At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the platform roadmap and ensure internal teams' needs are met.
- Company: Join VoCoVo, a diverse and inclusive tech company transforming retail communication.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, private medical insurance, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Hybrid role with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Shape the future of platform engineering and make a real impact in retail.
- Qualifications: Experience in product management within technical B2B environments is essential.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 65000 £ per year.
This job is with VoCoVo, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. VoCoVo specialises in innovative communication solutions tailored for businesses, particularly within the retail sector. Our flagship products are designed to create a connected store experience, facilitating seamless communication among retail staff to enhance efficiency and elevate customer service. We empower teams to collaborate effortlessly and achieve their retail goals. You've probably already seen us in action, we're trusted by Tesco, Asda, Dunelm and Iceland, just to name a few. With over 1 million users across more than 42,000 locations in 39+ countries, and recognition as one of the top 100 best small-to-medium size businesses to work for, join us on our journey!
Role Overview
VoCoVo's Platform Engineering department forms the technical foundation on which our entire product is built. Spanning cloud infrastructure, developer tooling, messaging and connectivity services, cloud application scalability and our on-premise edge device platform, it is increasingly critical to our growth. As we scale, Platform Engineering requires a dedicated product function to match its growing impact. Working closely with the Head of Architecture & Platform and Technical Leads, you will embed platform engineering within the existing product operating model, adapting it where necessary to meet the unique needs of platform teams.
You'll develop and maintain a roadmap that communicates platform investment in outcome-focused terms, provide the visibility internal teams need to understand dependencies and priorities, and ensure platform strategy is clearly understood across the organisation. This is a new role with significant opportunity to shape how platform engineering engages with the wider product organisation and demonstrates its value. This role would suit someone who builds trust through thoughtful questioning, brings clarity to the what and why, and treats internal product and delivery teams as the customers they are, focusing on understanding needs and outcomes rather than defining technical solutions.
Please note, to apply for this position you must be based in the UK and have the legal right to work in the UK. This is a hybrid remote position, we're looking for someone who is able to travel once per week, this may be to our office (Shipton-under-Wychwood or Cheltenham) or on customer visits.
What we're looking for
- Excellent product management foundations, with experience in technical B2B environments.
- Proven experience of working alongside or embedded in platform, infrastructure or enablement teams, alongside an understanding of how these differ from stream-aligned feature teams and what it takes to earn their trust.
- Strong levels of technical literacy, you are able to engage fluently in platform, infrastructure & architectural conversations, without the need to be an engineer.
- You have a strong background in translating technically complex work into outcome-focused roadmaps, epics and communications.
- An internal customer mindset, with the ability to surface and represent the needs of product and delivery teams in platform planning.
- You are comfortable restructuring technically-framed Jira backlogs into outcome-driven artefacts that non-engineers can understand.
- The ability to move at pace - navigating tight timelines and strong opinions, you are also able to confidently and respectfully challenge when work risks drifting from outcomes.
- Excellent communication skills, including experience of presenting technical roadmaps and investment cases to senior leadership.
"Nice to have" skills
- Familiarity with Team Topologies or similar thinking about platform vs stream-aligned team dynamics.
- Exposure to messaging infrastructure, IoT platforms, edge computing, cloud-native architecture or infrastructure security.
- Experience introducing product practices into engineering teams that have previously operated without them.
- Prior experience in a scale-up environment where delivery processes are still maturing.
What you'll do
- Own and rebuild the platform roadmap, transforming a backlog of technical tickets into a structured, outcome-driven plan, legible across VoCoVo.
- Act as the voice of internal customers, ensuring the needs of product and delivery teams are visible to platform engineers, and platform plans and timelines are visible to the wider business.
- Work with Platform Technical Leads and Delivery to surface and communicate dependencies in a format that supports proactive planning across stream-aligned teams.
- Shape outcome-focused artefacts such as epics, initiative briefs and roadmap narratives to provide documented context and value without prescribing the technical solution.
- Facilitate structured prioritisation across the platform teams, balancing reliability work, strategic investment and internal requests.
- Define and track meaningful KPIs for platform performance - availability, developer experience and adoption of platform capabilities.
- Run structured discovery with internal teams to understand what they need from the platform, surfacing unstated constraints and upcoming dependencies.
- Partner with the Head of Architecture and Platform to establish a sustainable product operating model, freeing engineering leadership for technical strategy and critical escalations.
What does success look like?
- 0-6 months: Trusted working relationships have been established with the platform Technical Leads and the Head of Architecture & Platform, and each team's priorities and constraints are understood. You've actively connected with the wider PM community and product-facing teams; understanding their platform dependencies and pain points firsthand. Backlogs and the short-term roadmap tell a story. Epics have outcomes, teams have context and engineering effort connects to visible value.
- 6-12 months: A platform roadmap that engineers, product managers and leadership all understand. Platform capabilities are adopted effectively by feature teams because they are well-communicated and well-documented. Platform Engineering dependencies are visible, information flows freely between platform and product teams, and silos have reduced meaningfully.
Salary
£60,000 - £65,000
Benefits
- 25 Days Holiday + Bank Holidays (increases with years of service)
- Option to buy or sell 5 days holiday each year
- Sick Pay - 8 weeks full pay, 4 weeks half pay
- Life Assurance - (4 times basic pay)
- Private Medical Insurance
- Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP)
- Cycle2Work Scheme
- Electric car green salary sacrifice scheme
- Enhanced Maternity & Paternity package
- Child Care Scheme
- Training & development opportunities
- Company organised events
- Pension (Royal London Group) 5% employer contribution matched
- Apple MacBook, Wireless Magic Mouse and Keyboard, monitor and headphones
Diversity and Inclusion
At VoCoVo, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. Our commitment is to create an environment that champions equity, innovation, and collaboration, ensuring all team members can flourish. Join us in shaping the future together. We are also committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process, so please let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments at any stage.
Company Values
Embracing VoCoVo's 'VOICE' Values is important to us, shaping our collaborative and innovative culture.
- VALUED Our Colleagues, Customers, and Stakeholders are valued; treated with respect, empathy, and operate with honesty and integrity
- ONE TEAM Collaboration of all for VoCoVo's happiness and success
- INNOVATION Our products are constantly evolving to tackle the pain points of retailers across the globe
- CUSTOMER FOCUSED Our customers love VoCoVo at every level, every interaction with us is frictionless, and we are integral to their operations
- EMPOWERED Our people are empowered to do the right thing and make decisions without loads of red tape
If you feel this could be the right fit, apply now!
Product Manager Platform employer: Vocovo
VoCoVo is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises innovation and collaboration within the retail technology sector. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide extensive benefits including generous holiday allowances, private medical insurance, and opportunities for professional development, all while fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. Join us in our Oxfordshire or Cheltenham offices for monthly meet-ups, where you can connect with a passionate team dedicated to enhancing communication solutions for retailers worldwide.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Manager Platform
✨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 Vocovo!
✨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 Vocovo 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 Vocovo through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Manager Platform
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Manager Platform, 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 Platform position at Vocovo. 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 Vocovo
✨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.
