What’s the job?
We are seeking a Product Manager to evolve The Observer's digital services, working across Observer.co.uk and our apps. As a key member of the digital team, you’ll play a pivotal role in delivering our digital strategy, working closely with editorial, commercial and technical teams to deliver subscriber value and grow our digital audiences.
Where do I work?
The Observer newsroom, London (22 Berners Street) plus some flexibility to work remotely 1 day per week.
What are we for?
The Observer’s promise is in the name. The Observer bears witness; the best of journalism being curious minds at work. It loves the arts and ideas, both for their own sake and because they can change lives. It’s proudly progressive, but has no party allegiance. It’s open to different arguments and its editorial independence is non-negotiable. We are building a new Observer across print, audio and digital. We’re here to build journalism that lasts.
What’s my personal contribution?
You will be a creative, strategic Product thinker with a passion for innovation, and a strong proven ability to execute digital product delivery.
You will be responsible for driving growth from our new digital products, balancing business priorities, user needs and technical constraints while driving continuous improvements across platforms.
If you're passionate about building exceptional experiences for users and subscribers, we’d love to hear from you.
What are my responsibilities & accountabilities?
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Own the product roadmap, balancing feature development, technical debt and stakeholder requests to ensure timely delivery
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Work closely with the leadership team, the Head of Subscriptions, and our Chief Customer Officer to define the product roadmap for Observer.co.uk and The Observer native apps, ensuring alignment with business objectives and evolving market trends
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Own operational prioritisation and sprint planning to deliver the best
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Foster strong relationships with editorial, marketing and engineering teams, maintaining alignment on product goals and a collaborative approach across the organisation
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Engage with key stakeholders across the business to identify challenges and opportunities, translating these into actionable product requirements and clear next steps for execution
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Lead requirement discussions to break down initiatives to write clear, concise product requirements, user flows and identify success metrics
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Oversee the end-to-end product development process, from ideation to user story creation, working alongside development teams to ensure there are clear requirements leading to high-quality delivery of product features
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Track and report on progress, identifying potential blockers or risks early and escalating where necessary
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Continuously assess the competitive landscape and stay informed about emerging trends in the digital publishing industry, identifying opportunities for innovation and improvement
Qualifications and skills
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3+ years of experience in product management, ideally within a subscription-based and/or media-focused business
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An experimental approach, focused on validating or invalidating assumptions to drive incremental impact.
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Ability to define solutions with the support of teams, balancing roadmap priorities, delivery timeframes and presenting well-defined business cases
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Strong decision-making, with the ability to justify priorities in collaboration with the wider team
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Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and a dab hand at presenting technical information to a non-technical audience
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Problem solver who thrives in finding creative solutions to improve member experiences
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Positive and enthusiastic team player—open to ideas, proactive and driven by a can-do attitude
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Self-starter, confident in working independently and rolling your sleeves up, while also collaborating with others
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User-centric approach, passionate about media and storytelling, with an eye for beautiful design
Salary and Benefits
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Competitive salary
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30 days annual leave plus bank holidays
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Private Healthcare
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Group Income Protection
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Group Life Assurance
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Pension
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Cycle to work scheme
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Interest-free season ticket loans
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Free snacks and drinks in the newsroom
Working with us
We are a progressive business with a diverse, motivated team; a mix of veterans and young people starting out in their careers. We are committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our employees, and we welcome applicants regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, race, colour, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age.
To apply please send a letter and a PDF of your CV to recruitment@observer.co.uk. You should include the name of the job that you are applying for in the email subject.