Head of Product Management and Delivery

Permanent, Full Time

Up to £81,386 per annum

Location: Chelmsford*

Closing Date: 21st July 2021

*This position will initially, in line with current government guidance be based from home, with an expectation of being home based for the foreseeable future. However, as government guidelines change the role may then revert to being office based, whilst retaining some flexible working options.

Essex County Council is one of the county's largest employers, with over 7,500 who are responsible for services across adults and children's social care, environment and waste, transport, education, planning and benefits. The Head of Product Management and Delivery role directly supports the front line of local service delivery across a diverse range of public services. You will help to understand and articulate the needs of real people and will see the impact that your work has on people's lives.

What you'll do

· line manage, coach and mentor the Product Management and Delivery team, including hiring, assignments, development, pay and performance

· build and develop the product and delivery management community of practice

· use your knowledge of user needs and business goals to frame problems and set priorities for delivery teams

· collaborate with colleagues across the council to develop roadmaps and align the team's work to organisational aims and objectives

· take the lead in keeping people informed about the development of products

· represent the product management community to large audiences inside and outside of the council

· take the lead in using product or service usage data, user feedback and insights from user research to improve our products and ways of working

· make sure our digital products are consistent with the Government Service Standards and accessibility legislation, taking a leading role in promoting these standards across the council

You'll do great here if

We want to hear from experienced digital leaders with skills in:

· developing relationships with stakeholders at all levels, and communicating clearly and simply to manage their expectations

· leading teams through the full product life cycle and identifying which tools and techniques should be used at each stage

· coaching and leading teams in Agile and Lean practices, determining the right approach to take and evaluating this through the life of a project

· developing sustainable support models, identifying, and dealing with potential risks across or between all stages of the product life cycle

· acting as a recognised expert for the profession and creating the environment for success at an organisational level

· initiating and supporting working with other digital, data and technology roles and professions

· understanding the marketplace and persuading others that a product is the right one to use, including building business cases based on user need

· developing a long-term vision and objectives, focusing on what is important and most relevant to provide the best service for the end user

· anticipating problems, how they fit into the larger picture and how to defend against them at the right time

· making operations efficient and acting as the escalation point for major operational issues

· meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels, bringing insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure these are met by the business

What next

At ECC you'll find an inclusive culture and a place where your opinion is valued.

If shortlisted, you'll be invited to attend an interview during the week beginning 02/08/2021.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is key to our success.

If you have any queries regarding this role, or require anything further, please email or call us on 0333 013 5888.

*Working from home

This position will initially, in line with current government guidance be based from home, with an expectation of being home based for the foreseeable future. However, as government guidelines change the role may then revert to being office based, whilst retaining some flexible working options.