Overview

As a Senior Product Manager, you are responsible for the ultimate value and viability of your product portfolio. You will play a vital role in an agile team to ensure you are solving the right problems for users, creating tangible benefits, and aligning with CCS's strategic and commercial objectives. You will champion innovative approaches, make critical data-driven decisions that have wide-ranging implications, and drive the successful delivery and continuous improvement of products that have a substantial and measurable impact on public sector procurement. You will be instrumental in establishing and developing our Product Community of Practice, a forum for Product Managers to collaborate, share knowledge, address development needs, offer mutual support, and resolve shared challenges.

The Digital & Data Services (DDS) directorate is at the heart of CCS's digital transformation journey, responsible for delivering modern, efficient, and user-centred digital services that support over £30bn of public sector procurement annually. We are building a world-class digital capability that will revolutionise how the public sector buys common goods and services.

Team and role context

Team Summary: You will join an expanding Digital Product and User-Centred Design team that, when fully resourced, will include service designers, user researchers, interaction designers and accessibility specialists. We are building a culture that values user-centricity, experimentation and agility where team members work closely with Digital and Commercial colleagues in a range of multi-disciplinary product teams.

Responsibilities

1. Define and own the overarching vision, strategy, and prioritised roadmap for a portfolio of products or a significant product. Guide your team through the entire product lifecycle, ensuring alignment with user needs.
2. Champion advanced user research practices to drive critical product decisions. Ensure a deep understanding of users is maintained across the team.
3. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by championing agile practices and basing decisions on data. Proactively identify and remove impediments to delivery.
4. Build and manage relationships with senior stakeholders to negotiate priorities and dependencies. Confidently represent our product strategy when required.
5. Ensure product strategies deliver intended value and secure investment with robust business cases. Iterate strategies based on user insight and CCS target outcomes.
6. Maximise public value by balancing user needs against organisational costs and risks.

Behaviours and technical skills assessed

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

• Product management (Expert)
• Managing product outcomes (Practitioner)
• Strategic ownership (Practitioner)

Please note: Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application; however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Other information

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months, which the Civil Service may use to fill future suitably similar vacancies across government for candidates who are considered appointable following interview. Should you be placed on a reserve list and want to be removed please contact recruitment@crowncommercial.gov.uk.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security and eligibility

Security: Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check and meet security requirements before appointment (the level of security needed is counter-terrorist check). See our vetting charter. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements: This job is broadly open toUK nationals, nationals of the Republic of Ireland, Commonwealth nationals with the right to work in the UK, nationals of the EU/EEA countries listed, and certain related categories as described in the original job text.

Role expectations and benefits

Strategic Product Management — Proven experience in setting the vision and strategy for a digital product, with a track record of creating and managing a product roadmap to deliver measurable outcomes throughout the product lifecycle.

Implementing user-centred design (UCD) & Research — Deep understanding of user-centred design with clear examples of using user research and data insights to improve the user experience.

Agile Methodologies — Experience leading and coaching teams in complex environments using agile principles, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adapting processes for effective delivery.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence — Excellent communication and influencing skills, with evidence of building strong relationships with senior stakeholders and achieving consensus.

Commercial Acumen & Data-Driven Decisions — Strong commercial awareness with experience in securing investment and using data to guide strategy and decision-making.

Ready to deliver digital transformation with a national impact? Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is the UK's largest public procurement organisation. In 2023/24, we delivered £4.9 billion in commercial benefits for the taxpayer. Join our Digital and Data Services team to lead on high-impact digital products, implement our Data Strategy, and influence the adoption of new technologies like AI. We are a Top 50 Inclusive Employer with significant opportunities for career growth.

CCS is a flexible business with a smarter working model requiring a mix of home and office working. Successful candidates are expected to work from one of the office locations listed. Attendance expectations involve a minimum of 26 days per quarter in CCS office locations or at offsite meetings, pro rata for part-time staff, with flexible working modalities to support work-life balance and CCS values.

Benefits

Alongside salary, CCS contributes to the Civil Service Pension scheme. See the Civil Service Pension details for benefits. Benefits include:

• Competitive salary
• Generous pension scheme
• A discretionary non-contractual performance-related bonus
• Remote working options in addition to office-based work
• Flexi time scheme (available for B1-B6)
• Minimum 25 days annual leave (up to 30 days with service), excluding bank holidays

Explore fully how we will reward your work. Want to make a difference? See the candidate pack. The Civil Service is committed to attracting, retaining and investing in talent. For more information, see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.