Associate Director of Product
Associate Director of Product
- Contract Duration: 3 months
- Location: Leicester, Hybrid (3 days on site)
- Sector: Higher Education
- Outside IR35
Reed Professional Services is seeking an Associate Director of Product to provide interim leadership and strategic direction within the Digital and Technology directorate of a prominent higher education organisation. This role is crucial for maintaining operational continuity and stabilising business-as-usual activities during the recruitment of a permanent replacement.
Day-to-day of the role:
- Provide strategic direction for the digital product portfolio, aligning with the university’s strategy and goals.
- Lead the design, delivery, governance, and operations of the digital product portfolio.
- Develop and lead the product function to support the organisation's vision.
- Offer managerial support to various heads of product and ensure a collaborative approach to product innovation.
- Solve problems and improve outcomes through agile collaboration with product teams and business service owners.
- Lead people management activities within the function, including capability building, resource planning, and line management.
- Raise awareness and understanding of the product strategy across the Technology Directorate and the university.
- Define and implement strong practices, guidelines, and frameworks to continually improve the quality of product solutions.
- Establish metrics and tools to assess capabilities and develop practices associated with the product function.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Strong knowledge of Service Management principles and standards.
- Solid understanding of Enterprise Architecture frameworks.
- Extensive experience in senior IT delivery management roles.
- Proven track record in delivering product-based services.
- Expertise in defining and implementing support models and negotiating Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
- Deep understanding of technical components involved in application delivery.
- Comprehensive knowledge of product architecture.
- Familiarity with programme and project management methodologies.
- Exceptional communication skills, able to engage diverse stakeholders and translate technical concepts into non-technical language.
- Strong strategic planning and organisational capabilities.
- Ability to adapt to varied organisational cultures and motivate, lead, and inspire teams effectively.
- Commitment to promoting collaboration and cross-functional teamwork.
Desirable:
- IT Service Management certification (e.g., ITIL).
- Experience in leading a product function within the higher education sector.
- Strong knowledge of service design principles and practice.
How to Apply:
To apply for the Associate Director of Product position, please submit your CV and a member of the Reed Professional Services Talent Team will be in touch