Head of Products - Business Solutions

Metropolitan Police; Kilburn CP; On-site; GBP 94,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave: 28 days + bank holidays

Interest-free season ticket loans

Met sports and social clubs

Flexible working conditions

Job summary

Metropolitan Police is seeking a Head of Products for Business Solutions. You will lead a growing portfolio across HR, Finance, Commercial, Learning & Development, Property and Fleet, aligning product strategy with organisational priorities.

You will manage a team of Product Managers, promote user-centred design, and drive value realisation across thousands of users. Based in Kilburn, you will partner with senior stakeholders and suppliers to deliver targeted improvements, ensure governance and

Qualifications

• 8+ years' experience in Product Management within large organisations.
• Strong understanding of enterprise and SaaS platforms for corporate services.
• Experience balancing priorities across multiple stakeholders.
• Proven delivery of technology-enabled change using Agile, Waterfall or hybrid methods.
• Experience leading Product Managers and Product Owners in complex portfolios.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship building.
• Knowledge of shared service operating models and police/public sector context.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Business Services product portfolio.
• Own the product backlog and prioritise demand and improvements.
• Translate strategy into deliverable product plans and outcomes.
• Drive adoption of capabilities and manage change effectively.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to ensure timely delivery.

Skills

Product management leadership

Enterprise SaaS platforms

Portfolio management

Agile delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Backlog management

Business transformation

Vendor and supplier governance

Shared service awareness

Tools

Oracle ERP Cloud

ServiceNow

Job description

Job Title:

Head of Products - Business Solutions

Salary:

The starting salary is £94,088, which includes allowances totalling £3,009.

The salary is broken down as £91,079 basic salary, which will increase annually until you reach the top of the scale £100,387. Plus, a location allowance of £2,009 and a non-pensionable allowance of £1,000.

Location:

Kilburn

Digital & Innovation (D&I) is at the forefront of transforming the Metropolitan Police Service, bringing together technology, data, analytics, innovation and transformation capability to help deliver a safer London and drive the ambitions of A New Met for London. D&I is responsible for shaping how the Met harnesses digital capability, insight and modern ways of working to improve operational effectiveness, enhance public service and support the frontline.

By uniting technology delivery, live service operations, data and analytics, cyber security, organisational learning and transformation expertise, D&I enables the Met to make better decisions, deliver change faster, simplify complex processes and unlock new opportunities through innovation. Our mission is to create a connected, data-driven and digitally enabled organisation that is more efficient, productive and responsive to the needs of Londoners.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing business group that is shaping the future of policing. Working within D&I means being part of a collaborative community of specialists, problem-solvers and change-makers who are committed to delivering meaningful improvements for officers, staff and the public we serve.

D&I is committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment where everyone can thrive.

Job Purpose

The Digital & Innovation (D&I) directorate is responsible for delivering the digital, data, analytics and technology capabilities that enable the Metropolitan Police Service to operate effectively, efficiently and deliver better outcomes for Londoners. Within D&I, the Business Solutions function provides end-to-end ownership of the technology, data, reporting and digital services that support Business Services functions and capabilities.

The Head of Product is a senior leadership role within Business Solutions, accountable for establishing and leading a mature product management capability across the Business Services portfolio. The role provides strategic leadership for the full lifecycle of products and platforms that support core corporate functions, including Human Resources, Finance, Commercial, Learning and Development, Property, Fleet, and other Business Services capabilities as they transition into the Business Solutions portfolio.

The post holder will define and drive the Business Services product strategy, ensuring products, services and technology investments are aligned to organisational priorities, customer needs and operational outcomes. They will lead a team of Product Managers and Product Owners, creating a culture of user-centred design, innovation, continuous improvement and value realisation.

As the senior accountable owner for the Business Services product portfolio, the Head of Product will oversee product roadmaps, investment priorities, demand management and benefit delivery across all Business Services products. They will work closely with business leaders, operational stakeholders, technology teams, suppliers and transformation programmes to ensure solutions are delivered effectively, remain fit for purpose and continuously evolve to meet changing organisational requirements.

The role is responsible for balancing strategic ambition with operational delivery, ensuring resources, budgets and third-party partnerships are aligned to agreed priorities and deliver measurable outcomes. The post holder will play a key role in driving digital transformation, simplifying the technology landscape, increasing adoption of strategic platforms, and leveraging automation, data and emerging technologies to improve service performance and user experience.

This is a high-profile leadership position operating across Business Services and Digital & Innovation, requiring the ability to influence at senior levels, shape investment decisions and lead complex product ecosystems that support thousands of users across the Metropolitan Police Service.

Key Role Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Business Services product portfolio, ensuring products and services continue to meet operational requirements and deliver measurable business value.
• Own and maintain the product backlog, working with stakeholders to prioritise demand, enhancements and continuous improvement activities.
• Balance competing priorities across the portfolio, ensuring available resources are directed towards the highest-value outcomes.
• Champion user-centred design principles, using customer feedback, service performance data and operational insight to drive improvements in user experience and service delivery.
• Work closely with the Head of Strategy & Architecture to translate strategic priorities and technology roadmaps into deliverable product plans and outcomes.

Product Delivery & Service Improvement

• Oversee the successful delivery of product enhancements, working with the Head of Operations to transition these into live service.
• Ensure products are delivered to agreed time, cost and quality standards through effective planning, governance and performance management.
• Drive adoption of new capabilities and ensure business change impacts are effectively managed and embedded.
• Continuously review product performance, identifying opportunities to improve service quality, user satisfaction, efficiency and value for money.

Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing team of Product Managers and Product Owners.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation and continuous improvement across the Business Solutions function.
• Embed product management best practice, agile delivery approaches and data-driven decision making.
• Support the professional development, coaching and mentoring of team members, building future product management capability within Digital & Innovation.
• Promote a culture that breaks down organisational silos and encourages collaborative working across Business Services, Digital & Innovation and wider MPS teams.
• Lead relationships with key suppliers, partners and service providers supporting the Business Services product portfolio.
• Ensure contractual commitments and delivery expectations are effectively managed and monitored with a focus on timeliness and quality.
• Identify and manage delivery risks associated with third-party suppliers.
• Work collaboratively with suppliers to drive innovation, improve service performance and maximise value from technology investments.
• Act as the senior product lead for all Business Services products and platforms, including HR, Finance, Commercial, Learning & Development, Property, Fleet and other services as they transition into the Business Solutions portfolio.
• Ensure a consistent approach to product governance, prioritisation, delivery and service management across the portfolio.
• Contribute to the wider leadership of the Business Solutions function, supporting the delivery of integrated technology, data and digital services that improve outcomes for officers, staff and the public.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• 8+ years' experience in Product Management, including leading Product Managers and product teams within large, complex organisations. Experience in Shared Services, the Public Sector or policing is desirable.
• Strong understanding of enterprise and SaaS-based platforms that support corporate services, including Oracle ERP Cloud, ServiceNow and other business-critical applications.
• Experience managing complex product portfolios, balancing competing demands, priorities and resources across multiple stakeholder groups.
• Proven experience delivering technology-enabled change and continuous improvement using Agile, Waterfall and hybrid delivery methodologies.
• Experience leading the development, enhancement and adoption of solutions supporting Business Services functions such as HR, Finance, Commercial, Learning & Development, Property or Fleet.
• Strong people leadership skills, with experience developing high-performing teams and fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Experience managing product backlogs, prioritising demand and translating business needs into deliverable outcomes that create measurable value.
• Strong business transformation skills, with the ability to improve processes, technology and ways of working to deliver better organisational outcomes.
• Ability to identify dependencies, assess risks and implement effective mitigation strategies within complex delivery environments.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across business, technology and supplier communities.
• Knowledge of shared service operating models and the challenges associated with delivering technology-enabled business services at scale.

You’ll enjoy the kind of great benefits that you’d expect from one of London'slargest employers.

These include;

• Annual leave entitlement of 28 days plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 5 years of service
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Membership of Met sports and social clubs
• Flexible working conditions and many more.

London is one of the most exciting and diverse cities in the world - and policing it is no easy task. It takes a huge number of people from all sorts of different backgrounds with a wide range of skills and experience. Do you have what it takes to be one of them? Find out if a career with the Met is what you’re looking for and what kind of challenges; experience and rewards you could have in store.

Closing date: In order to streamline our recruitment process, we reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications.

This role does not attract Shift Disturbance Allowance. If you are currently in a shift-working role, SDA should cease upon appointment to this job.

This role forms part of an ongoing organisational review. Consequently, the grading, pay arrangements and associated terms and conditions may be subject to change following the completion of this work and any associated consultation processes.

Disability Confident Statement

The Met is committed to being an equitable (fair and impartial) and inclusive employer for disabled people, striving to have a diverse and representative workforce at all levels. We encourage applications from people from the widest possible range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities and long-term conditions, ethnic minority groups and women. As a Disability Confident Leader, the Met has committed to making disability equality part of our everyday practice. We ensure that people with disabilities and those with long term conditions have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. The Met is committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process to ensure disabled applicants can perform at their best. If you need any reasonable adjustments or changes to the application and recruitment process, we ask that you include this information within your application form. All matters will be treated in strict confidence. Please note, if you are applying for a police officer role or to become a police community support officer (PCSO) or designated detention officer (DDO), there is a minimum requirement that you must pass a job-related fitness test (JRFT) at point of entry. This does not apply to police staff roles. Find out more about police fitness standards. Read our full disability confidence statement.