GDS leads digital transformation in government, collaborating with teams from other departments to help them build better public services. Alongside those departmental teams, we’re transforming government together.
We work in small, agile teams of developers, designers, content people and others. We build a minimum viable product, then iterate– always asking how we can make things better for users, who are at the centre of everything we do.
Find out more at the GDS blog.
The teams
Leading the digital transformation of government
The Government Digital Service is looking for Product Managers who want to make a difference by delivering simpler, clearer and faster public services that meet user needs.
The GDS portfolio ranges from alpha prototypes through to digital products and services that are relied on by millions of citizens and businesses everyday. They are delivered by talented multidisciplinary teams working in agile ways with exciting approaches to design and technology. We want to recruit people with broad product management skills to work across these teams and give them expert support and direction.
Our Product Managers will work across our portfolio during their career at GDS. Examples of this work could include:
- helping users with safer, simpler and faster to prove who they are when using government services online
- providing government organisations with better assurance that they are spending the right money on services and delivering to a high standard
- building tools to help departments attract, develop and retain the people and skills they need in the digital, data and technology profession
The initial assignment will be based on the successful candidates’ skills, experience and development goals.
The role
As a GDS Product Manager, you will be working with agile multidisciplinary teams to create, support and continuously improve products that meet user needs. You will take your product through discovery, alpha, beta and live phases of development with the goal of making government services simpler, easier and faster to use.
This is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate and develop your product ownership skills and experience. You will own a product backlog and contribute to roadmaps, be a champion for user needs, and make data-driven decisions. You will represent your team and communicate plans and progress through various channels including blogs, demos and conferences.
Product managers at GDS lead work on exciting products in support of services that are relevant to every individual and business in the UK. It is an opportunity to work with committed and talented developers, designers, analysts and content teams who share a vision for making better government through smarter use of technology
Main responsibilities
As a Product Manager you will:
- work with a multidisciplinary team to deliver the product and iteratively improve it through several cycles
- develop an expert understanding of the users’ needs and champion these in the delivery of your product
- define, explain and iterate a product vision that is compelling to your users, team and stakeholders
- develop and prioritise a product backlog, writing good user stories and making decisions based on evidence
- engage with users and stakeholders through a range of channels to encourage take-up and use of your product
- set measurable goals for your product and report against these to demonstrate progress against stated benefits
- support the vision, roadmaps and delivery of other products in your programme and GDS
- play an active role in the government product manager community sharing your learning and celebrating progress made by other people and teams.
Skills and experience
We’re looking for someone who can demonstrate product management skills and experience. You will be an individual with strong interpersonal skills, who likes working in a delivery focused, agile environment with multidisciplinary teams.
You will be someone who takes pride in representing users and enjoys the challenge of promoting the products you and your team are working developing and operating.
It’s essential that you have:
- experience of developing and releasing digital products with proficiency in agile product management techniques, such as user story writing, MVP definition and backlog prioritisation
- thorough understanding of a variety of disciplines involved in digital delivery, including engineering, service design, performance analysis and user research developed through working in multidisciplinary teams
- experience of engaging with users and using qualitative and quantitative data to identify how their needs can be met by products and services
- familiarity with setting, monitoring and reporting measurable performance objectives
- effective verbal, written and visual communication skills that you are able to tailor to the needs of the audience
- experience of driving product adoption and supporting users
It’s desirable that you have:
- familiarity with working with suppliers through the end-to-end procurement process
- have been in a role with a focus on operational maturity and ensuring a consistent approach to user and technical operational support.
Digital, Data and Technology capabilities
The career frameworks for digital, data and technology rolesare a way of building skills and capability in the government’s digital data and technology profession.
We have created a common set of roles, skills and career paths, that every government department can use.
The framework sets out the critical skills required for product managers working in government:
- Lifecycle perspective
- Problem ownership
- Product ownership
- Strategy ownership
- User focus
- Working with agility