General information Reference 001887 Publication start date 09/04/2025 Publication end date 23/04/2025 Post Description Lead Product Manager Location South West, Gloucestershire, Rosehill Job Profile Customer Operations - Product Management Title Lead Product Manager Contract Type Full Time About us About UCAS UCAS is at the heart of connecting people to higher education. UCAS is the world’s leading shared admissions service for higher education. We provide application services for UK universities and colleges as well as delivering a wide range of research, consultancy and advisory services to schools, colleges, careers services, professional bodies and employers. We’re a successful and fast-growing organisation, which helps hundreds of thousands of people every year. We're committed to delivering a first-class service to all of our customers — they're at the heart of everything we do. Business Unit description The Customer Operations business unit at UCAS was formed to deliver and enhance the support and product & services provided to students, advisers, providers and other stakeholders involved in the higher education admissions process. This department focuses on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of customer interactions, ensuring that applicants and the providers they consider, and apply to, receive timely and accurate information, assistance, and guidance throughout the application cycle. It’s also the unit where we anticipate, respond to and define customer change to ensure UCAS can meet the needs of its customers and stakeholders going forward. Working in cross-company multi-disciplinary teams comprising; Customer Service and Relationships, Product Management, International, Policy, Admissions Reform and Fair Access. About the role Contractual Hours 35.00 About the role As a Lead Product Manager, you will define and execute the product strategy for a portfolio of internal and customer-facing products, aligning with business objectives and customer needs. You will set the product vision, define roadmaps and priorities, and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to translate these into actionable requirements. Your focus will be on driving an evidence-based approach to create and improve products that are desirable, feasible, viable, and sustainable throughout their lifecycle. You will lead the development of robust product management practices, ensuring alignment with business goals and customer needs. This role requires strong leadership and collaboration skills to guide multi-disciplinary teams effectively. Key accountabilities: · Product Lifecycle Management · Strategy and Roadmap Development · Collaboration and Communication · User-Centred Practices · Performance and Optimisation · Go-to-Market Strategies · Risk Management For a full job description please see the attached role profile. Skills, qualifications, and experience You will have a proven track record of achievements in strategic product management and strategy development, which could have been gained in one or more business sectors (B2B and B2C). You should be highly commercially aware, outcomes driven and innovative, whilst being motivated by UCAS’ vision and values. This role requires working in close collaboration with a wide range of colleagues across the business and with external audiences. You will demonstrate the following: · A thorough understanding of strategic product lifecycle management and good practice. · A passion for understanding customers’ needs and motivations and a proven ability to deliver high quality products that realise these. · Demonstrable experience of taking products from idea through to development, to successful market adoption, and demonstrable experience of optimising existing products to improve reach and revenue. · A strong understanding of user-centered design and digital optimisation practices. · Strong team-player, with the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams and demonstrate empathy to build collaborative and collegiate working relationships. · Excellent communication skills and stakeholder management, with proven ability to influence very senior stakeholders and articulate and promote customer and business benefits. Active listening and influencing skills are required. Package Salary - up to £60,000 · 30 days annual leave (plus 3 concessionary days over Christmas and your bank holidays) · Flexibility – UCAS positively supports Hybrid working for its employees, meaning you can work between home and the office in a way that suits you and the business and also has a comprehensive Flexible Working Policy · A generous pension scheme · Hundreds of high street discounts and offers with Perkbox · Internal training and development · Subsidised gym and café · Be rewarded for going above and beyond with our ex-gratia bonus scheme and Celebrating U, our quarterly employee recognition scheme · Dedicated volunteer employee networks promoting wellbeing, awareness and inclusion Studies have shown that some groups of people are less likely to apply to a role unless they tick every box. At UCAS we recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to delivering a fair and equitable recruitment process where applicants have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills. So, if you are interested in this vacancy, but don't necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still apply. If you have any questions and would like to find out more about the role before applying please email the Talent Acquisition team via careersucas.ac.uk and one of us will be in touch. Working Arrangements Is fully remote working an option? No