Digital Product Manager - London - Housing - 6 months - £570pd (Inside IR35)

A leading London Council is seeking an experienced Digital Product Manager to lead the development, improvement and strategic direction of a portfolio of digital products supporting Housing, Communities and Resident Services. This is a key role within the Digital & Technology function, responsible for delivering user-centred, accessible and data-driven services that improve outcomes for residents, staff and partner organisations. You will take ownership of several business-critical digital products, including resident-facing portals and housing-related systems, working closely with service teams, suppliers, stakeholders and multidisciplinary delivery teams to drive continuous improvement, service transformation and operational efficiency. This role supports a high-profile area of the organisation and is offered on an initial 6-month contract with strong potential for extension.

Key Responsibilities:

• Product Leadership & Delivery

Lead the vision, strategy and roadmap for a portfolio of digital products supporting Housing, Communities and Resident Services. Own the end-to-end product life cycle, from discovery and design through to delivery, adoption, optimisation and retirement. Manage and prioritise product backlogs, ensuring delivery focuses on user needs, business value and strategic objectives. Work closely with Product Designers, Developers and service teams to define and deliver accessible, user-focused digital services. Drive continuous improvement initiatives and identify opportunities to simplify processes and reduce technical debt.

• Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration

Build strong relationships with operational service teams, ICT, senior stakeholders and external suppliers. Facilitate workshops, demonstrations and stakeholder engagement sessions to gather requirements and align priorities. Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to translate business needs into clear product requirements, user stories and delivery plans. Promote agile ways of working and support stakeholders in adopting product-led delivery approaches.

• User-Centred Design & Service Improvement

Champion user research and ensure products are designed around genuine user needs. Collaborate with designers and researchers to develop services that are intuitive, accessible and inclusive. Use analytics, customer feedback and operational data to identify service improvement opportunities and inform prioritisation decisions. Ensure products support assisted digital users and reflect public sector accessibility standards and best practice.

• Performance, Governance & Operations

Define and monitor product success measures, including customer satisfaction, service adoption, completion rates, operational performance and cost efficiency. Lead testing activities, including user acceptance testing, test planning and final product sign-off. Establish and maintain operational support models to ensure products remain stable, supported and fit for purpose. Ensure compliance with GDPR, information security standards and relevant public sector governance requirements.

Essential Experience:
Proven experience as a Digital Product Manager, Product Owner or Senior Product Manager delivering complex digital services.
Strong experience developing product strategies, roadmaps and prioritised backlogs.
Experience working within Agile multidisciplinary teams using iterative delivery methods.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
Strong understanding of user-centred design, accessibility and service improvement principles.
Experience using data and performance metrics to drive product decisions and measure success.
Experience managing third-party suppliers and technology partners.
Ability to operate effectively within complex organisational and regulatory environments.

Desirable Experience:
Local Government or wider Public Sector experience.
Experience working with resident-facing platforms, case management systems or service delivery applications.
Understanding of GDS standards and Digital, Data & Technology (DDaT) frameworks.
Experience delivering digital transformation programmes across housing, community or customer-focused services.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a forward-thinking London Council and lead the delivery of impactful digital services that support residents and frontline teams whilst shaping the future of local government service delivery.

TL;DR
Job Title: Digital Product Manager (Housing)
Contract: 6 months
Location: London (Hybrid)
Rate: £570 per day
IR35: Inside IR35
Sector: Local Government
Start: ASAP