Product Specialist

Portsmouth Water; Havant; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Bank holidays

Generous pension (up to 15%)

Bonus up to 6% of salary

Enhanced parental leave

Life assurance 4x salary

Wellbeing support

Retailer discounts

Electric Vehicle Scheme

Cycle to Work

Job summary

Portsmouth Water is seeking a Product Specialist for a 12-month FTC to collaborate with the Product Owner, refine the backlog, and drive delivery of key product initiatives. You will act as the liaison between business stakeholders, technology teams and operations to ensure both functional and non-functional requirements are met.

In this role you will transform business needs into tangible solutions, align with KPIs and strategic goals, and support demand reduction and water efficiency targets

Qualifications

• Experience in agile software product management from inception to launch.
• Previous experience as a Product Owner or similar role delivering platform capabilities.
• Experience with smart metering and billing systems.
• Ability to engage with complex technical details.
• Strong stakeholder management and engagement skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; translate complex tech into clear requirements.
• Proficiency in agile processes including backlog management, sprint planning, and user story development.

Responsibilities

• Define and communicate the product vision and roadmap aligned with strategic goals.
• Be the product champion fostering innovation and customer-centric design.
• Manage and prioritise the product backlog to maximize business value.
• Collaborate with development teams to ensure backlog items are actionable.
• Write clear acceptance criteria for user stories used by developers.
• Lead backlog refinement sessions with stakeholders and developers.
• Manage cross-functional dependencies and proactively address blockers.

Skills

Agile PM

Product Owner

Smart metering

Stakeholder mgmt

Communication

Backlog mgmt

User stories

Job description

We’re making a difference: Together, we can ensure that there is enough water for everyone, now and in the future.

The Product Specialist collaborates with the Product Owner to deliver key product initiatives by breaking them down into actionable components and driving execution across relevant teams. This 12-month FTC role is critical in ensuring that products meet both functional and non functional requirements, acting as the key liaison between the business stakeholders, technology teams and operational departments.

The Product Specialist plays a key role in refining and managing the product backlog, ensuring alignment with business KPIs, ODI’s and strategic goals, including Portsmouth Water’s demand reduction and water efficiency targets. By transforming business needs into tangible and valuable solutions, this role supports Portsmouth Water’s ambition to become a digital-first utility with the UK's first fully smart water network.

What will you be doing?

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to defining and communicating the product vision and roadmap, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and customer needs.
• Be the product champion within the business, fostering a culture of innovation and customer-centric design and continuous improvement.
• Assist in managing and prioritising the product backlog, ensuring prioritisation aligns with business value, strategic initiatives and technical improvements.
• Collaborate with development teams to ensure the backlog is actionable and aligned with business objectives.
• Write and refine user stories with clear acceptance criteria, ensuring clarity for development teams and alignment with business objectives.
• Lead backlog refinement sessions regularly incorporating stakeholder and development team feedback to enhance product quality.
• Manage cross-functional dependencies, proactively identifying and addressing blockers to successful product delivery.
• Serve as the technical expert for customer deliverables, including metering and billing.
• Ensure seamless integration and optimization of CRM Kraken, Temetra, and website platforms, balancing business needs with technical constraints.

What do you need?

Skills, Qualifications & Competencies

• Experience in agile software product management, from inception to launch
• Previous experience as a Product Owner, or similar role, delivering platform capabilities
• Experience with smart metering and billing systems
• Ability to engage with complex technical details
• Stakeholder management and engagement skills
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex technical details into clear requirements
• Proficiency in agile processes, including backlog management, sprint planning, and user story development

If you are successful for the role, you will be required to undergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks that will include a basic disclosure check. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the national security vetting process for either a CTC or SC clearance check. Any offer of employment is conditional upon completion and receipt of satisfactory checks.

We recognise people want to work in a variety of different ways, and that’s why we’re happy to consider flexible working arrangements. Please feel free to talk to us at interview about the flexibility you may be looking for.

Please note, we may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

We’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we actively encourage applications from all sections of society.

Please be aware, the Company has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Due to the high volume of applications we may receive, we’re unable to respond to every applicant individually. If your application is of interest, we’ll usually be in touch within 4 weeks of receiving it.

What can Portsmouth Water offer you?

At Portsmouth Water, We Believe In Rewarding Our People. Here’s Just a Taste Of What’s Waiting For You When You Join The Team

Holidays Made Better

Enjoy 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, giving you plenty of time to relax, recharge, and explore.

A Pension That Works for You

We’ll help secure your future with a generous pension scheme, contributing up to 15% because your tomorrow matters as much as your today.

Performance Pays Off

You could earn a non-contractual bonus of up to 6% of your basic salary, linked to company performance because when we succeed together, you should benefit too.

Family Comes First

Whether you’re welcoming a new arrival through birth or adoption, we’ve got your back with enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave and pay.

Social Events

All expenses covered summer and winter social events

Peace of Mind, Always

Our life assurance scheme gives your loved ones extra security, with a 4x salary lump sum benefit in case the unexpected happens.

Comprehensive Wellbeing Support

Whether you need confidential mental health and wellbeing advice 24/7 through our Employee Assistance Programme, or physical health support via our Virtual GP service (available 8am10pm, 7 days a week for you and your immediate family), help is always close at hand with the HealthHero app.

PW Perks Treat Yourself!

Enjoy exclusive discounts at thousands of retailers, plus exciting benefits like:

• Electric Vehicle Scheme (after 1 year)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Health Cash Plan and so much more!