Senior product manager

Band 8a · Product manager · 554 job evaluation points

UK GDaD PCF level: Senior product manager

Most often performed at Civil Service grade G7.

A senior product manager can work on a group of products that share a value proposition, or a single product that is complex, high risk or sensitive. They are responsible for product quality and value, working with teams to identify, implement and improve strategies and tactics for their products. They might also be involved in parts of programme management activity.
At this role level, you will:
lead products through different phases of the product life cycle, from discovery, through development, delivery and continuous improvement, to retirement
make decisions based on the overall quality and value of your products
manage associate product managers and product managers
be involved in recruiting associate product managers, product managers and contractors

Contains public sector information from the UK Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework (https://understand-digital-data-roles-skills.service.gov.uk/), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.

Responsibilities

Lead a group of related products, or a single product that is complex, high risk, or sensitive, such as one used in emergency care.
Build product strategy from evidence about patient needs, clinical practice, and health and care policy.
Make sure the product meets medical device regulation where it applies.
Manage the product's budget and make the case for investment with benefits for care.
Coach and line manage product managers.

Skills

Skill	Expected level	What this level means
Agile and Lean practicesUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: compare and select the most appropriate delivery methods and processes recognise, reflect and adapt when something does not work, encouraging experimentation use a blended approach depending on the context help teams to measure, evaluate and visualise outcomes encourage reflective practice to improve ways of working
Applying user-centred insightsUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: use user insights to represent users in internal discussions advocate for research to be completed with all types of users of the product or service use user needs to agree the work that needs to be done and determine priorities with the team work with others to understand and recommend tools to get the appropriate user insight
Creating value for moneyUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: advocate for user needs, ensuring user value is balanced against cost and value for the organisation determine the benefit of a product and persuade others it's the right product to use write or contribute to business cases communicate business-value propositions help others make value-based decisions, influencing the direction of development
Life cycle managementUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: work and consult with the right people at the right time to move through the life cycle and deliver value use evidence to decide when a team should continue, change direction or stop identify tools and techniques required at different phases of the life cycle guide colleagues and stakeholders through different phases of the life cycle
Managing product outcomesUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: lead product teams to create effective methods for measuring product outcomes advocate for data-driven decision making help others prioritise to make better choices use data to drive continuous improvement, increasing quality and user experience identify opportunities to share and connect product data
Product leadershipUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: seek opportunities for reuse and learning across your organisation represent product management in your area in conversations with senior stakeholders protect teams, for example, from unnecessary distractions and requests to change direction coach and manage others in product management lead some product management community activities and participate in cross-government communities
Product managementUK GDaD PCF	Expert (4)	You can: set the strategy and vision for your products, collaborating with others create a prioritised roadmap for your products and use it to discuss product strategy at all levels plan prioritised work across multiple teams, minimising dependencies and risks support multiple teams in delivering quality outcomes in the right way coach and mentor others in product management
Stakeholder relationship managementUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: work with the team to develop and maintain an understanding of stakeholders work with the team to develop and implement stakeholder communications strategies identify and resolve issues, influence stakeholders and manage relationships effectively build long-term strategic relationships and communicate clearly and regularly with stakeholders
Strategic ownershipUK GDaD PCF	Practitioner (3)	You can: ensure that the vision and strategy deliver the intended benefits and policy intent, and use evidence to challenge this when needed work with stakeholders to get agreement on the strategic approach, build trust and adapt based on feedback proactively review and iterate the strategy based on user and organisation insights
Understanding health and care servicesThis reference	Practitioner (3)	You can: analyze how a service fits into care pathways across organizations work with clinicians, care staff, and patients to shape digital services explain the effect of digital decisions on care, safety, and staff workload
Clinical risk managementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: take part in hazard workshops and contribute to a hazard log follow the clinical risk management process for your work provide evidence for a clinical safety case, such as test results
Information governance and data protectionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: apply data protection principles to your work contribute to data protection impact assessments handle information requests and records correctly
Medical device software regulationThis reference	Working (2)	You can: follow a software life cycle process that meets medical device standards produce the records that such a process requires
Equality, diversity, and inclusionThis reference	Working (2)	You can: recognize and challenge behavior that excludes others consider different needs when you plan your work
People managementThis reference	Working (2)	You can: supervise day-to-day work and give feedback take part in recruitment and induction hold regular one-to-one conversations

Typical qualifications and experience

Extensive experience of managing digital products through their whole life cycle.

Band 8a outline

Knowledge: Expert knowledge of a discipline and its management.
Autonomy: Interprets organizational policy for a service; sets the team's direction.
Scope: A service area or a discipline across the organization.
Leadership: Manages a team, or leads a discipline without line management.
Accountability: A service area, its staff, and its budget.

Job evaluation (illustrative)

Factor	Level	Level summary	Points
Communication and relationship skills	5	Gives highly complex or contentious information needing developed persuasion and negotiation, presents to large groups, or communicates where there are significant barriers to acceptance.	45
Knowledge, training, and experience	7	Highly developed specialist knowledge across the range of the specialism (master's level or equivalent).	196
Analytical and judgmental skills	5	Judgments on highly complex facts or situations needing analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.	60
Planning and organizational skills	4	Plans a broad range of complex activities or strategies, adjusting them as needed.	42
Physical skills	2	Skills gained through practice, such as standard keyboard use or driving.	15
Responsibility for patient and client care	1	Helps patients, clients, or relatives during incidental contact.	4
Responsibility for policy and service development	4	Implements policy and develops policy or services for a service or several areas.	32
Responsibility for financial and physical resources	3	Authorizes payments, buys some assets or supplies, monitors or holds a delegated budget, or maintains assets.	21
Responsibility for people	3	Manages a group of staff day to day, teaches core or specialist training, or gives core HR advice.	21
Responsibility for information resources	5	Designs and develops major information systems, or runs information systems for several services as the main duty.	34
Responsibility for research and development	2	Regularly does research, development, trials, or equipment and system testing as part of the job.	12
Freedom to act	5	Works within general policies, and in most cases decides how to interpret them.	45
Physical effort	1	Sitting, standing, and walking, with little physical effort.	3
Mental effort	3	Frequent concentration on unpredictable work, or occasional prolonged concentration.	12
Emotional effort	1	Rare exposure, or occasional indirect exposure, to distressing circumstances.	5
Working conditions	2	Occasional unpleasant conditions, frequent travel or outdoor work, or near-continuous screen use on most days.	7
Total (Band 8a: 540 to 584)			554