Product Specialist

Portsmouth Water; Langstone; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days leave

Pension up to 15%

Bonus up to 6%

Family leave

Social events

Life assurance 4x

Wellbeing support

Health plan

EV scheme

Cycle to work

Job summary

Portsmouth Water seeks a Product Specialist to work with the Product Owner, breaking down initiatives and driving execution across teams. This 12-month FTC role focuses on delivering functional and non functional requirements, acting as the liaison between business stakeholders, technology teams and operations.

The role refines and manages the product backlog, aligns with KPIs and strategic goals, and supports demand reduction and water efficiency targets as part of Portsmouth Water's

Qualifications

• Experience in agile software product management from inception to launch.
• Previous Product Owner experience delivering platform capabilities.
• Experience with smart metering and billing systems.
• Ability to engage with complex technical details.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Proficient in backlog management, sprint planning and user story development.

Responsibilities

• Define and communicate the product vision and roadmap aligned with goals.
• Act as product champion promoting innovation and customer-centric design.
• Prioritise the product backlog by business value and initiatives.
• Collaborate with development teams to ensure actionable backlog items.
• Write/refine user stories with clear acceptance criteria.
• Lead backlog refinement sessions with stakeholders and teams.
• Manage cross-functional dependencies and blockers.
• Serve as technical expert for customer deliverables (metering/billing).
• Ensure integration of CRM Kraken, Temetra and website platforms.

Skills

Agile product management

Product Owner

Stakeholder engagement

Backlog management

User stories

Sprint planning

Smart metering

Billing systems

Tools

CRM Kraken

Temetra

Website platforms

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 optimisation 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 8am-10pm, 7 days a week for you and your immediate family), help is always close at hand with the HealthHero app.
• Electric Vehicle Scheme (after 1 year)
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Health Cash Plan …and so much more!