Product Manager, Support Propositions

Contract: Fixed-term contract — 24 months 

Hours: Full time (35 hours)  

This is an exciting, time-critical opportunity for a strategically minded, creative and commercially aware individual to lead support proposition thinking for the initial tranches of VQ 16-19 reform. You will shape market-leading support at a key break point, bringing innovation, pace and leadership to work that will make a meaningful difference for teachers, centres and learners. The role will also help accelerate broader VQ and GQ synergies, strengthening how OCR designs, improves and connects support across qualification types. This is a highly rewarding, pioneering opportunity to influence how OCR supports customers through significant qualification reform.  

We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.     

About the role    

• Lead the support proposition strategy for the initial tranches of VQ 16-19 reform, ensuring support is compelling, evidence-informed and aligned to customer need. 
• Define what market-leading support should include at a critical point of qualification change, helping OCR respond with pace, clarity and confidence 
• Use customer insight, market evidence and product management techniques to shape, test and iterate support propositions for priority vocational qualifications. 
• Influence and coordinate qualification, insight, delivery, digital, sales, marketing and partnership colleagues to create integrated support offers that can be delivered to time, budget and quality expectations. 
• Identify opportunities for innovation and market differentiation, helping OCR build confidence, momentum and competitive advantage through reform. 
• Accelerate work on VQ/GQ synergies, identifying opportunities to share, align and strengthen support approaches across qualification types. 
• Monitor emerging trends, customer feedback and competitor activity to keep support relevant, timely and strategically aligned.    

This position has been classified as a hybrid role, requiring the selected candidate to typically spend 40-60% of their time collaborating and connecting face-to-face at their dedicated location. Aside from our hybrid principles, other flexible working requests will be considered from the first day of employment, including other work arrangements should you require adjustments due to a disability or long-term health condition.     

About You  

• Considerable leadership experience in product, publishing or educational settings, with evidence of shaping strategy and delivering successful outcomes. 
• Strong knowledge of the UK education system, ideally including vocational qualifications, 16-19 education, curriculum development, teaching, learning or assessment practice. 
• Experience of product management, product development or value proposition development for education resources, support services or training. 
• Strong market research, analysis and strategic thinking skills, with a demonstrable track record in understanding customer needs and validating solutions. 
• Understanding of commercial drivers in an education business, with experience of developing viable products or services within budget, schedule and governance constraints. 
• The ability to build strong working relationships, influence colleagues and stakeholders at all levels, and generate commitment to shared goals. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation and influencing skills, with the capacity to balance, prioritise and manage a varied workload at pace. 

If you would like to know more about this opportunity and what will make you successful, please see the full job description attached to the bottom of this vacancy on our careers site.    

We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme's Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long-term health condition, and who best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable and/or appropriate, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long-term health condition.      

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand your own eligibility based on the role you are applying for.   

Rewards and benefits   
  
We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:    

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays  
• Private medical and Permanent Health Insurance   
• Discretionary annual bonus   
• Group personal pension scheme  
• Life assurance up to 4 x annual salary   
• Green travel schemes      

Ready to pursue your potential? Apply now.     

We review applications on an ongoing basis, with a closing date for all applications being Thursday 20th August although we may close it earlier if suitable candidates are identified. Interviews are scheduled to take place from Thursday 27th August.    

If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:   

• First stage virtual interview via MS Teams. You will be provided with a brief to complete a role related task which will need to be returned by email in advance of your interview.  
• Final stage interview.    

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long-term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.   

Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.    

We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.     

Why join us  

Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You'll belong to a collaborative team that's exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.    

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it's safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics, cultural, or social class/background.    

We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.    

• Product Manager, Support Propositions_Job Description.pdf (199.25 KB)