About Axate
Axate is a dual-facing B2B and B2C business that operates within the digital publishing and media industry. Axate’s wallet enables direct, universal and frictionless payments by consumers for access to digital media products. Any publisher can collect revenue from any signed-up user. Publishers are incentivised to sign up and share users. Aligned incentives mean users will spend more time in the media network Axate creates.
Axate currently offers three payment products (casual payment, subscription, contributions), which function both independently of each other as well as in combination. Axate has successfully launched on dozens of sites and is now focused on optimising performance, creating value add features for publishers and preparing the product and business for scaling.
Axate is now looking for a product manager, and is open to receive indications of interest from both freelance contractors and those looking for employment. Depending on the applicant’s situation and experience, this may comprise a full time or part-time position.
Job purpose
The Product Manager is responsible for defining and implementing a compelling product strategy and vision for Axate’s products or services.
The post holder will have key responsibilities for assessing product opportunities, optimising performance, defining product features to be built where required, and communicating the strategy and results to stakeholders.
The product manager works with key commercial and technical stakeholders to design and deliver the required product, measure its success, leading the prioritisation process and the creation and maintenance of the roadmap.
The product manager works with an Agile technical team to create a product that is useful, usable and feasible.
Key responsibilities and accountabilities
1. Define and develop a product strategy for Axate’s current products, services and feature areas – based on the strategic vision for the business, with focus on product optimisation and the needs of
– The business
– Publishers and
– Users
2. Create, manage and deliver a product optimisation plan to improve user acquisition, engagement and retention across Axate’s products
3. Build and maintain a product roadmap and backlog based on the above, prioritising the strategic needs of the business.
4. Use data, analytics and audience research:
– To establish insight into product performance, reporting KPIs and feedback to the business;
– To uncover and investigate user behaviour;
– To drive ideas, optimisation and features;
– To suggest product improvements
5. Ensure that the products provide the features required internally for the business, as well as externally for users and publishers.
6. Work with the stakeholders, key members of technical staff and leadership to understand business needs and drivers and confirm objectives and priorities
7.Lead requirements gathering sessions with stakeholders and manage change in relation to specified requirements, looking to uncover deeper, strategic needs and opportunities
8.Work with engineering teams to create an appropriate execution strategy balancing optimisation, new features and publisher implementations
9.Lead the Agile delivery teams, working with all stakeholders to deliver products to deadlines.
10.Develop relationships with internal and relevant external stakeholders, delivery partners, suppliers and customers as well as with peer to peer and other relevant stakeholders
Essential knowledge, skills, training and experience
1. An excellent understanding of consumer facing products, with an understanding of dual-facing products.
2. Experience in media: news publishing, new media or broadcasting and in delivering digital media roadmaps.
3. Demonstrable experience of optimising mobile and web-based e-commerce or subscription businesses.
4. Excellent understanding and ability to apply industry knowledge, market awareness, audience research and analytics insights to product strategy and planning
5. Direct experience with optimising the performance of a product
6. Strong data analytic skills and understanding of KPIs of the business
7. Excellent ability to prioritise competing demands, in accordance with the strategic aims of the business. In particular, the ability to set and maintain the priorities of developing multiple products where those products are both stand alone and connected.
8. Excellent product development skills and product life-cycle management including an understanding of agile methodology
9. Ability to influence and manage senior level stakeholders
10.Ability to plan and forecast product budget and deliver within that budget
11.Good understanding of the relevant technologies and practices e.g. client and server-side technologies, digital media technologies and platforms, sprint management and software engineering processes and practices.
12. Experience of end to end product delivery
13.A good knowledge of third party tools and services available for product improvement, optimisation, analytics, user research
14.A good network of contacts in related disciplines, such as developers, business analysts, data analysts, UX designers etc would be appreciated.
Key details
1. Reports to the leadership team
2. Line Management: 0 – 5 direct reports
3. Ad-hoc Teams: Participate in ad-hoc teams of between 0 and 10 members
4. 100% Remote working, at present, but you must be located in the UK, easily able to travel to London when needed, and have the existing right to work in the UK