product manager United Kingdom
The Football Association
Full Time
United Kingdom
10.56 - 12.04 GBP Today
Job description
A game For All
This Product Manager will determine and oversee delivery of the strategy and roadmap for a number of products to achieve business outcomes and financial objectives.
There are four key areas of responsibility:
- Understand the customer and market – continually research to understand customer needs and wants, and market trends; gather feedback, proactively identify and test new features and product enhancements
- Meet business goals – work with stakeholders to ensure products and solutions meet the economic business goals established by the relevant FA divisions and that ROI is maximised
- Own the product strategy – continuously refine the product vision, strategy and roadmap, and drive life cycle management efforts to inform all stakeholders and guide the product development team. This includes the removal of technical debt, delivery of non-functional requirements and maintenance of continued secure operations
- Steer product development – guide the lifelong development of the products, using shared platforms as far as appropriate, with a strong focus on the quality of the experience for all users. Note day to day/sprint to sprint this is usually led by the Product Owner
This role is initially focussed on our “Win” Product Line. This means developing our suite of apps and other advanced data products that are used by England Teams and performance staff to help us win international trophies.
This role is based in St George's Park, near Burton on Trent, with occasional travel elsewhere as required.
About the Team
Technology is key to the FA's transformation. From supporting grassroots via our day-to-day digital presence, to using data-led insights to drive the game – to developing future-focused platforms for professional football – our Digital Technology team is central to our future.
What will you be doing?
Understand the customer and market
- Undertake market research and continuous exploration to continually and deeply understand customer and market needs
- Monitor and evaluate product performance and proactively champion product improvements.
- Proactively keep up-to-date with how world class comparable and adjacent businesses are using emerging and mature digital technologies to enable and support achieve FA goals and competitive advantage
Meet business goals
- Develop a deep understanding of business goals and processes; translate corporate strategies into clear outcomes for digital products
- Develop strong relationships and regularly communicate with product stakeholders and customers to shape the product strategy and surface and prioritize needs
- Ensure alignment and adherence to regulatory, security, corporate, financial, technology and architectural standards
- Manage investment decision making and finances for the product, taking a return-on-investment approach to increasing the value while minimizing product costs
Own the product strategy
- Develop and communicate the program vision and roadmap – continuously develops and communicates the vision and roadmap for the product
- Approve the sprint plan – the Product Owner owns the product backlog and detailed requirements, including detailed features, architecture, data validation/integration and quality work, non-functional requirements, technical debt and enabler work but typically seeks Product Manager input on the sprint plan to confirm it aligns with the product strategy
- Determine internal and contract/external resources and skills required for the product team to deliver on the product roadmap
- Contribute to the business area's annual budgeting and strategic planning process
Steer product development
- Guide the product engineering team to scope, plan and deliver work, applying established delivery methodologies (e.g., agile methods) and best practices (e.g. reusability).
- Proactively identify and resolve blockers to achieve business objectives for the product, including technical and resourcing challenges.
- Define, track, and communicate OKRs for the product to measure performance and contribution to business goals and strategy.
- Ensure the development and implementation of a suitable test approach, including garnering feedback and insights on the digital product and data during the development process, through beta to general release
Leadership
- Support the Head of Product Management by playing a key role in the development and delivery of the Product Management strategy and business plan, working collaboratively with key stakeholders
- Organise and hold regular team meetings to share information, updates and to maintain a high level of communication
- Take ownership for relevant teams product strategy and standards. Ensure these standards are adhered to and where they aren't, ensure corrective actions plans are in place
- Promote and develop a performance focused culture where required. Provides regular feedback and learning opportunities to enable the achievement of the Product and IT Strategy
- Ensure resource is aligned behind the priority activity
- Create an inclusive, diverse and supportive environment that reinforces the Company values and culture, ensuring the acquisition, retention and development of talent
Other
- Champion delivery execution and cut through low/no value adding processes that inhibit delivery
- Proactively demonstrate and role model required behaviours in line with the expectations of the role
- Support the development and continuous improvement of DT policies, process and documentation in order to continually enhance the overall service to the business
- Executes additional tasks as required in order to meet FA Group changing priorities.
- Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure the highest standards of health, safety and wellbeing can be maintained.
- As part of The FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.
What are we looking for?
Essential for the role:
- Significant experience in product management roles and delivered compelling and sustainable consumer grade digital experiences and relationships
- Identifies, opens, drives and delivers opportunities towards a strategic vision
- Experience coaching and leading team members and other colleagues
- Excellent ability to listen, support, collaborate with collagues and supports the development of FA people including any direct reports
- Demonstrable ability to be an excellent role model and to encourage others to exhibit an organisations values and behaviours
- Excellent ability to influence external and internal stakeholders effectively
- Demonstrable experience in engaging colleagues to ensure the product vision is achieved
- Excellent persuasive skills, including the ability to bring people around to your way of thinking if required including (may include senior stakeholders)
- Excellent ability to develop relationships
- Demonstrable experience engaging effectively with senior and demanding stakeholders to build and deliver strategic plans
- Experienced in working through and achieving results with diverse stakeholders
Beneficial to have:
- Degree or equivalent
- Excellent knowledge of business to consumer trends (e.g. consumer packaged goods, travel and hospitality) and experience of deploying and driving adoption and building digital relationships at scale using apps and/or mobile digital products
- Experience of driving change in operating models to transform the delivery of Digital / Technology services and associated benefits
- Experience of using consumer data to provide tailored and personalised experiences to customers and achieve a more engaging relationship
- Good managerial accounting skills to ensure that budgets are managed
What's in it for you?
We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles, to achieve this we have unique office spaces under the arch of the iconic Wembley National Stadium, which is the home of English Football. We are also delighted to offer a world-class, Elite Performance Centre, St. George's Park in Staffordshire which is an exceptional setting to develop and inspire high-performing England teams and leaders.
We pride ourselves in offering a competitive salary as well as great opportunities to develop and grow in your role. But that is not all; we also have a range of exciting benefits, some of which can be found below:
- Access to event day tickets at Wembley Stadium, alongside a host of regular internal events throughout the season encouraging you to connect and learn with your colleagues and look after your mental health and wellbeing.
- Free, nutritious lunches, at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
- Free private medical cover.
- A contributory pension scheme.
- An additional Thank You days leave, volunteering days as well as 25 days annual leave.
- A hybrid working model offering flexibility on where you work.
For more information on what it is like to work at The FA, please visit our FA Careers page, https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/careers
Our Organisation
The Football Association [The FA] is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game, and generates significant revenue to support investment into English football each year.
The FA oversees England international teams across men's, women's, youth and disability football, as well as running the National League System and FA Competitions including the Emirates FA Cup, Barclays FA Women's Super League, FA Women's Championship, and Vitality Women's FA Cup, and the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park, all with a purpose to Unite the Game and Inspire the Nation.
We currently work within a hybrid working model whereby the expectation is to work from your contractual location for part of the week, and as and when required by the team. The remaining days can be worked remotely. We will continue to monitor this model and it may be adjusted in future if deemed necessary.
Your contract with The FA will specify a fixed location of either Wembley Stadium, St. George's Park or our Processing Centre, unless the role is advertised as a homebased contract. The contractual location of this role can be found at the top of this advert on our FA vacancy page.
The FA, For All, For You
Our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy forms an integral part of our long-term commitment to using our influence across English football to create a game free from discrimination.
https://www.thefa.com/-/media/thefacom-new/files/about-the-fa/2021/fa_a-game-for-all-strategy.ashx
A Game For All outlines three key strategic commitments – Lead the Change, Be the Change, and Inspire the Change – which will ensure tackling discrimination remains a core priority for English football for years to come.
We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work.
We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.
As part of The FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.
About The Football Association
CEO: Mark Bullingham
Revenue: $500 million to $1 billion (USD)
Size: 501 to 1000 Employees
Type: Non-profit Organisation
Website: www.thefa.com
Year Founded: 1863
The Football Association
www.thefa.com
Wembley, United Kingdom
Mark Bullingham
$500 million to $1 billion (USD)
501 to 1000 Employees
Non-profit Organisation
Sports & Recreation
1863
