Head of Product / Director of Product

We’re​ ​looking​ ​for​ ​an​ ​experienced​ ​product​ ​leader​ ​to​ ​help​ ​shape​ ​the​ ​future​ ​of​ ​the​ ​UK’s​ ​leading​ ​family history​ ​company.​ ​Findmypast​ ​has​ ​8​ ​billion​ ​historical​ ​records​ ​and​ ​18​ ​million​ ​registered​ ​users​ ​globally, and​ ​has​ ​helped​ ​transform​ ​the​ ​way​ ​people​ ​learn​ ​about​ ​their​ ​ancestors.​ ​Genealogy​ ​and​ ​family​ ​history is​ ​a​ ​high-growth​ ​market​ ​that​ ​is​ ​changing​ ​quickly,​ ​and​ ​shipping​ ​compelling​ ​products​ ​that​ ​help​ ​our customers​ ​make​ ​discoveries​ ​about​ ​their​ ​families​ ​and​ ​themselves​ ​in​ ​new​ ​and​ ​meaningful​ ​ways​ ​will​ ​be central​ ​to​ ​our​ ​success.​ ​Reporting​ ​into​ ​the​ ​CEO,​ ​you’ll​ ​have​ ​a​ ​strong​ ​track​ ​record​ ​of​ ​building​ ​product teams,​ ​shipping​ ​successful​ ​consumer​ ​digital​ ​products,​ ​and​ ​optimising​ ​ecommerce​ ​funnels.

Key​ ​Responsibilities

Hire,​ ​develop​ ​and​ ​lead​ ​a​ ​high-calibre​ ​team​ ​of​ ​product​ ​managers,​ ​product​ ​owners​ ​and​ ​designers, building​ ​a​ ​culture​ ​that​ ​values​ ​data​ ​and​ ​customer​ ​insight,​ ​good​ ​design,​ ​and​ ​efficient,​ ​repeatable processes.

Work​ ​in​ ​close​ ​partnership​ ​with​ ​product​ ​engineering​ ​to​ ​create​ ​simple​ ​solutions​ ​to​ ​hard​ ​customer problems​ ​and​ ​ship​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​use​ ​and​ ​effective​ ​family​ ​history​ ​experiences​ ​that​ ​help​ ​our​ ​customers make​ ​discoveries​ ​about​ ​their​ ​family​ ​histories.

Influence​ ​the​ ​product​ ​strategy​ ​that’s​ ​at​ ​the​ ​heart​ ​of​ ​our​ ​business​ ​growth.​ ​Informed​ ​by​ ​data​ ​and customer​ ​insights,​ ​market​ ​trends,​ ​commercial​ ​imperatives,​ ​and​ ​our​ ​current​ ​platforms​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the technology​ ​landscape,​ ​you​ ​will​ ​develop​ ​well-informed​ ​opinions​ ​while​ ​being​ ​open​ ​to​ ​thoughtful discussion​ ​and​ ​collaboration​ ​with​ ​colleagues​ ​to​ ​build​ ​product​ ​plans​ ​and​ ​prioritise​ ​initiatives.

Report​ ​regularly​ ​into​ ​the​ ​executive​ ​team​ ​and​ ​board.​ ​You​ ​will​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​explain​ ​the​ ​why​ ​and​ ​how​ ​of the​ ​product,​ ​bring​ ​to​ ​life​ ​product​ ​roadmaps,​ ​and​ ​reflect​ ​on​ ​the​ ​costs​ ​and​ ​benefits,​ ​customer​ ​impact and​ ​commercial​ ​value​ ​of​ ​product​ ​initiatives.

About​ ​You

  • An​ ​effective​ ​leader.​ ​Identify​ ​and​ ​retain​ ​outstanding​ ​product​ ​people.​ ​Able​ ​to​ ​lead​ ​and influence​ ​without​ ​telling​ ​people​ ​what​ ​to​ ​do.​ ​Get​ ​into​ ​the​ ​detail​ ​while​ ​also​ ​pointing​ ​to​ ​a​ ​long term​ ​vision
  • A​ ​problem​ ​solver:​ ​you​ ​spend​ ​your​ ​time​ ​figuring​ ​it​ ​out​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​explaining​ ​why​ ​it​ ​can’t​ ​be done.​ ​Bias​ ​for​ ​action​ ​and​ ​getting​ ​things​ ​done.
  • Knowledge​ ​of​ ​modern​ ​ecommerce​ ​best​ ​practices​ ​like​ ​experimentation,​ ​CRO,​ ​digital​ ​and social​ ​marketing,​ ​analytics​ ​platforms,​ ​UX​ ​and​ ​user​ ​testing,​ ​software​ ​development approaches​ ​like​ ​scrum​ ​and​ ​XP.​ ​Mobile,​ ​search​ ​and​ ​API​ ​experience​ ​will​ ​help.
  • Understand​ ​consumer​ ​products​ ​both​ ​from​ ​a​ ​customer​ ​and​ ​technology​ ​point​ ​of​ ​view
  • Collaborative,​ ​and​ ​an​ ​excellent​ ​communicator​ ​at​ ​all​ ​levels
  • An​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​family​ ​history,​ ​new​ ​technologies​ ​and​ ​innovations​ ​in​ ​the​ ​market​ ​(AI,​ ​VR,​ ​DNA for​ ​example),​ ​and​ ​passionate​ ​about​ ​customer​ ​experience
  • Work​ ​between​ ​our​ ​Dundee​ ​and​ ​London​ ​offices;​ ​occasional​ ​travel​ ​to​ ​the​ ​US

About​ ​Findmypast

One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​leading​ ​websites​ ​for​ ​family​ ​research​ ​in​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​Findmypast​ ​has​ ​helped​ ​to​ ​transform the​ ​way​ ​people​ ​learn​ ​about​ ​their​ ​ancestors.​ ​With​ ​over​ ​8​ ​billion​ ​historical​ ​records,​ ​we​ ​work​ ​tirelessly to​ ​digitise​ ​the​ ​world’s​ ​archives​ ​and​ ​help​ ​people​ ​discover​ ​and​ ​share​ ​their​ ​family​ ​stories.​ ​18​ ​million users​ ​have​ ​registered​ ​with​ ​our​ ​products​ ​and​ ​services​ ​around​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​which​ ​include​ ​Findmypast, Genes​ ​Reunited,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​British​ ​Newspaper​ ​Archive.

We’re​ ​a​ ​British-owned​ ​company​ ​of​ ​150​ ​based​ ​in​ ​Shoreditch,​ ​London​ ​and​ ​Dundee,​ ​Scotland.​ ​We​ ​work in​ ​small,​ ​collaborative,​ ​cross-functional​ ​teams​ ​to​ ​solve​ ​customer​ ​and​ ​business​ ​problems.​ ​Our​ ​work combines​ ​technology​ ​and​ ​innovation​ ​with​ ​personal​ ​human​ ​stories,​ ​and​ ​we​ ​enjoy​ ​celebrating​ ​success together.​ ​There​ ​are​ ​tech​ ​demos​ ​weekly,​ ​a​ ​monthly​ ​lunch​ ​for​ ​everyone,​ ​and​ ​parties​ ​and​ ​charity activities​ ​during​ ​the​ ​year.​ ​In​ ​a​ ​continuous​ ​learning​ ​environment​ ​and​ ​a​ ​fast-moving​ ​market,​ ​there​ ​are real​ ​opportunities​ ​to​ ​gain​ ​new​ ​experiences​ ​and​ ​make​ ​a​ ​lasting​ ​mark​ ​on​ ​our​ ​product,​ ​business,​ ​and customers.