Product Manager at The University of Sheffield

Overview

In this role, you'll collaborate with the Head of Product and other members of the Product and Delivery communities, as well as wider university stakeholders, to own, develop, and deliver impactful Product Roadmaps. You'll define user journeys and develop appropriate roadmaps to meet stakeholder needs.

You will develop a comprehensive and deep understanding of the needs of your users and maintain a strategic view of the market of products and services that could be used to improve user experiences and outcomes.

Our ideal candidate has extensive experience in large-scale product-led design and development with a deep understanding of design standards, service design, and user experience. You should have a proven track record of product delivery and the ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders across the University and beyond.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Develop and communicate a clear product vision, maintaining strategic roadmaps for a specific product area, aligned to the University’s strategic objectives
• Through a process of opportunity mapping ensure a curated backlog of outcomes exists ready for prioritisation by appropriate governance groups
• Provide information, advice and support for stakeholders to allow them to make prioritisation decisions between and across products.
• Champion user experience, accessibility, and inclusivity, translating user needs and defined business requirements into product features and initiatives
• Form and facilitate cross-functional product discovery and design teams, ensuring representation by all relevant stakeholders, to achieve a balance of business, change management and technical interests, anchoring the teams to the expected outcomes related to university strategy.
• Collaborate closely with architecture and  technical teams to understand technical possibilities and constraints, through the design, build, test and release of products, ensuring product quality and technical excellence throughout.
• Help to create and support a delivery environment that can work and deliver at pace, with the emphasis on early release of value and continuous improvement.
• Build and nurture strong relationships between the Product team and University stakeholders to ensure products meet operational and strategic needs, communicating product decisions and progress to all teams at all levels.
• Retain ownership through the product life cycle, prioritising backlog items to maximise value delivery based on data-evidenced decisions.
• Research market trends and competitive landscapes, analyse product metrics and identify opportunities for innovation whilst balancing short-term delivery with long-term product value to the university.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the product management profession within the university through communities of practice; provide coaching, mentoring and line management support as required.
• Engage in relevant sector product management communities to further enhance knowledge and team capability.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post