Mission freelance Core Cloud Product Manager

The Core Cloud team is responsible for building a new strategic hosting platform using Amazon Web Services. We are taking a product-centric approach and are building squads around our products, with a focus on improving Developer Experience.

A Core Cloud Product Manager will use their knowledge of software engineering team's needs, and business goals, to frame and solve problems and set priorities for delivery teams. You will be responsible for the overall vision and quality of a set of the technical products being delivered, in conjunction with the Technical Product Owner for Core Cloud, along with other stakeholders and members of the Core Cloud leadership group.

You will identify opportunities for improving business outcomes and enhancing benefits, looking to continuously improve the quality, capability and efficiency of your product. You will have the final say on quality and whether something is ready to be released into production.

Important
* Occasional travel to site for workshops (once every 2 months, either Croydon, London or Manchester)

Requirements
About you
You will be experienced in agile delivery of technical products that are consumed by engineering teams, and passionate about the improving the experience of your users and customers (in this case developers and other software engineers).

Responsibilities
Your main day to day responsibilities will be:

* forming the vision for the product(s) you own and engage teams and stakeholders in the development of that vision over time
* leading the production of roadmaps, release plans and lifecycle plans for the delivery and maintenance of the product(s) from inception right the way through to retirement as well as inputting into the departmental wide approach to road mapping/lifecycle planning
* taking a product through its lifecycle (e.g. discovery, alpha, beta, live), potentially including service assessments
* representing users and focus on their needs throughout the delivery process
* leading the prioritisation process for the work that needs to be done by the development team by creating and maintaining a product backlog which balances immediate user needs with the long-term investment in development and overall business benefits
* providing final sign off on any completed functional development prior to the deployment to a production environment for your product(s)
* taking the lead in using product or service usage data, and user feedback to devise new ideas for functionality or new ways of working with a continuous improvement mindset and take a lead in promoting such evidence/data driven design across the wider department
You will also be expected to carry out the following day to day activities:
* ensuring the overall quality of the product is in line with standards
* taking the lead in keeping people informed about the development of the product(s) and promoting its uptake and usage within the department
Essential skills
You'll have a demonstrable passion for Product with the following skills or strong experience in:

* investigating patterns and trends identify and resolve problems
* working in the delivery of technology-based projects
* budgeting and financial control skills as well as commercial awareness
* communicating using a variety of methods (written reports, verbal feedback, presentations etc.), applying the appropriate method to each scenario/audience, which at this level, will usually be large groups
* leading in promoting the needs of the team, and of the product; understanding how these may vary between the different phases of a product lifecycle.

The skills listed above are reflective of the Profession Skills and Competency Model (based on the industry standard SFIA framework). Please see below for the relevant skills required for your role:

* Strategy and Architecture
* Business Strategy and Change
* Innovation (INOV) - Level 3
* Benefits Management (BENM) - Level 4

* Development and Implementation
* Systems Development
* Problem Management (PBMG) - Level 4
* User Experience
* User Experience Analysis (UNAN) - Level 3
* Relationships and Engagement
* Stakeholder Management
* Stakeholder Relationship Management (RLMT) - Level 4
* Sales and Marketing
* Product Management (PROD) - Level 4

Desirable Skills
Ideally you will also have the following skills or some experience in:
* recent and strong interpersonal skills with the ability to understand, empathise, negotiate and influence individuals and groups
* identifying and engaging with users and stakeholders to collate evidence and understand and define research which fits user needs
* promoting the use of quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes
* being a line manager

Must be able to show an excellent understanding of the AWS platform as a product.



Due to the nature and urgency of this post, candidates holding or who have held high level security clearance in the past are most welcome to apply. Please note successful applicants will be required to be security cleared prior to appointment which can take a minimum 10 weeks. LA International is an award-winning partner of choice for many of the world's most influential companies and government organisations. Holding Enhanced Government Security Accreditation, we are recognised as the European market leader in the delivery of Security Cleared talent to organisations that demand the very highest levels of security, compliance and assurance.

An award-winning organisation, having secured the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise: International Trade over multiple years. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of background or identity, and we encourage candidates who may not meet every listed requirement to still apply. If you require any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure a fair and accessible experience.

Please Note: If a high volume of applications is received, only candidates shortlisted will be contacted.