Product Manager x2
About the team
The GLA has been at the forefront of digital and data innovation in London since its inception – will you join us as we make an exciting step change in our digital capability?
Digital and data services play a critical role in enabling the delivery of the functions of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly, and a relentless focus on user needs is critical to ensuring these services deliver the best experience for our users.
These roles sit within the Digital Experience Unit (DEU) at the GLA, which is responsible for the delivery of all internal and external facing digital products and services at the GLA. Organisational design and transformation is at the heart of the DEU’s work – helping to put in place the building blocks of a modern digital organisation: a common core infrastructure of shared digital systems, technology and processes on which it’s easy to build effective, user-centric services and products for citizens, partners and GLA staff.
About the role
We are advertising for two roles.
Product Manager for Staff Experience (Permanent)
This role will sit within the Product team in the DEU. We manage the design, delivery and improvement of dozens of digital, data and technology services that support the delivery of the functions of the Mayor and the Assembly.
As Product Manager for Staff Experience, you’ll join the user-centred design capability in our Digital Transformation Unit, working alongside our product team (including user researchers, content designers, business analysts and project and product managers) to ensure high quality products and services for staff as part of our digital transformation programme.
You’ll lead on the planning, prioritisation and product strategy for the staff Intranet as well as influencing and supporting the continuous improvement of the GLA’s internal services more widely. Championing good practice, accessibility and a user centred mindset in our approach to developing products for staff, you’ll be responsible for setting standards and taking responsibility for the delivery of improved products and processes for staff, supporting cultural change and transformation across the GLA.
While your priority will be improving internal services, specifically the GLA Intranet, you may work in multi-disciplinary teams on a wide range of products with colleagues across a range of service and policy areas.
Product Manager for Data for London (1-year fixed term)
The Mayor of London’s Data for London Board has been established to improve the flow and usage of data to serve citizens, solve city challenges, and promote productivity - putting data into the hands of those who can make a positive difference for London.The Board brings together data leaders from across public, private and civil society and includes expertise in the fields of data science, data ethics, smart cities, cyber security, public engagement and data journalism.
Inside the GLA, the Data for London team are working to ‘fix the plumbing’ for the data ecosystem in London. This includes delivering a rebuild of the London Datastore https://data.london.gov.uk, which serves 2m users and contains 18,000 data files.As we work towards that, the team have released the first component of new data infrastructure for London: the Data for London Library.
The Data for London Library will allow users to search city data, all in one place. We will harvest metadata from many more organisations across London than the current Datastore and put it all in one searchable Library, allowing data analysts to find new datasets or possible collaborators to solve their problem.
The purpose of your role is to:- Oversee the creation, development and improvement of key internal digital processes, products and services at the Greater London Authority.
- Ensure the user is at the heart of all decision making, ensuring user experience is considered at every opportunity.
- Manage a roadmap of services for GLA staff and influence the wider unit’s programme of work.
- Work with suppliers and in-house multidisciplinary agile teams to take ideas and ambitions through to solutions that meet clear and defined user needs and deliver on business goals.
- Contribute to and learn from the wider community of Product Owners within the organisation.
- Engage with analysts, owners, and publishers across the London ecosystem, building a network of users and deeply understanding their needs.
- Develop strong relationships with stakeholders across the GLA and externally. Confidently work with others to set aims and objectives, communicate clearly and persuasively and creatively solve problems to deliver high quality products.
- Manage product roadmaps, backlogs and progress trackers to oversee the effective delivery of DEU products. Set priorities for the delivery team in line with user needs and business goals.
- Manage a portfolio of products associated with your primary product. Lead and oversee digital projects through discovery, design, build and maintenance, whether they be days, weeks or months long.
Skills, knowledge and experience
To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:
- Experience working in a multidisciplinary, agile team, often with differing reporting lines, based in or out of the office, with in-house staff and contractors, whilst managing multiple suppliers.
- Experience in managing multiple projects at once, maintaining roadmaps and setting direction and digital product strategy.
- Extensive experience working in a user-centred manner, drawing out user needs and building, testing and iterating user stories.
- Demonstrable track record of maintaining and improving digital services.
- Thorough understanding of digital trends, practices and directions.
- Working knowledge of a range of digital and collaborative tools, including those focused on sprint management, project planning, wireframing, photo editing and budget monitoring.
- Experience working with analytical and data governance colleagues, understanding and serving their needs
Behavioural competencies
Building and managing relationships
… is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.
Level 3 indicators:- Actively engages partners and encourages others to build relationships that support GLA objectives
- Understands and recognises the contributions that staff at all levels make to delivering priorities
- Proactively manages partner relationships, preventing or resolving any conflict
- Adapts style to work effectively with partners, building consensus, trust and respect
- Delivers objectives by bringing together diverse stakeholders to work effectively in partnership
Stakeholder focus
… is consulting with, listening to and understanding the needs of those our work impacts and using this knowledge to shape what we do and manage others’ expectations.
Level 3 indicators:- Understands diverse stakeholder needs and tailors team deliverables accordingly
- Is a role model to others, encouraging them to think of Londoners first
- Manages stakeholder expectations, so they are high but realistic
- Removes barriers to understanding the needs of diverse stakeholders, including hard to reach groups
- Focuses own and team’s efforts on delivering a quality and committed service
Communicating and influencing
… is presenting information and arguments clearly and convincingly so that others see us as credible and articulate, and engage with us.
Level 3 indicators:- Encourages and supports teams in engaging in transparent and inclusive communication
- Influences others and gains buy-in using compelling, well thought through arguments
- Negotiates effectively to deliver GLA priorities
- Synthesises the complex viewpoints of others, recognises where compromise is necessary and brokers agreement
- Advocates positively for the GLA both within and outside the organisation
Decision making
… is forming sound, evidence-based judgements, making choices, assessing risks to delivery, and taking accountability for results.
Level 3 indicators:- Makes sound decisions quickly on behalf of the GLA when a situation requires intervention
- Takes responsibility for team decisions, providing rationale when those decisions are questioned
- Involves senior stakeholders early in decisions that impact them
- Analyses organisational risks associated with decisions, including those with long term impacts, before committing to action
- Encourages others in the team to make decisions in their own area of expertise, take appropriate risks and learn from experience
Problem solving
… is analysing and interpreting situations from a variety of viewpoints and finding creative, workable and timely solutions.
Level 3 indicators:- Clarifies ambiguous problems, questioning assumptions to reach a fuller understanding
- Actively challenges the status quo to find new ways of doing things, looking for good practice
- Seeks and incorporates diverse perspectives to help produce workable strategies to address compel issues
- Initiates consultation on opportunities to improve work processes
- Supports the organisation to implement innovative suggestions.
How to apply
If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:
- Up to date CV
- Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.
Please note all applications for this vacancy must be submitted via our online recruitment system. We do not accept CVs alone for this role. Please upload a personal statement to the ‘Additional Documents’ section of the form. Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images.
Please ensure your CV and cover letter/supporting statement documents are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g. “CV – applicant name - 012345)
Please note, if you do not provide both a CV and a covering letter, you will not be considered for the role so please ensure the above has been submitted before the deadline.