Product Manager - Defence

Kainos; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kainos in the United Kingdom is seeking a Product Consultant to drive backlog maturity from inception to delivery. You will lead MVP thinking, communicate value to team and stakeholders, and coach staff.

You will run agile ceremonies, plan workshops with clients and internal teams, and help shape product capability while supporting performance development of junior colleagues.

Qualifications

• Experience in bespoke software delivery, operating as part of an agile team delivering for external customers (client-facing role in a consulting environment).
• Defence sector experience is essential.
• Active DV clearance is required.
• Experience across the software development lifecycle from analysis through to launch and live operations.
• Excellent facilitator of workshops, able to lead stakeholder groups to focused outcomes.
• Ability to model as-is and to-be business processes and present to stakeholders for buy-in.
• Experience in stakeholder management and tailoring collaboration and communication styles.
• Breakdown of work areas from inception to delivery, managing team backlog quality and maturity.
• Elicitation of functional, technical and non-functional requirements and translating into user stories.
• Ability to refine backlog using prioritisation techniques and manage dependencies.
• Proven ability to align scope with MVP delivery within commercial constraints.
• Excellent user story writing ensuring consistency across the project.
• Ability to build trusted relationships inside and outside the delivery team.
• Experience in client/supplier relationships and sensitivity to client needs.
• Experience contributing to sales activities (bids, proposals).
• Experienced in Agile methodologies and coaching both team members and clients.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop junior team members and broader community.
• Experience explaining technical jargon to non-technical/commercial teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the team's backlog from inception through to delivery, ensuring value and maturity.
• Lead MVP thinking and communicate its value to team, project, and stakeholders.
• Run and facilitate agile ceremonies; plan and run workshops with diverse stakeholders.
• Mentor and develop junior staff and coach the wider delivery community.
• Support the delivery of initiatives within the Product capability and cross-functional teams.

Skills

Backlog management

Agile facilitator

Stakeholder engagement

User stories

Client-facing

Coaching juniors

Defence domain knowledge

DV clearance

Job description

Join Kainos and Shape the Future

At Kainos, we’re problem solvers, innovators, and collaborators - driven by a shared mission to create real impact. Whether we’re transforming digital services for millions, delivering cutting-edge Workday solutions, or pushing the boundaries of technology, we do it together.

We believe in a people-first culture, where your ideas are valued, your growth is supported, and your contributions truly make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of a diverse, ambitious team that celebrates creativity and collaboration.

Ready to make your mark? Join us and be part of something bigger.

As a Product Consultant in Kainos you will be responsible for your teams backlog maturity, taking ownership of features from inception through to delivery. You will drive MVP thinking and communicating the value of it with those in your team, the wider project team and relevant stakeholders.

You will be a leader in your team, comfortable running agile ceremonies, encouraging engagement and discussion. You will plan and run workshops, engaging with a variety of stakeholders to facilitate consensus in areas of uncertainty. You will actively participate within the Product capability, supporting the delivery of initiatives. You will also manage, coach and develop a small number of staff, with a focus on managing employee performance.

Minimum (Essential) Requirements:

• Experience in bespoke software delivery, operating as a part of an agile team working for an external customer (experience in a client-facing role in a consulting environment is a must-have).
• Defence sector experience.
• Active DV clearance.
• Experience of the software development lifecycle, involved from analysis through to acceptance, launch and live operations
• Excellent facilitator of workshops, able to lead stakeholder groups to achieve focused outcomes
• Accomplished at modelling As-is and To-be business processes, able to present these to stakeholders and the team to ensure understanding and to achieve buy-in
• Experience in stakeholder management, comfortable challenging decisions when appropriate and tailoring collaboration and communication styles where necessary
• Responsible for the breakdown of an area of work from inception through to delivery, managing the team's backlog ensuring quality and maturity
• Responsible for the elicitation of functional, technical and non-functional requirements, translating these into user stories so they are easily understood across the whole team.
• Ability to use prioritisation techniques to refine the backlog and manage dependencies
• Proven ability to manage scope to meet the required MVP, ensuring value is delivered
• Ability to work within commercial constraints for example cost restrictions and project deadlines
• Excellent user story writing skills, ensuring quality and consistency of stories across the project
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships both inside and outside of the delivery team, comfortable collaborating on the breakdown of an area into deliverable pieces of work
• Experience working in a client/supplier relationship, sensitive to their needs
• Experience contributing to sales activities (e.g. working on bids, writing sales proposals etc.)
• Experienced in Agile methodologies and able to mentor those in your team as well as coaching our clients
• We are passionate about developing people – a demonstrated ability in managing, coaching and developing junior members of your team and wider community
• Experience of explaining technical jargon to non-technical/commercial teams.

Desirable:

• Ability to participate in technical discussions with a broad understanding of technical terms
• Experience working closely with clients on site day-to-day
• Active participation in communities of interest, for example online groups, meetups and speaking at conferences

Embracing our differences

At Kainos, we believe in the power of diversity, equity and inclusion. We are committed to building a team that is as diverse as the world we live in, where everyone is valued, respected, and given an equal chance to thrive. We actively seek out talented people from all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or any other characteristic that makes them who they are. We also believe every candidate deserves a level playing field.

Our friendly talent acquisition team is here to support you every step of the way, so if you require any accommodations or adjustments, we encourage you to reach out.

We understand that everyone's journey is different, and by having a private conversation we can ensure that our recruitment process is tailored to your needs.