Product Operations Manager

Key information

Location: London, Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, or Nottingham.

Hours: 37.5 hours

Start date: December 2024  or January 2025 (we are happy to work with you and your notice period)

Duration: Permanent

Salary: £39,865 - £42,745 per annum if based in London. £37,290 -£40,100 per annum if based in Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle or Bristol, plus a £312 yearly tax-free work from home allowance.

Application deadline: Sunday 24th November 2024, 5pm

Early applications are encouraged, as we will assess applications and schedule interviews on an ongoing basis.

About upReach

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?  

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. Our work is important because right now a student from disadvantaged background who gains a first-class degree from a top university is less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2. 

We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities. We help undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment. 

To find out more about how we support our students, visit our website and read our Annual Report, and Impact Report. 

Role overview 

upReach is seeking to hire a Product Operations Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in our digital transformation journey within upReach’s product and tech team. You will be responsible for ensuring our existing tools are supported operationally while helping to oversee the efficient transformation of our digital products, implementing low-code/no-code solutions and AI technologies, and ensuring these tools are effectively integrated across all departments. You will work closely with both technical and non-technical teams to optimise processes, foster innovation, and drive the adoption of digital solutions. Your expertise will be crucial in monitoring product performance, generating insights, and guiding strategic decisions to expand and improve the technology we use to drive our mission to transform social mobility in the UK.

This position would be suited to individuals who are committed to upReach's mission and have an understanding of, and empathy with, the challenges facing those from lower-socio-economic backgrounds. 

Our values

upReach upholds the following values:

• Perseverance

• Integrity

• Advocacy

• Aspiration

• Proactivity 

Skills 

The ideal candidate for the Product Operations Manager role will bring with them the following skills:  

• Problem solving

• Attention to detail

• Managing competing priorities within a varied workload

• Agile working

• Resilience

Experience 

To be successful, it is anticipated that you would have prior experience in product management, product operations or operations in a technology environment:

• Multiple years experience as a Product Manager, Product Operations Manager or Operations Manager delivering excellent software

• Knowledge of Agile methodologies and product management frameworks

• Knowledge of tech capabilities and how tech can be used to solve issues

• Experience working with developers (especially 3rd party)

• Experience managing data and understanding the use of data

• Experience in managing competing priorities whilst maintaining an exceptional eye for detail, including ability to identify tech bugs and anticipate future issues

• The ability to communicate effectively with technical and non technical specialists, with exceptional stakeholder management skills.

• Experience in dealing with complexity and working independently to find solutions to problems

• University degree in any discipline, or equivalent experience.

Desirable experience:

• Experience in digital transformation and change management

• Experience in managing 3rd party developers

• Knowledge of GDPR legislation and regulations

Responsibilities

You will contribute to upReach's mission, by having full ownership of product operations in multiple product areas and leading on operations within our development team to discover and deliver value to our beneficiaries through our technology.

Core responsibilities include:

• Collaborate with the Head of Product to implement our product strategy and vision including our digital transformation strategy.

• Lead the implementation of low-code/no-code platforms and AI technologies to streamline operations and enhance service delivery.

• Work closely with the Programmes team and external partners to ensure successful integration of digital tools across upReach.

• Identify and implement process improvements and automation opportunities to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

• Develop and provide training programs to ensure staff are equipped to use new technologies effectively.

• Collaborate with the product team to establish metrics and monitoring systems to evaluate product performance and impact

• Contribute to upReach's strategic planning by providing insights and recommendations based on product performance and technological trends.

Team Culture & Benefits: 

By joining the upReach team, you will be joining a team who are committed to supporting you in your career journey and fostering an inclusive culture. 

We offer: 

• Flexible and hybrid working.

• Statutory Holiday Entitlement of 25 days and bank holidays. This increases to 2 additional days after 2.5 years and then to 3 additional days after 5 years of working with us. 

• Birthday leave.

• Enhanced Parental Leave beyond statutory requirements for all team members. 

• 3% Pension Contribution, this increases to 5% after 5 years of working with us. 

• Cycle-to-work scheme.

• Monthly socials.

• Dedication to Staff Wellbeing through our Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aid Training. 

• Personal Development Budget, activated after 6 months in the role.

• The opportunity to participate in our fantastic staff networks: 

  • Disability and Inclusion Network

  • Ethnic Minorities Network 

  • Green Network 

  • LGBTQ+ Network

  • Mindfulness Network

  • Parents and Carers Network 

  • Socio-economic Background Network

Equal Opportunities

We are committed to making our recruitment process inclusive. All applications will be blind screened, and our job packs are available in Braille, large text or another format upon request. We can provide reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment application process and on the job, and we'll always endeavour to be as accommodating as possible.

upReach is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We support workplace diversity and believe it creates dynamic and effective organisations. We are working hard to increase diversity in our team and would particularly welcome applications from ethnic minority candidates.