Product Manager

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

41 days annual leave

Flexible hybrid working

Generous pension

Staff discounts

Career development

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a skilled Product Manager to own and deliver strategic roadmaps. You will collaborate with the Head of Product and stakeholders across the university to define user journeys and drive product delivery.

You will champion user experience, work with cross-functional teams, and translate needs into features. The role offers breadth, flexible working, and opportunities to influence university services.

Qualifications

• Significant experience with full agile lifecycle product development
• Experience developing a strategic product vision
• Experience working with cross-functional IT teams in a product led model
• Demonstrable evidence of delivering value quickly and iteratively
• Strong record of building relationships with diverse customers and influence
• Strategic and curiosity-led mindset to inform customer needs
• Strong communication skills with stakeholders at different levels
• Able to challenge colleagues to protect product value
• A can-do, problem-solving attitude

Responsibilities

• Develop and communicate a clear product vision and strategic roadmaps
• Provide information, advice and support for prioritisation decisions
• Champion user experience, accessibility and inclusivity
• Form cross-functional product discovery and design teams
• Collaborate with architecture and technical teams to deliver products
• Create a delivery environment enabling early value release
• Maintain relationships with stakeholders and communicate progress
• Prioritise backlog items to maximise value delivery
• Research market trends and identify innovation opportunities
• Support the development of product management practices

Skills

Agile lifecycle

Product strategy

Cross-functional teams

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decisions

Communication

Influence

Problem solving

Job description

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

In this role, you'll collaborate with the Head of Product and other members of the Product and Delivery communities, as well as wider university stakeholders, to own, develop, and deliver impactful Product Roadmaps. You'll define user journeys and develop appropriate roadmaps to meet stakeholder needs.

You will develop a comprehensive and deep understanding of the needs of your users and maintain a strategic view of the market of products and services that could be used to improve user experiences and outcomes.

Our ideal candidate has extensive experience in large-scale product-led design and development with a deep understanding of design standards, service design, and user experience. You should have a proven track record of product delivery and the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders across the University and beyond

Main duties and responsibilities

• Develop and communicate a clear product vision, maintaining strategic roadmaps for a specific product area, aligned to the University's strategic objectives
• Through a process of opportunity mapping ensure a curated backlog of outcomes exists ready for prioritisation by appropriate governance groups
• Provide information, advice and support for stakeholders to allow them to make prioritisation decisions between and across products.
• Champion user experience, accessibility, and inclusivity, translating user needs and defined business requirements into product features and initiatives
• Form and facilitate cross-functional product discovery and design teams, ensuring representation by all relevant stakeholders, to achieve a balance of business, change management and technical interests, anchoring the teams to the expected outcomes related to university strategy.
• Collaborate closely with architecture and technical teams to understand technical possibilities and constraints, through the design, build, test and release of products, ensuring product quality and technical excellence throughout.
• Help to create and support a delivery environment that can work and deliver at pace, with the emphasis on early release of value and continuous improvement.
• Build and nurture strong relationships between the Product team and University stakeholders to ensure products meet operational and strategic needs, communicating product decisions and progress to all teams at all levels.
• Retain ownership through the product life cycle, prioritising backlog items to maximise value delivery based on data‑evidenced decisions.
• Research market trends and competitive landscapes, analyse product metrics and identify opportunities for innovation whilst balancing short‑term delivery with long‑term product value to the university.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the product management profession within the university through communities of practice; provide coaching, mentoring and line management support as required.
• Engage in relevant sector product management communities to further enhance knowledge and team capability.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Person Specification - Criteria

• • Significant experience with full agile lifecycle product development and processes (assessed at application & interview stage)
  • Essential
  • Application/interview
• • Experience of developing a strategic product vision
  • Essential
  • Application/interview
• • Experience working with cross-functional IT teams in a product led model
  • Essential
  • Application/interview
• • Demonstrable evidence of delivering value quickly and iteratively in a continuous improvement environment
  • Essential
  • • Strong record of building working relationships with diverse customers, and of working with influence, to deliver valued products and services
    • Essential
    • Application/interview
  • • Strategic and curiosity-led mindset to inform customer needs and challenge traditional views
    • Essential
    • Application/interview
  • • Strong communication skills and experience working with various stakeholders at different organizational levels
    • Essential
    • Application/interview
  • • An ability to positively challenge colleagues and stakeholders, to protect overall product value
    • Essential
    • Application/interview
  • • A can‑do, problem‑solving attitude and experience
    • Essential
    • Application/interview

  Further Information

  Grade: 8

  Salary: £49,798 to £59.390 with a potential to increase to £66,819 through exceptional circumstances

  Work arrangement: Full time (35 hours per week)

  Duration: Permanent

  Line manager: Head of Product

  Direct reports: N/A

  Right to work in the UK: If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK visa and immigration website.

  Our website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/it-services/about

  For informal enquiries about this job, contact Saul Cozens, Head of Product, Research and Innovation at [e-mail]

  Next steps in the recruitment process

  It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in January 2027. This will consist of an interview (with presentation) and a colleague panel. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage in early January. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact [e-mail]

  Our vision and strategic plan

  We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

  What we offer

  • A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
  • Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
  • Generous pension scheme.
  • A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
  • A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women's and Parent's networks).
  • Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
  • A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes.
  • A range of generous family-friendly policies
    • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
    • support for those going through the menopause
    • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
    • and more

  More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

  We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

  basic DBS check will be needed for this role. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role (opens in a new window).

  Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page:- sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates (opens in a new window).

  We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision ( www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.