Head of Product and User Centred Design

Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension 28.97%

25 days annual leave (+1 per year)

8 Bank Holidays + Privilege Day

Staff discount portal

Career development opportunities (CIPD

Prince2, apprenticeships) paid for by,

24-hour Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible working options

Job summary

Department for Transport is seeking a Head of Product and User-Centred Design in a senior leadership role. You will shape the strategic direction for Product Management and UCD, ensuring services deliver user value and align with departmental objectives.

You will lead and develop a community of Product Managers and UCD professionals, setting standards, driving best practice and promoting innovation across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Experience leading Product Management and User-Centred Design (UCD) functions, setting strategy and driving organisational outcomes.
• Proven ability to build, lead and develop high-performing Product and UCD teams and communities of practice.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing senior leaders and decision-makers.
• Experience developing and implementing product strategies that align with organisational priorities and deliver measurable value.
• Experience working in complex digital, transformation or portfolio environments, balancing priorities, risks and investment decisions.

Responsibilities

• Defining and maintaining the strategic approach to product management and user-centred design across the Portfolio Management Hub, aligning with organisational priorities and investment plans.
• Setting and raising standards for product management and UCD practice, ensuring consistency and alignment across service lines.
• Working closely with lead product managers, UCD leads, and business units to develop coherent product strategies that contribute to portfolio-wide value realisation.
• Providing leadership, support, and coaching to senior and lead Product managers and UCD leads, fostering a strong, collaborative community.
• Creating a community for product ownership across the department and develop a framework for product ownership.

Skills

Product management leadership

User-centred design

Stakeholder management

Leadership and coaching

Strategy development

Education

APM Chartered Project Professional

APM Project Management Qualification

Job description

476033 Head of Product and User Centred Design

Department for Transport

Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 7th October 2026

Location: Birmingham, Hastings, Leeds, London, Swansea (This role is suitable for hybrid working)

Plus an additional allowance of up to £28,560.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Join the Department for Transport as the Head of Product and User-Centred Design and play a leading role in shaping the future of digital services. This is an exciting opportunity to define the strategic direction for Product Management and User-Centred Design (UCD), ensuring services deliver value, meet user needs and support departmental objectives.

As a senior leader within the Portfolio Management Hub, you'll oversee and develop a community of Product Managers and UCD professionals, setting standards, driving best practice and building capability across the organisation. You'll create the conditions for teams to thrive, championing innovation, collaboration and a strong focus on user outcomes.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, business leaders and delivery teams, you'll help align digital investment with organisational priorities, ensuring product strategies contribute to long-term value, performance and sustainability. You'll influence decision-making, communicate strategic insights and advocate for user-centred approaches across the department and its agencies.

Top Responsibilities

• Defining and maintaining the strategic approach to product management and user-centred design across the Portfolio Management Hub, aligning with organisational priorities and investment plans.
• Setting and raising standards for product management and UCD practice, ensuring consistency and alignment across service lines.
• Working closely with lead product managers, UCD leads, and business units to develop coherent product strategies that contribute to portfolio-wide value realisation.
• Providing leadership, support, and coaching to senior and lead Product managers and UCD leads, fostering a strong, collaborative community.
• Creating a community for product ownership across the department and develop a framework for product ownership.

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

About You

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Experience leading Product Management and User-Centred Design (UCD) functions, setting strategy and driving organisational outcomes.
• Proven ability to build, lead and develop high-performing Product and UCD teams and communities of practice.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing senior leaders and decision-makers.
• Experience developing and implementing product strategies that align with organisational priorities and deliver measurable value.
• Experience working in complex digital, transformation or portfolio environments, balancing priorities, risks and investment decisions.

If you do not already hold the qualifications listed below, you will be expected to work towards achieving them once in role.

• APM Chartered Project Professional
• APM Project Management Qualification

Additional Information

The role is part of the Government Digital and Data Framework profession and utilises an enhanced Capability–Based Pay Framework which provides access to a Digital and Data allowance.

The base pay is £69,501 National and £74,535 London. In addition to this the role includes a Digital and Data allowance of up to £28,560.

The value of allowance awarded will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated through the selection process.

This vacancy closes at 23:55 on Wednesday 7th October 2026