Head of Product

We have a new opportunity for a Head of Product in the WMCA's Technology & Insight Directorate to lead digital product innovation at the heart of a major regional transformation.

As the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) embarks on an ambitious journey - redefining how we deliver services, embracing programmes such as bus franchising, and strengthening collaboration with partners including Fire and Police - digital and technology will be critical to enabling that change. We have created a brand-new leadership role to shape how we design, build, and deliver user centred digital products and services across the organisation.

With the organisation growing rapidly in scale and complexity, you will lead the shift to a more agile, product and service led approach, embedding modern engineering and DevOps practices while ensuring everything we deliver is driven by user need and real world impact. This is an opportunity to step into a challenging and evolving environment, where you'll not only shape systems and services, but also enable colleagues across WMCA to deliver transformational outcomes for the region.

We're looking for someone with the experience, mindset, and ambition to lead through complexity - someone who is motivated by purpose, thrives in change, and is passionate about using digital innovation to make a tangible difference to people, businesses, and communities across the West Midlands.

What you will be doing.

• Develop and maintain the Digital Product Strategy and portfolio roadmap.
• Champion the responsible and ethical adoption of AI into the WMCA's product portfolio and business processes.
• Establish WMCA's product management framework.
• Set and uphold engineering and DevOps standards.
• Ensure cross organisational and matrix based product teams engage closely with sponsors, senior users, and stakeholders.
• Lead, coach and develop Product Managers, BAs, Engineers, UX/Service Designers, and DevOps enablement leads.
• Own relevant Opex/Capex budgets.
• Embed sustainability in all aspects of corporate IT operations.
• Own release readiness and service transition in partnership with the Head of Corporate IT and the Head of Technology Systems & Infrastructure.
• Lead the Solution Development capability.

What's essential.

• Senior leadership of digital product portfolios with measurable outcomes in complex public sector or multistakeholder environments.
• Proven introduction and scaling of Product Management and Development.
• Experience Leading Solution Development teams covering Microsoft, AWS and/or bespoke App based solutions.
• Experience working with Enterprise Architecture guardrails, Solution Architects, and Product Leads to assure design.
• Experience collaborating with operational environments to enable effective service transition.
• Experience of relevant standards compliance (e.g. WCAG).
• Experience of managing projects and/or programmes in a complex Digital, Data & Technology environment.
• Experience in solution design literacy, API led integration, and platform governance.
• Outstanding communication (technical and non technical), stakeholder engagement and influence.

Location.

The location for this role is 16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B19 3SD, with at least 2 3 days a week spent in the office.

Salary and benefits.

We advertise salary ranges, with new appointments typically starting at the lowest salary point. In exceptional cases, the salary point may be adjusted to secure the best candidate. This approach allows for potential year on year salary increases, offering progression and appropriate rewards to employees. Requests for salaries above the maximum advertised range will not be considered.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Local Government Pension Scheme (one of the most generous pension schemes in the UK).
• Shared Cost Additional Voluntary Contributionscheme where you can build an additional pot of money alongside your pension with contributions exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs).
• 28 days paid annual leave (with an option to purchase more) + Statutory days.
• EV car benefit scheme
• Healthcare plans.
• Discounted gym membership, will writing,andmortgage advice.
• An option to buy a bicycle, including e bikes and adapted pedal cycles, at a discounted rate.
• 3 days of paid leave each year to volunteer.
• Interest free financing through SmartTech to buy the latest technology
• Discounted shopping with over 2,000 big name retailers, and more. You can now also obtain a Costcomembership through the WMCA.
• Boundlessunlocks unlimited entry to top rated UK attractions and loads of extra benefits and discounts.
• EyeCare Scheme, offering a free eye test and a financial contribution towards your glasses.

Right to Work in the UK.

Proof of Right to Work in the UK will be required for all applicants in accordance with UK Home Office requirements, before any employment offer can be confirmed.

Non UK applicants (excluding Ireland) would be required to hold a relevant Visa from the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).

Attached documents

JD - Head of Product.pdf