Product Manager

UK Home Office; Croydon; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Exceptional pension: Employer contribution of 28.97 %

25 days annual leave

Flexible working options

Access to training and development

Recognition and inclusion programs

Job summary

A government department in the UK is seeking a Strategic Capability Lead to manage critical products for Border Force. You will help form the product vision, engage with teams, and oversee the product lifecycle. Exceptional benefits include a generous pension, flexible working options, and comprehensive leave. The role requires SC clearance and having been a UK resident for at least five years.

Qualifications

• Experience working within a multi-disciplinary product team.
• Ability to manage critical products effectively.
• Previous experience in digital or technology-based projects.
• Data-informed decision making and continuous improvement mindset.

Responsibilities

• Form the vision for the product and engage stakeholders.
• Produce road maps and lifecycle plans for the product.
• Represent users throughout the delivery process.
• Represent users and use feedback to drive improvements.
• Prioritize backlog balancing immediate needs with long‑term value.
• Sign off on completed functionality before production deployment.
• Use usage data to generate ideas for new features or improvements.
• Deliver technology or digital‑based projects and translate vision into outcomes.
• Communicate clearly via reports, feedback and presentations.

Skills

Product vision

Roadmapping

Backlog prioritization

Stakeholder engagement

Lifecycle management

Job description

Strategic Capability Lead (Home Office Digital) – Product, Delivery & Architecture at UK Home Office

The Migration and Border Technology Portfolio (MBTP) directorate drives digital ambitions, designs appropriate solutions and delivers digital services quickly and effectively, making a real difference in helping the Home Office achieve its ambitions to keep citizens safe and the country secure.

You will be working within a multi-disciplinary product team managing critical products for Border Force.

What You’ll do:

• Form the vision for the product and engage teams and stakeholders in the development of that vision over time.
• Produce road maps, release plans and lifecycle plans for the delivery and maintenance of the product from its inception right through to its retirement.
• Take a product through its lifecycle (e.g. discovery, alpha, beta, live) including service assessments.
• Represent users throughout the delivery process and use their feedback to inform continuous improvement.
• Prioritise the work that needs to be done by the software development team by creating and maintaining a product backlog which balances immediate user needs with the long‑term investment in development and overall business benefits.
• Provide final sign‑off on any completed functional development prior to deployment of code to the production environment.
• Use product or service usage data to devise new ideas for functionality or new ways of working with a continuous‑improvement mindset.
• Work in the delivery of technology or digital‑based projects.
• Make decisions using a variety of sources to develop a prioritised plan of action.
• Translate a vision into deliverable goals, focusing on outcomes rather than solutions.
• Communicate effectively using written reports, verbal feedback, presentations, etc.
• Promote the needs of the team and of the product throughout the product lifecycle.

Benefits include:

• Exceptional pension: Employer contribution of 28.97 %.
• Generous leave: 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 with service), 8 public holidays, and 1 day for the King’s Birthday.
• Flexible working: Options include full‑time, part‑time, compressed hours, job sharing, and a hybrid model (minimum 60 % on‑site).
• Learning and development: Access to training, technical accreditations, and funded qualifications (subject to approval).
• Recognition and inclusion: A culture that champions diversity, enhanced parental leave schemes, annual bonuses, and recognition awards.

Additional Information: This role requires SC clearance. To meet national security vetting requirements, you must typically have been resident in the UK for at least five years. Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas.