineering and platforms, commerce, consulting, content transformation, CRM, and CX work within a unified global operating unit across 40+ markets. WPP Enterprise Solutions works alongside best-in-class partners including Adobe, AWS, Braze, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Shopify, as well as innovators in AI, to deliver growth solutions tailored to the needs of our clients' businesses. VML, part of WPP, supports WPP Enterprise Solutions by helping brands activate transformation through creativity and experience.
Lead Product Manager needed to own the product strategy, discovery, delivery and adoption of one of our key clients' digital transformations.
The opportunity
As Lead Product Manager, you will be accountable for translating business and customer needs into a clear product strategy and measurable outcomes. You will lead cross-functional teams through discovery, development, launch and continuous improvement, while building alignment across senior stakeholders, clients and delivery teams. This is a strategic leadership role, not solely a backlog-management position. We are looking for someone who can operate confidently from product vision and commercial strategy through to detailed execution.
What you'll be doing
- Product vision, strategy and roadmap: Own and communicate the product vision, strategy and long-term direction. Align the product strategy with organisational objectives, customer needs, commercial priorities and the wider strategy. Define the target customer, value proposition, product principles and strategic outcomes. Develop and maintain an outcome-focused product roadmap spanning multiple workstreams or product squads. Translate market insight, customer problems, operational needs and technology opportunities into clear product opportunities. Balance short-term delivery with longer-term platform capabilities, scalability, technical health and innovation. Lead product investment decisions and clearly articulate the expected customer and business value.
- Customer discovery and market leadership: Lead customer discovery, user research, journey mapping, problem definition and validation activities. Identify opportunities to improve workflows, efficiency, collaboration and visibility. Use customer insight, market research and competitive analysis to inform product decisions.
- Cross-functional leadership and delivery: Lead multidisciplinary teams across Product, Engineering, Architecture, UX/UI, Data, AI, Quality Assurance, Security and Operations. Provide clarity on the customer problem, desired outcomes, priorities and decision-making principles. Establish effective discovery and delivery practices across the product lifecycle. Ensure product teams have clear epics, requirements, user stories, acceptance criteria and measurable outcomes. Work closely with engineering teams to make pragmatic trade-offs between scope, quality, time, cost and technical risk. Maintain a healthy, prioritised backlog without losing sight of the wider product strategy. Identify and remove blockers, manage delivery risks and resolve cross-team dependencies. Lead release planning, readiness reviews, rollout planning and post-launch evaluation. Continuously improve product and delivery ways of working across the programme. Use Agile approaches pragmatically, including Scrum, Kanban and continuous discovery practices.
- Senior stakeholder and executive engagement: Act as the primary product representative for senior internal stakeholders, clients and programme governance forums. Communicate product strategy, progress, outcomes, risks, dependencies and trade-offs clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Lead Product Manager - Contract employer: Vmlenterprisesolutions
WPP Enterprise Solutions is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture, where creativity meets technology to drive meaningful business transformations. As a Lead Product Manager, you will have the opportunity to lead cross-functional teams in a collaborative environment, with access to extensive resources and support for professional growth. Located in a vibrant market, WPP offers unique advantages such as partnerships with industry leaders and a commitment to employee development, making it an ideal place for those seeking impactful and rewarding careers.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Product Manager - Contract
✨Connect with Product Management Communities
Dive into online communities like Product School or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, share your insights, and ask questions. This can help you build relationships and visibility in the product management scene, plus you might hear about temp roles before they even get posted!
✨Attend Industry Meetups and Workshops
Check out local meetups or workshops specifically targeted at product management. These gatherings are prime spots to meet hiring managers and fellow practitioners. Plus, they often lead to connections that can help you land temporary roles.
✨Showcase Your Work with a Portfolio
Even if you're after a temporary gig, having a solid portfolio is key! Include case studies of past projects, highlighting your role and how you drove product success. Use platforms like Behance to display your work visually.
✨Apply Directly on Company Websites
When you spot a temp role like Lead Product Manager - Contract at Vmlenterprisesolutions, go straight to their website to apply. Direct applications often have a better chance of standing out since they show commitment. It's worth the extra effort, trust us!
We think you need these skills to ace Lead Product Manager - Contract
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Sense:In product management, we want to see your understanding of user needs and business value. When you're crafting your CV and cover letter, highlight specific products you've worked on, the methodologies you used, and how those experiences shaped your product sense. If you have insights into user journey mapping, competitive analysis, or product lifecycle, make sure to feature them!
Highlight Relevant Experience:For a temporary role, employers often look for candidates who can hit the ground running. Make sure your written application showcases not just your past roles, but also specific outcomes you've driven. Don't shy away from using metrics—how did your contributions impact the product or team? We love when you quantify your achievements!
Be Ready to Adapt:Temporary positions can often lead to quick changes in direction. In your cover letter, convey your adaptability and eagerness to learn. Mention any experiences where you’ve had to pivot or adjust your approach to meet project goals. Talk about how you thrive in dynamic environments—it'll really resonate with us at Vmlenterprisesolutions!
Link to Your Portfolio:If you've worked on product roadmaps, user stories, or any visualisations, link to your portfolio in your application. Even a personal project that demonstrates your skills as a product manager can show your proactive approach. It's a great way for us to see your work in action and understand your style. And remember, apply through our website to make it easier for us to find you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Vmlenterprisesolutions
✨Show Off Your Product Knowledge
Make sure we can discuss the product lifecycle with confidence! Be ready to showcase your understanding of key concepts in product management, such as roadmap planning and user research. We want to hear about any tools you're familiar with, like JIRA or Trello, as they’re popular in this space!
✨Agile Mindset is Key
As a temporary role, they'll want us to hit the ground running. Brush up on Agile methodologies and be prepared for scenario-based questions where you might need to demonstrate how you'd handle shifting priorities or tight deadlines. Show that you can think on your feet and adapt quickly!
✨Bring Your Portfolio of Projects
If you've got any product projects up your sleeve—be it case studies or live examples—bring them along! For a temporary position, they’re going to want to see tangible results from your previous work, so don't hold back on demonstrating how you've made an impact in past roles.
✨Communicate Clearly and Concisely
They’ll be looking to see how you articulate your ideas, so practice your pitch! Make sure we can summarise complex product requirements into clear, understandable language. Being able to express yourself well is vital in product management, especially in a temporary role where quick collaboration is essential!
