Full-Time Cambridge or UK remote Salary: £40,000-£60,000

We are seeking a product manager to work in the Sciety team.

Sciety is a platform for research communication where new research results in biology, medicine and other sciences are made available for peer review and curation by different expert communities. It is built and operated by a small team at eLife Sciences Publications Limited.

What you’ll be doing
You’ll join a small and enthusiastic cross-functional team who are passionate about continuous improvement and building tools to enable positive change.  Everyone gets involved in all aspects of the platform, regularly discussing the next software feature to experiment with based on user feedback and business objectives. You’ll represent the needs of the business as well as our users in those conversations, and choose the metrics we use to measure their engagement. You will gather the information you need to prioritise the new value Sciety should deliver each and every day.

The distributed team works remotely in a very sociable way. Most of the software development takes place on a single video call with others joining occasionally to provide input and join the conversation. We also have a regular “campfire” session where we learn about each other and share team folklore to improve our shared understanding of what we’re building and how. The team constantly adapts to meet the needs of its members: we meet briefly at the beginning and end of every day, always looking to make improvements to our process and practices. We also have a number of ways to reserve time for self-directed and team-based learning.

This role will put you in the driving seat of an introductory stage product solving real problems for scientific researchers. You’ll own and shape the product strategy, determining the overall direction of Sciety in response to the needs of our users and the wider target market. You’ll have the chance to work closely with designers on a regular basis, collaborating with them to undertake continuous product discovery through user-driven research. Gathering insights from this qualitative data, complemented by the quantitative data we can access via a variety of tools, you’ll identify new opportunities to take the product forward

About you
You are highly motivated to improve the lives of researchers who are underserved and underrepresented by the current system of academic publishing. You love the idea of collaborating closely with a diverse range of people to solve complex problems together, and appreciate that different backgrounds and experiences contribute to great ideas. You are comfortable with rapidly altering course, adapting to changes around you on a daily basis and enabling others to do the same. For you, asking the right questions is more important than providing rigid answers. In addition, you’re likely to succeed in this role if you have:

  • Experience in product management or ownership
  • Experience working in an agile or lean environment
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Our offer
Sciety is operated by a team within eLife who are a well-supported, not-for-profit, mission-driven organisation. It’s important to us that you thrive as a person, not just at your job. We invest in the wellbeing of our staff and promote a culture where feedback and ideas are welcome from across the company, so you’ll get the chance to really make a difference.

The post is a permanent position, 37.5 hours per week, and offers a competitive basic annual salary in the range of £40,000-£60,000 (depending on experience). The post holder will be based at our Cambridge office or remotely within the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to live and work in the UK to be considered for the vacancy. We also offer:

  • Competitive salary and benefits
  • 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holidays
  • An open, communicative and inspiring working experience
  • The option of working in an employee designed modern office near the centre of Cambridge
  • Covered cycle parking, shower facilities, informal working or relaxation areas, free fresh fruit, a fancy coffee machine and snacks in the kitchen
  • A sociable and friendly team with interesting social events
  • A flexible approach to working hours and remote working
  • Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
  • Company pension scheme
  • Death in Service benefit
  • Employee Assistance Programme

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. We are committed to increasing the diversity of our workplace and we actively encourage applications from groups that are underrepresented throughout the industry.

How To Apply
Please send your CV and a covering letter explaining your enthusiasm for this position and why you are a great person for this role to hr@elifesciences.org. We’re interviewing immediately so please get in touch soon. If you get stuck on what to write then here are some suggestions:

– Why you would like to join the Sciety team at eLife.
– Where you found us (a job ad, on Twitter, a conference, meeting one of us).
– Any blogs you read or would recommend.
– Any communities and events you attend or are involved with, either online or in person.
– Any books you’ve read that stood out.
– ​Links to Twitter/LinkedIn/personal websites/blogs that you’d like us to read.

Tagged as: Flexible hours, Remote