Product Development Manager

Octopus Energy Group; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A mission-driven energy company is seeking a Program Manager to lead product development for cutting-edge battery and solar hub technology in Sheffield. This role involves working with cross-functional teams to manage product development from conception to market launch. The ideal candidate has a background in program management for hardware projects, strong organizational skills, and the ability to coordinate with international suppliers. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to transformative clean energy solutions in underserved regions.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in program or project management for hardware product development.
• Strong background in supply chain and manufacturing coordination.
• Experience working across engineering disciplines (electronics, software, firmware).
• Track record of guiding products from development through to production.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Align product development priorities with business strategy.
• Define program scope, objectives, and success metrics.
• Lead end-to-end program execution across hardware, software, and firmware teams.
• Coordinate with suppliers and manufacturing partners for production alignment.
• Track product development milestones from prototyping to production.
• Support post-deployment operations and issue resolution.

Skills

Program management

Supply chain coordination

Cross-functional communication

Organizational skills

Technical understanding

Education

Technical degree or engineering experience

Job description

We can't hire everyone… but we can help them shine somewhere brilliant.

At Octopus, we’re lucky to attract some incredibly talented humans. And while we can’t bring every talented person into our team, we can help them land somewhere that’s just as mission-driven. That’s why we’re sharing opportunities from MOPO; a company we’ve proudly backed through a strategic investment.

MOPO is transforming access to clean, affordable energy across Sub-Saharan Africa with its pioneering solar battery technology. As part of our partnership to accelerate global electrification and leapfrog dirty fossil fuels, we’re supporting their hunt for exceptional talent. If you share our passion for tech-driven climate solutions, this could be your chance to make a serious impact.

What is the role

Joining their Sheffield-based team, you’ll be driving the product development of their batteries and solar hubs—the core hardware that powers our energy distribution network across Africa. You’ll guide cross-functional teams spanning mechanical, electronics, software, and firmware to bring these products from concept through to production, field deployment and operations support.

Working closely with their CEO (also Head of Product), you’ll drive the successful planning and execution of multi-disciplinary initiatives that integrate hardware and software systems with their Chinese supply chain. From early-stage planning through to post-deployment support, you’ll ensure their products get to market on time and continue to perform reliably in the field. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast‑paced environment, excels at balancing multiple priorities, and brings strong organisational and communication skills to drive alignment across diverse teams and time zones.

The role will interest you if:

• You’re excited by the prospect of delivering hardware products—batteries and solar hubs—that transform off‑grid energy and e‑mobility in Africa
• You have a passion for bringing order to complexity and guiding hardware products from development through to production and field deployment
• You are interested in working in a truly collaborative environment where you’ll work closely with hardware engineers, software developers, supply chain partners, and senior leadership at our tech hub in Sheffield

On a given day, you’ll likely…

• Work with business leadership and operations to align product development priorities with business strategy, technology roadmaps, and operational realities
• Collaborate with our CEO and Head of Product to define program scope, objectives, and success metrics for battery and solar hub development
• Lead end-to-end program execution across hardware, software, and firmware teams, ensuring technical alignment and on‑time delivery
• Coordinate with Chinese suppliers, OEMs, and manufacturing partners to align production schedules, quality standards, and component readiness
• Track product development milestones from prototyping through to production ramp‑up
• Implement program governance, status tracking, and stakeholder communication processs
• Support post-deployment operations, maintenance, and issue resolution in the field for the full life of the product
• Balance competing priorities and keep multiple product workstreams moving forward simultaneously
• Facilitate communication across teams working in different time zones

We would like to hear from you if you have experience in the following areas:

• Proven experience in program or project management for hardware product development
• Strong background in supply chain and manufacturing coordination
• Experience working across engineering disciplines (electronics, software, firmware)
• Track record of guiding products from development through to production
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives
• Strong communication skills and ability to work cross-functionally with diverse stakeholders
• Experience with program governance, reporting, and stakeholder management
• Comfort working across time zones and with international partners
• Ability to understand technical constraints and translate them into actionable plans

Any of the following would be a strong plus:

• Experience working with Chinese suppliers and manufacturing partners
• Background in battery systems, solar/energy hardware, or IoT devices.
• You have at least some context for a few of the following words: Contract Manufacturing, Microinverters, BESS, cell cycle life, NPI, OTA, CANbus, RS232, RS485, injection moulding, E2W, BLE,battery swap.
• Technical degree or engineering experience
• Experience with electronics manufacturing, including PCB assembly and enclosure production
• Familiarity with product lifecycle management from development through field deployment
• Experience in startup or high-growth environments
• Understanding of regulatory and certification requirements for energy products

More about MOPO

MOPO is on a mission to enable renewable energy access in underserved markets. Already operating in Nigeria, DRC, Sierra Leone and Liberia, our solar power stations distribute energy through proprietary MOPO Batteries managed by a network of local agents.

Our model is already powering thousands of homes and small businesses - eliminating fossil fuel use and enabling livelihoods.

With backing from Octopus Energy, British International Investment, and Norfund, MOPO is scaling rapidly and is positioned to transform energy access and e-mobility across the continent