Senior Product Manager - GOV.UK One Login

Up to £70,219 (London) / £61,793 (National) - based on capability.
Published on 16 December 2024

The GOV.UK One Login Programme represents a once in a generation opportunity to simplify and widen access to all digital government services. Sitting at the heart of the government, we are building one simple, safe and secure way for users to log in and prove who they are that will work across all government services.

As part of the GOV.UK One Login programme at GDS, you'll be joining a passionate and collaborative group of product managers, engineers, designers, and researchers dedicated to delivering exceptional digital experiences for everyone. We're a diverse team that thrives on innovation and embraces agile methodologies to deliver impactful solutions at scale.

With over 2 million accounts created and over 50 Government services using GOV.UK One Login, there's never been a more exciting time to join us. We're continuously shipping features, improving our journeys and supporting our platform and products, whilst rolling out to more and more services and users.

GDS offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their nearest office. You will be line managed by an experienced product leader, able to access professional training of your choice, and peer-learning through a OneLogin and GDS community of more than 30 product managers.

This is your chance to make a real difference in the lives of millions, to contribute to a project of national significance, and to be at the forefront of digital transformation in government. If you're a passionate product person who thrives in a fast-paced, impactful environment, we want to hear from you!

Senior product managers in the Government Digital Service play a pivotal role in shaping digital products that serve millions. Your leadership, expertise, and commitment will directly impact the future of digital government services.

Senior product managers manage multiple products or a single product that is especially complex, high-risk or sensitive. At this level, you will:

1. lead a multi-disciplinary team or collection of teams to deliver world-class digital products and services
2. develop an expert understanding of our users' needs and behaviours, championing these in the delivery of your product
3. work alongside the lead Product Manager for Identity and other senior product managers to manage the prioritisation of work, balancing support and new feature delivery to ensure products remain reliable, robust and secure, whilst also being continuously improved.
4. maintain a roadmap and develop and prioritise a product backlog, writing good user stories and making decisions based on evidence and value for money
5. line-manage associate product managers and product managers
6. be involved in hiring associates, product managers and contractors

Person specification

We're looking for someone who has a track record of leading successful product delivery teams in an agile environment. You'll be guided by the fundamental principles of putting user needs first, focusing on delivery and outcomes over process, and being open and collaborative. You'll be someone who wants to make a difference, by delivering simpler, clearer and faster public services that meet user needs.

We're interested in people who have experience of:

1. engaging with users, commissioning research and turning qualitative and quantitative insight into product improvements
2. product managing high-volume digital products in a fast-paced environment, developing a Product strategy and working with multidisciplinary, agile teams from discovery to delivery
3. continuous, data-led improvement and iteration of a maturing, live product
4. collaborating with a variety of disciplines involved in digital delivery, including engineering, design, content, data analysis and user research
5. exemplary verbal, written and visual communication skills that you are able to tailor to the needs of the audience
6. handling complex stakeholder relationships and working with stakeholders to deliver products from discovery to live
7. understanding modern technologies used in the delivery of cloud-based software products - and the ability to explain the high-level purpose and constraints of these technologies with non-technical people

If you meet most of those criteria but think that you might not meet every last one then don't let that stop you from submitting an application.

The benefits of working at GDS

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

1. flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
2. a Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
3. 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
4. an extra day off for The King's birthday
5. an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
6. career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
7. a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
8. job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
9. advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
10. cycle to work scheme and facilities
11. access to children's holiday play schemes across different locations in central London
12. access to an employee discounts scheme
13. 10 learning days per year
14. volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
15. access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

GDS offers hybrid working for all employees. This means that everyone does some working from home and also spends some time in their local office. You'll agree to your hybrid working arrangement with your line manager in line with your preferences and business needs.

Things you need to know

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

1. a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the "person specification" section above
2. a 75 minute video interview and task

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:

engaging with users, commissioning research and turning qualitative and quantitative insight into product improvements

While we value the use of AI technology to enhance our daily work, we also value the personal touch and urge applicants to write cover letters without the use of AI to emphasise their own unique experiences.

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We'll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

We'll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital, Data and Technology Profession Capability Framework for the Senior Product Manager role:

1. Government Digital and Data perspective
2. Operational management
3. Product ownership
4. Strategic ownership

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

Recruitment Timeline:

Sift completion: 10/01/2025

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

Other information: Occasionally, business pressures, priorities or critical delivery may mean that we move you into a different team or work area within GDS. This will always be within the same grade and discipline within which you were hired, but does mean that your focus or objectives may shift in order to deliver GDS business.

You may be aware that there are plans for the Government Digital Service (GDS) & the Central Digital & Data Office (CDDO) to move into the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT). This move is to bring together the digital transformation of public services into one core department. The move itself will offer huge opportunities whilst allowing DSIT to lead the way and drive forward the new Government's digital agenda.

As the announcement is relatively new, we are awaiting more detailed information. Therefore, we encourage you to apply for this role, and will keep you informed with updated information throughout the application process.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.