As a Product Development Manager, you will play a crucial part in helping to manage and deliver a portfolio of application development projects from initiation to closure within the agreed budget and time. You will have line management responsibility for a development team and will ensure the most efficient resources are used within a project and that stakeholder interests are managed and satisfied. 

About the role

You’ll oversee all aspects of project delivery in a highly collaborative and agile framework, providing ongoing communication to ensure that progress is transparent and aligned to the quality and standards expected by the stakeholders and IT governance. This role demands strong leadership skills and technical ability aligned with excellent management and communication.

Project Management

• Provide timely and effective communication on progress or issues to project and/or IT colleagues
• Establish project scope by: 
• studying strategic business drivers; 
• discovering and validating business requirements; 
• obtaining input from subject-matter experts; 
• examining and recommending changes to current business practices; 
• proving feasibility by developing and writing proposals.  
• In consultation and taking account of solution architectures, agree appropriate design standards, methods and tools and ensure they are applied effectively.
• Actively manage all risks, issues and key decisions within the projects.
• Ensure quality and governance processes are followed and that Next standards are met.
• Ensure the integrity, availability and security of information systems.
• Ensure project classification is undertaken and that appropriate security procedures are followed.
• Ensure the BAU cost of projects and ensure a handover to the support teams to agreed standards. 
• Contribute to the ongoing development of Next’s applications strategy.
• Take accountability for ensuring documentation is accurate and compliant with any applicable legislation including FCA / PCI guidelines.

Team Management

• Lead, coach and develop a team of Developers to consistently deliver the highest standards of service required by the business.
• Participate in and ensure adherence to all aspects of design, creation, testing approaches and documentation standards.
• Develop technical and behavioural skills and promote a learning culture within the Systems function.
• Encourage and develop effective communication and teamwork between the developers, other business departments and stakeholders.
• Monitor performance of individuals as well as holding regular one to ones and team meetings. 
• Manage the team in accordance with Company policies and procedures. 
• Proactively react to recruitment needs and partner with the Recruitment team to source candidates.

Business Management

• Ensure that IT and Business User Management are aligned at all times on the project aims and deliverables.
• Ensure issues raised by business users are appropriately evaluated, prioritised and resourced.
• Ensure that communication to the business is professional, clear and appropriate.
• Build and maintain working relationships with key and business users.
• Work closely with other systems teams to improve cross-team resolution of issues, where appropriate.

About You

• Proven track record in a Technical environment.
• Experience of managing complex projects and portfolios.
• Strong senior stakeholder management skills.
• Strong leadership skills, with previous team management experience.
• The ability to plan and prioritise workload in a demanding environment.
• Excellent communication skills.

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