Product Manager - £580 Inside IR35 - Leeds/London (remote)

Exalto Consulting; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Exalto Consulting is seeking an experienced Product Manager to join a major digital transformation programme in a complex public sector environment. This role focuses on user-centred digital products, working with researchers, designers, engineers and delivery teams to shape strategy and deliver measurable outcomes.

You will lead product discovery, translate user needs into priorities, manage the backlog, and drive iterative delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Product Manager delivering digital products and services.
• Experience across the full product lifecycle: discovery, development, delivery, and continuous improvement.
• Experience leading product discovery and translating user research into practical decisions.
• Strong backlog management, prioritisation, and roadmap development skills.
• Experience in Agile, multidisciplinary delivery environments.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication.
• Experience collaborating with software engineers, UX/UI designers, researchers, and data specialists.

Responsibilities

• Lead product discovery activities to identify user needs and validate potential solutions.
• Translate strategic objectives into clear product priorities and actionable delivery plans.
• Own, manage, and prioritise the product backlog with alignment to user needs and business priorities.
• Work with Agile delivery teams to support iterative product development.
• Communicate product decisions, progress, and outcomes clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Influence stakeholders and champion user-centred, outcome-focused product development.

Skills

Product Manager

Discovery

Backlog management

Agile

Stakeholder management

User research

Roadmap development

Data-driven decisions

Job description

Product Manager

Location: Hybrid – Leeds or London (approximately 2 days per month onsite)

Contract Duration: Until 31 March 2027

Start Date: ASAP

Working Pattern: Full-time

Contract Type: Inside IR35

Daily Rate: Up to £580 per day

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Product Manager to join a major digital transformation programme within a complex public sector environment. This is an opportunity to play a key role in shaping and delivering user-centred digital products and services, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to solve complex problems and deliver measurable outcomes. The successful candidate will lead product discovery, translate user needs and business objectives into actionable product priorities, and drive iterative delivery through evidence-based decision-making. You will work closely with stakeholders, researchers, designers, engineers, and delivery teams to ensure digital solutions meet user needs while aligning with wider organisational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Product Discovery & Strategy

• Lead product discovery activities to identify user needs, understand problems, and validate potential solutions.
• Work closely with user researchers, designers, and stakeholders to gather insights and inform product decisions.
• Translate strategic objectives into clear product priorities and actionable delivery plans.
• Define product goals, success measures, and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Identify opportunities to improve existing digital services and deliver measurable value.

Product Ownership & Delivery

• Own, manage, and prioritise the product backlog, ensuring alignment with user needs and business priorities.
• Make informed prioritisation decisions and trade-offs based on value, feasibility, and impact.
• Work collaboratively with Agile delivery teams to support iterative product development.
• Ensure product requirements and priorities are clearly communicated across multidisciplinary teams.
• Balance short-term delivery objectives with longer-term product goals.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across business, policy, technical, and operational functions.
• Collaborate effectively with engineering, design, research, and data teams.
• Facilitate discussions and workshops to build consensus around product priorities.
• Communicate product decisions, progress, and outcomes clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Influence stakeholders and champion user-centred, outcome-focused product development.

User-Centred Design & Continuous Improvement

• Apply user-centred design principles throughout the product lifecycle.
• Use qualitative and quantitative evidence to guide product decisions.
• Apply Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and best practices where appropriate.
• Continuously assess product performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure digital products deliver meaningful outcomes for users and the organisation.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience as a Product Manager delivering digital products and services.
• Strong experience across the full product lifecycle, including discovery, development, delivery, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrable experience leading product discovery and translating user research into practical product decisions.
• Strong product backlog management, prioritisation, and roadmap development skills.
• Experience working within Agile, multidisciplinary delivery environments.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, define problems, and establish clear product direction.
• Experience using data, research, and performance metrics to inform product decisions.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.
• Experience collaborating with software engineers, UX/UI designers, user researchers, and data specialists.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and make pragmatic trade-offs.
• A strong understanding of user-centred design and outcome-driven product management.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Previous experience delivering digital products within the UK public sector.
• Familiarity with Government Digital Service (GDS) standards and the Government Service Standard.
• Experience working on large-scale digital transformation programmes.
• Knowledge of public sector digital service delivery and governance.
• Experience delivering products in complex, regulated, or highly governed environments.
• Understanding of accessibility, usability, and inclusive digital service design.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams across multiple organisational functions.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a proactive, collaborative, and commercially aware Product Manager who thrives in complex delivery environments. You will be comfortable challenging assumptions, making evidence-based decisions, and bringing clarity to ambiguous problems. You should demonstrate a strong commitment to user-centred design, continuous improvement, and delivering measurable outcomes rather than simply managing features or outputs.