70005 - Product Manager
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
Product Manager Location: National*
Interviews: w/c 13 February 2023
Grade: 7
(MoJ candidates who are on a specialist grade, will be able to retain this grade on lateral transfer)
Salary: London £55,720 - £64,135 which may include an allowance up to £4,280 National £51,767 - £59,590 which may include an allowance up to £3,433
Working pattern: Full time, Part time, Flexible working
Contract Type: Permanent
*We are currently offering hybrid working which includes 2 days per week in your local office. Office locations can be found
The Role
We’re recruiting for a Product Manager here at Justice Digital, to be part of our warm and collaborative Hale Platform Team, a WordPress multisite platform.
Millions of people every year interact with MoJ services, and here at Justice Digital we play an important role in making the experience of all of our users simpler, faster, and better.
We have a clear vision - to deliver a world class justice system that works for all - and we’re looking for talented people to help us achieve it. Our MoJ strategy sets out our core priorities, this includes putting data at the core of our decisions and users at the heart of our services.
We are ambitious, and we need great product people to help us achieve the ambitions we have set out in our 2025 vision, delivering great outcomes through digital products. We're looking for talented, enthusiastic and passionate individuals who are excited by the challenge of designing digital public services and providing our staff with technology at least as good as they have at home.
This particular role would be with the Hale team, an accessible WordPress theme built on a multisite platform. The multidisciplinary Hale team explores, designs and builds features for the platform, based on the needs of our users with a focus on accessibility. Working closely with a wide range of organisations across the MoJ migrating onto Hale. To help them better understand their users and improve the overall end-user experience and access to justice.
As the Product Manager, you will lead on the prioritisation of Hale’s development and continuous improvement for many of the websites and online content that helps the public understand the justice system. Protecting their rights and enabling access to services provided by the MoJ.
In addition to the core work on the Hale Platform, there will be strategic partnerships to develop and maintain with stakeholders across the MoJ. For example with recruitment teams to develop our digital presence and processes for recruiting diverse talent.
Your goal is to contribute to solving complex and often challenging problems. It's a really exciting and challenging time right now, you can make a considerable difference, help us to achieve great outcomes and to be a part of our vibrant product community.
As well as doing great work, we’re creating a place that’s great to work in. We offer brilliant training opportunities, access to great professional networks and support from expert colleagues. On top of that, you’ll find flexible working, an inclusive culture and a place where your opinion is valued.
To help picture your life at MoJ Justice Digital please take a look at our blog and our
Digital and Technology strategy 2025
Key Responsibilities:
- Product Managers are at the core of defining, owning and solving problems, they are responsible for creating the value narrative for their own digital product.
- You will develop the overall vision for the Hale Platform product and engage teams and stakeholders in the development of that vision over time.
- You will champion the delivery and continuous improvement of your product, using your knowledge of user needs and business goals to frame problems, set priorities and inform delivery teams you will work with, of the continuous improvement.
- Product Managers are growing their expert skills at this stage in their career pathway, whilst continually developing knowledge and practice of product management techniques as part of their evolving toolkit. Here at MoJ, we continually invest in supporting you to professionally develop.
- Product Managers are a key role to provide direction and empower people in their multi-disciplinary teams, working in agile cultures and environments. They may manage associate product managers and support their professional development as well as growing their own. They will also work with Senior Product managers to enable the delivery of outcomes across multiple teams.
- You will be at the core of our thriving Product community here, helping it to continually grow and succeed, playing an integral role in demonstrating your professional capability to enable others.
If this feels like an exciting challenge, something you are enthusiastic about, and want to join our team please read on and apply!
Benefits
- 37 hours per week and flexible working options including working from home, working part-time, job sharing, or working compressed hours.
- We are committed to nurturing our staff and provide lots of training and development opportunities with learning platforms such as: Linux Academy, O’Reilly, Pluralsight, Microsoft Learning, Civil Service Learning, GDS Academy,
- 10% dedicated time to learning and development with a budget of £1000 a year per person
- Generous civil service pension based on defined benefit scheme, with employer contributions of 26-30% depending on
- 25 days leave (plus bank holidays) and 1 privilege day usually taken around the Kings’ birthday. 5 additional days of leave once you have reached 5 years of service.
- Compassionate maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave policies, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!
- Wellbeing support including access to the Calm
- Nurturing professional and interpersonal networks including those for Careers & Childcare, Gender Equality, PROUD and SPIRIT
- Bike loans up to £2500 and secure bike parking (subject to availability and location)
- Season ticket loans, childcare vouchers and eye-care vouchers.
- 5 days volunteering paid leave.
- Free membership to BCS, the Chartered Institute for
- Some offices may have a subsidised onsite
Person Specification
Essential skills
- Product ownership - the core skills of product management, capturing user needs to inform decision-making and prioritisation, and translate them into outcomes.
- Problem ownership - we make promises to solve problems, we require people who can explore and define problems before they design solutions. You will be able to define problems from scant information using research, articulating and defending the problem definition (when needed), and understand how the problem fits into the bigger picture.
- User Focus - user-centred design is at the heart of our work. You’ll be working to at least ‘practitioner’ level in this area: able to collaborate with user researchers and can sell or represent users internally; understand the difference between user needs and desires of the user; able to champion user research to focus on totality of all users.
- Strategic ownership - building relationships is key, having strong stakeholder management skills, ideally developed in multi-disciplined environments will help effectively get buy-in from the organisation. You can work with scant information and explain it in abstract terms and develop a strategy, vision and create roadmaps to support the success of your product.
- Lifecycle perspective - understanding of the different phases of the product lifecycle and the impact this has on product strategy. You’ll be at least ‘working level’ in this skill, have expertise in moving a product or service from one stage of the product lifecycle to
- DDaT perspective - ability to demonstrate a working understanding of design, technology and data principles. Understands the variety and complexity of users’ digital needs and how the product will meet those needs. Understands the importance of assisted digital support and can explain the importance. Able to design services and make decisions to meet users
- Understanding constraints - can identify and understand constraints, and is able to communicate these and work within them. Is able to challenge the validity of constraints and ensure standards are met.
Desirable skills
It’s a bonus if you also have:
- Experience in managing a platform product
- Experience in scoping and developing accessible websites Willingness to be assessed against the requirements for BPSS clearance
We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring and do not discriminate on the basis of culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.
Our values are Purpose, Humanity, Openness and Together. Find out more here about how we celebrate diversity and an inclusive culture in our workplace.
How to Apply
Candidates must submit a CV + Covering letter (max 750 words) which describes how you meet the requirements set out in the Person Specification above.
In Justice Digital, we recruit using a combination of the Digital, Data and Technology Capability and Success Profiles Frameworks. We will assess your Experience, Technical Skills and the following Behaviours during the assessment process:
- Experience
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making effective decisions
- Changing and improving
- Working together
Your application will be reviewed against the Person Specification above by a diverse panel.
Successful candidates who meet the required standard will then be invited to a 1-hour panel interview held via video conference.
Terms & Conditions
Please review our Terms & Conditions which set out the way we recruit and provide further information related to the role and salary arrangements.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact recruitment@digital.justice.gov.uk
DDaT Allowance:
London: may include an allowance up to £4,280
National: may include an allowance up to £3,433
Working Arrangements & Further Information
The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.
For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.
Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.
Flexible working hours
The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.
Benefits
The MoJ offers a range of benefits:
Annual Leave
Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.
There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Pension
The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.
Training
The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.
Networks
The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.
Eligibility
Staff on fixed term appointments must have been recruited through fair and open competition.
Support
- A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
- Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
- For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on GOV.UK or Childcare Choices. You can determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
- Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
- Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order
- To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);
- To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team (resourcing-management-office@justice.gov.uk);
- To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.
You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.
We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.
06/02/2023, 23:55 hours.
If you require any assistance please call 0345 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com
Please quote the job reference - 70005.
To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why.
For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:
- You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
- You were studying abroad
- You were living overseas with parents
In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.
Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.
We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.
Application form stage assessments
Interview stage assessments
A Great Place to Work for Veterans
The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans
Redeployment Interview Scheme
Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.
MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.
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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families
· 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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
This Vacancy is closed to applications.