Senior Product Manager
Summary
Three Senior Product Manager roles in DWP Digital (Bereavement & Care, Health & Disability data, and Corporate Centre services) at the UK Department for Work and Pensions. Day to day: leading product teams, setting product strategy and roadmaps, championing user-centred design, and managing other product managers across complex public services.
- Job grade: Grade 6
- Contract type: Permanent
- Business area: DWP - Digital
- Type of role: Digital, Information Technology
- Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
- Number of jobs available: 3
Location
Please find further information on the Corporate hub locations here.
Please note: for candidates requesting to work in Newcastle, the role will initially be based at Benton Park View. It will then move to 1 Pilgrim Place in Newcastle city centre by the end of 2027.
For candidates requesting to work in Sheffield King’s Court, please note these roles will initially be based at King’s Court and then move to 1 West Bar by early 2028.
About the job
Job summary
Are you an engaging leader with advanced Product Management skills?
Are you a Product Manager who thrives on leading big, complex problems to find the right answer for all users?
If so, this could be the ideal opportunity for you:
We are looking for 3 senior product managers to join exciting evolving services. The first one being in Bereavement, Care and Common Capabilities area. You will have a portfolio of products within the Bereavement and Care Digital team which will include overseeing products that support internal users to do their job and citizens to get the support they need.
The second one is within our health and disability portfolio. Following a recent review of the health data ecosystem, some very distinct opportunities to enhance and transform the way we work with data has been uncovered. This key senior PM role will provide expertise on the direction of travel for data within health and provide leadership on understanding our data capability needs, in line with the central D&A Hub and spoke data model.
The third role is within our corporate centre services, focussing on our staff and how to improve their working day with the systems we use.
If this sounds like you, apply today!
Job description
As a Senior Product Manager, you will lead and drive product teams for a large and complex part of our organisation.
You will be as passionate about people as you are about products, leading teams to define, design and deliver your vision and realise the value for your users.
As a Senior Product Manager, you will be an experienced leader and manager with a strong understanding of product management techniques.
The role will require you to:
- Work at a senior level and across organisational boundaries to build positive relationships and gain support for your aims.
- Develop product strategy and a meaningful, value-driven roadmap that will guide the team and your stakeholders.
- Drive customer insight and champion User Centred Design to develop a great digital service which will need you to have a high degree of user awareness.
- Actively lead & manage a significant transformational change in a complex environment.
- Work with strategy, policy and operations to develop an overall strategy for the service and/or programme.
- Provide leadership and direction to the product team.
- Track progress against goals and performance metrics for your product and evaluate success against your outcomes and ensure return on investment.
- Manage other Product Managers within the area and support their professional development and career progression.
- Maintain a thorough understanding of all elements of inclusivity in our digital services ensuring accessible digital services are core to our service offer.
- Lead the ongoing development of the service, driving continuous improvement in performance, quality and value while balancing investment, priorities and long-term sustainability.
Please note: Regular travel to other Digital Hubs will be required as part of this role. This can be discussed further at interview.
Person specification
See selection process for further details.
If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Aisha.Gultasab@dwp.gov.uk.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Product Management
Benefits
We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:
- Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
- Generous annual leave – at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
- Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
- Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
- Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
- Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
- An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.
Hybrid Working
This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.
If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.
If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.
Salary Information
Pay for this role is from £76,339 to £81,672.
Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.
Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer will maintain their current substantive salary.
Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.
Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
Stage 1: Application
Your application will consist of four parts:
1. A Personal Details application form.
2. Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed.
3. Personal statement - up to 1000 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria below:
- Experience of creating and communicating a compelling vision independently to stakeholders at all levels.
- Experience of influencing stakeholders so alignment for an agreed roadmap can be achieved.
- Experience of using insight, data and feedback to make the right decision and guide others on the importance of using data and insight to drive a good decision.
- Experience of coaching and mentoring others in product thinking and create a product mindset in and outside of their immediate area.
4. Technical statement (up to 250 words). The following statement is aligned to the required technical skill of: Product Management. This statement should be used to provide example(s) of how you meet the criterion below:
- Experience of prioritising across competing business and digital goals by understanding the value of products and how they will meet user needs.
Ensure that all examples provided in your statements are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statements, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide.
The sift panel will use the information in your employment history, personal statement and technical statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge.
An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.
If you do progress to a full sift, you will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your employment history and Personal Statement.
For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.
Important Information
- You will be asked to complete your employment history. Any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
- Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
- If your employment history, personal statement or technical statement contain any personal details your application will be withdrawn.
Stage 2: Interview
If you’re successful at the sift stage, you’ll be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. During the interview, you’ll be assessed against the experience criteria listed under both the essential criteria and technical skill.
Interviews will take place from early December 2026. Sift and Interview dates to be confirmed.
Other information:
All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.
For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed.
Further Information
At the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.
Find out more about working for DWP on the DWP Careers Hub.
Reserve List
A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.
If you are placed on a reserve list but we cannot immediately offer you a post, please note:
- If you are later offered the role you applied for, in a location you have expressed a preference for, and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe you will be withdrawn from the campaign and removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a contractual Part Time Working Pattern cannot be accommodated in the initial role offered or in cases of serious ill health).
- If DWP makes an offer of an alternative role or location to that which you originally applied for, and you decline that offer, you will be able to remain on the reserve list.
Disability Confident Scheme
If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards.
Reasonable Adjustments
We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should contact the Government Recruitment Service via DWPRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the “Reasonable Adjustments” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Integrity, plagiarism and Civil Service Principles
The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles.
Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words.
Examples of plagiarism can include:
- Presenting the work, ideas and experience of others as your own
- Copying content or answers from an online or published source that is not your own
Disclosure and Barring Service and Internal Fraud Database Checks
To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check will be carried out.
Important
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Before applying for this vacancy, current employees of DWP should check whether a successful application would result in changes to their terms & conditions of employment, e.g. mobility, pay, allowances. If you are a current employee and are successful you must be able to be released from your current post within four weeks.
Those on protected TUPE/ COSoP terms and conditions applying on promotion or voluntary permanent level move will adopt DWP’s Terms and Conditions and this may have a different impact on pay and allowances. Please review this prior to acceptance of a role.
Civil Servants that would transfer into DWP from other government organisations, following successful application, will assume DWP's terms & conditions of employment current on the day they are posted, unless DWP has stated otherwise in writing. Accepting a post will be taken to mean acceptance of revised terms & conditions.
Civil Servants applying on promotion will usually be appointed to the salary minimum or within 10% of existing salary.
Any move to DWP from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may, however, be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at the Childcare Choices Website.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Aisha Gultasab
- Email : Aisha.Gultasab@dwp.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : digitalrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission. Click here to visit the Civil Service mmission.
Attachments
| DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB) |
| Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB) |
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