Product Manager at Department for Work & Pensions, UK Office/Remote, 12 Months, £Contract Rate

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK's biggest public service department, it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers. As such, we operate on a scale that is almost unmatched anywhere in Europe and most people in Britain come into contact with us at some point in their lives.

Working with DWP, you will be helping us to drive our priorities to:

• Help people to move into work and support those already in work to progress, with the aim of increasing overall workforce participation
• Help people to plan and save for later life, while providing a safety net for those who need it now
• Provide effective, efficient, and innovative services to the millions of claimants who rely on us every day, including the most vulnerable in society
• Improve experience of our services while maximising value for money for the taxpayer.

Role Purpose

The Department for Work and Pension 's is seeking a Product Manager to play a key role in the Funeral Expenses Payment (FEP) Legacy Refactor Programme, a critical transformation initiative within the DWP. The role is responsible for supporting the replacement of functionality currently delivered through the legacy Social Fund Computer System (SFCS), ensuring the continued delivery of an essential bereavement support service while contributing to the department 's wider digital transformation and legacy modernisation objectives. Working within a multidisciplinary agile team, the Product Manager will translate user, business and operational needs into prioritised product outcomes that deliver measurable value for citizens and stakeholders.

As a Product Manager, your main responsibilities will be:

• Define, manage and maintain product backlogs, ensuring priorities align with programme objectives, user needs and business value.
• Work closely with delivery, technical, operational and policy stakeholders to capture, refine and prioritise requirements.
• Support the design and delivery of modern digital services that replace legacy system functionality.
• Use user insight, performance data and evidence-based decision making to shape product roadmaps and priorities.
• Collaborate within agile multidisciplinary teams to ensure successful delivery of product increments and continuous improvement activities.
• Manage stakeholder expectations, communicate product decisions effectively and ensure alignment across delivery teams and senior leadership.

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience working as a Product Manager within agile delivery environments.
• Experience managing and prioritising product backlogs, balancing user needs, technical constraints and business objectives.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence, negotiate and build effective working relationships across multiple teams.
• Experience using data, user research and evidence to inform product decisions and measure outcomes.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of delivering products within complex digital transformation initiatives, including the replacement or modernisation of legacy technology platforms.
• Understanding of product delivery practices within UK Government, public sector organisations, or other highly regulated environments.
• Knowledge of the Government Digital Service (GDS) Service Standard and agile delivery practices within government.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident 

As a Disability Confident employer, DWP encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent candidates. Applications from candidates who identify as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

As a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, DWP welcome applications from veterans, service leavers, reservists and military spouses or partners. Applications from eligible candidates who meet the essential criteria for the role will be prioritised for review. Where application volumes are high, additional role-specific and desirable criteria may be applied as part of the shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.