Product Manager

Hollybank Trustees Ltd; Ilkley; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Private Medical Insurance

Company pension

Life Assurance

1 day paid volunteering per year

Enhanced maternity / paternity

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

SmartSearch is seeking a Product Manager to support strategy, delivery, and ongoing development of a key product area. You will work with product leaders, designers, engineers, and stakeholders to shape improvements and deliver valuable outcomes for customers and the business.

The role suits someone early in their product career, contributing to roadmap planning, gathering user feedback, supporting backlog management, and coordinating successful releases while developing skills for long‑term

Qualifications

• 2 years' experience in a Product Manager role with product line ownership.
• Understanding of core product management principles and development processes.
• Knowledge of Scrum and/or Kanban methodologies.
• Strong customer focus with the ability to translate feedback into actionable improvements.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams including Design and Engineering.
• Experience owning product backlogs, user stories, and prioritisation activities.
• Experience in RegTech.
• Relevant product management certifications or training.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of product strategies aligned with SmartSearch’s vision.
• Contribute to product roadmap planning and help maintain roadmap documentation with the Product Director and wider product team.
• Assist in identifying product enhancements and opportunities that deliver customer and business value.
• Gather and analyse customer, stakeholder, and market feedback to shape product requirements and features.
• Own the backlog, prioritising work based on business needs and customer impact.
• Collaborate with UX and Design teams to ensure product experiences meet customer needs and brand standards.
• Lead product launches and drive adoption.

Skills

Product management

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decisions

Scrum/Kanban

Communication

Cross-functional teamwork

Backlog ownership

Education

Product management certifications

Job description

Location: Hybrid / Ilkley LS29 8FL, UK
job type: Permanent / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Product and Innovation | Product Management
Salary: Competitive salary

SmartSearch’s distinctive Anti-Money Laundering verification software protects our clients by offering the most advanced and comprehensive features available from an AML provider.

SmartSearch has grown rapidly by fostering an incredibly collaborative and supportive culture. As we continue our ambitious growth plans, we will strive to remain a truly exciting, rewarding, and unique place to work.

HOW WILL YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

We are seeking a Product Manager to support the strategy, delivery, and ongoing development of one of our key product areas. You will work closely with experienced product leaders, designers, engineers, and stakeholders to help shape product improvements and deliver valuable outcomes for our customers and the business.

This role is ideal for someone early in their product management career who is eager to build their experience in a fast-paced environment. You’ll contribute to roadmap planning, gather user and stakeholder feedback, support backlog management, and help coordinate successful product releases. You'll develop your product management skills while gaining exposure to both strategic thinking and day-to-day product delivery.

Success in this role means becoming a trusted member of the product team, helping deliver features and improvements that enhance the user experience, supporting effective product delivery, and continuously developing your product management capabilities. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues while building a strong foundation for a long-term career in product management.

VARIED DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Support the development and execution of product strategies aligned with SmartSearch’s corporate vision and goals.
• Contribute to product roadmap planning and help maintain roadmap documentation in collaboration with the Product Director and wider product team.
• Assist in identifying product enhancements and opportunities that deliver customer and business value.

Execution & Delivery

• Gather and analyse customer, stakeholder, and market feedback to help shape product requirements and features.
• Own the backlog, prioritising work based on business needs and customer impact.
• Work closely with UX and Design teams to ensure product experiences align with customer needs and brand standards.
• Lead product and feature launches, helping to ensure successful delivery and adoption.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams including Engineering, Design, Customer Success, and Commercial teams.
• Build strong working relationships with internal stakeholders and contribute product updates where required.
• Support product workshops, reviews, and forums by preparing materials and communicating progress.
• Champion the customer perspective and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement across the product team.

Measurement & Improvement

• Support the monitoring of product performance metrics and customer feedback to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Work with the Product Director and stakeholders to help measure product outcomes and track progress against objectives.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IN A CANDIDATE?

• 2 years' experience in a Product Manager role with product line ownership
• Understanding of core product management principles and product development processes
• Knowledge of Scrum and/or Kanban methodologies
• Strong customer focus with the ability to understand user needs and translate feedback into actionable improvements
• Experience working with cross-functional teams including Design and Engineering.
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle
• Comfortable using data, customer feedback, and product metrics to support decision-making
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Previous experience within a B2B SaaS environment
• Experience owning and driving product backlogs, user story creation, and prioritisation activities
• Strong analytical thinking, organisation, and problem-solving skills
• Exposure to customer discovery, user research, or product analytics tools
• Experience contributing to product launches or feature releases
• Relevant product management certifications or training
• Experience participating in product forums for internal and external audiences
• Previous experience in RegTech

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE AT SMARTSEARCH?

• We are a multi-award winning Tech company with an aspirational mentality
• Some of our most recent recognitions include: named in the renowned RegTech100 list for 2024, listed in the Top 100 Fasted Growing Tech Companies by Northern Tech Awards 2024 as well as being named Technology Provider of the Year by Corporate Finance Awards 2024
• We have been Great Place To Work Certified since 2022
• There are excellent progression opportunities due to our growth and you will have personal development goals, regular feedback and support
• We are a diverse and inclusive team committed to promoting Diversity & Inclusion and Social Responsibility. Through our DE&I group, charitable initiatives and support for local schools, we actively foster a positive Impact on our community

COMPANY BENEFITS

• 25 days holiday rising to 30 with each year of service
• Private Medical Insurance covering dental and optical
• Company pension scheme
• Life Assurance – 4x your annual salary
• 1 day paid volunteering per year
• Enhanced maternity / paternity offerings
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme

Cover note

The administrator of your data is SmartSearch with its registered office in Mayfield House, Lower Railway Road, Ilkley, Leeds, LS29 8FL. The data is collected for the purposes of recruitment for the position given in the advertisement, it can also be processed in future recruitment processes with your additional consent. Providing personal information is voluntary. You have the right to access the data, correct or delete it. Detailed information on the processing of personal data by SmartSearch can be found in the principles of data processing in Cezanne Recruitment and our Privacy Policy. I agree to the processing of my personal data by SmartSearch for the purposes of this recruitment process for the position specified in the advertisement. I consent to the processing of my personal data by SmartSearch for the purposes of future recruitment processes. By applying to this job you accept the Privacy Policy and SmartSearch