HM Courts and Tribunals Service

Directorate: Digital Technology Services (DTS)

Pay Band: Grade 7

Job Title: Principal Product Manager - Crime Enhancement

Work Pattern: Full Time / Flexible Working / Part Time

Location: National

Successful applicants will be expected to be office based 3 days per week in any HMCTS Office (subject to business availability).

Term: Fixed Term Appointment to 31^st March 2026 with the possibility to make permanent.

This opportunity is available on level transfer and Temporary Responsibility Allowance/Temporary Promotion. The successful candidate will be expected to return to their substantive role at the conclusion of the secondment.

Introduction:

These are exciting times at HM Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). As an agency of the MoJ, we support the judiciary across England and Wales to deliver justice by running courts and tribunals and processing outcomes, and we are looking for talented people to help us achieve our ambitions. It will be challenging, important and rewarding.

HMCTS Digital and Technology Services (DTS) is a specialist technology directorate which provides support to HMCTS in the use of IT and Digital.

DTS is creating a place in which it is great to do work and part of our offer is brilliant training opportunities and support from expert colleagues. As well as that you’ll find flexible working, an inclusive culture and a place where your opinion is valued.

Please follow the link below for further information about HMCTS. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-courts-and-tribunals-service

GDD

Government Digital and Data (GDD) Profession Capability Framework and Success Profiles Frameworks. Using GDD we will then determine if you will be paid an additional allowance, on top of your basic salary. This role is within the Product and Delivery Job Family, is a Product Manager role at Senior Product Manager level but carries the title Principal Product Manager - Crime Enhancement within DTS. 

Job Description:

As a Principal Product Manager, you will champion the delivery and continuous improvement of a major product and define, own and solve problems. You will use your knowledge of user needs and business goals to frame problems, set priorities and to drive your delivery teams to deliver continuous improvement. You will be responsible for developing the overall vision and strategy for a major product, working with other product managers and through engagement with senior stakeholders (both internal and external), user researchers and content designers, cross functional product teams and technical strategists, and the delivery of that vision, through time. Your work will impact across DTS, HMCTS and the external reputation of the organisation through effective management of products.   

You will have a deep knowledge of product management techniques and will have developed expert skills. You will provide direction and empowerment to multidisciplinary teams, ensuring return on investment and execution of the vision.  

You will understand where the product for which you are responsible fits within the overall HMCTS landscape, how it fits with other services and with common components and the dependencies it has on other teams and technology. You will ensure that all the relevant services to support the product are in place. 

As a Principal Product Manager, you will lead and support product managers responsible for products in a particular area of HMCTS business. You may line manage them, support their professional development and be involved in recruitment. 

Key Responsibilities

Setting Direction:

• Understanding and impacting the business strategy and vision.

• Translate business strategy and vision into a clear roadmap and vision for digital products, ensuring teams are adhering to it and maintain the roadmap to align with changing priorities.

• Define service measures and metrics strategy for products.

• Deliver products that meet the Digital by Default Service Standard and are best in class for government, giving the same level of digital experience users expect from daily interaction with the most respected web services.

• Drive and lead innovation with suppliers for current and future capability.

• Develop a good understanding of the organisation in order to present and influence internal stakeholders on proposed technology changes, and how that aligns with the organisation’s objectives.

• Develop and utilise meaningful metrics in order to lead teams towards their goals and understand areas for improvement to support the  business strategy and vision. 

• Own and build relationships with the business and user representatives, technical teams, delivery manager, senior stakeholders, management and third party sub-contractors utilising effective and appropriate governance mechanisms.

• Understand the relationship between new products and existing systems, being aware of data migration strategies, transitional states and driving changes to minimise cross-dependencies and duplication. 

• Own the creation and delivery of the product vision and roadmap for complex projects and co-ordinate activities across stakeholder groups.

• Understand and contribute to the business case throughout the lifecycle of the project.

• Make immediate decisions where the stability of the product or service to users is challenged and longer-term decisions where strategic direction is needed. Support other stakeholders to endorse decisions with appropriate and up to date evidence.

Relationship Management:

• Influences senior stakeholders and manages relationships effectively to drive cooperation. 

• Facilitates and delivers the business outcomes. 

• Ability to communicate complex issues in an authoritative and clear manner and to provide appropriate advice and assurance.

Digital Perspective:

• Can apply a digital understanding and approach to their work 

• Is able to lead and drive solutions for assisted digital 

• Is actively involved across partner and user communities to promote the department’s principles and foster a collaborative approach to solution delivery and engagement.  

• Lead cross-department working e.g. with DWP, HMRC, and champion the community of practice approach both within the department and with other partners. 

• Understand the role of HMCTS within the MoJ and across government in relation to shared services. 

Commercial Management:

• Is able to take responsibility for relationships with contracted suppliers. 

• Will work with key stakeholders to negotiate with contracted suppliers to achieve best value for money.

Team Management:

• Manage a number of product managers, each responsible for a particular product. 

• Guide and advise others on technical areas you have expertise in and coach and mentor more junior colleagues. Lead on and participate in recruitment as required. 

• Help provide direction, support, objectives for team members - both individual and organisation objectives with the structure and environment that supports positive learning, sharing ideas and developing a culture of continuous improvement.  

Skills & Experience

Person Specification:

• You will have comprehensive experience as a Product Manager 

• You will be resilient and used to finding solutions to difficult and complex situations 

• Have experience of managing potential conflict to resolution being aware of individual needs 

• You will use creative thought to develop possible courses of action  

• You will have the ability to evaluate risks and make judgements on the most appropriate solutions  

• You will have experience of problem solving and working with others to deliver at pace 

• Be able to act independently on day-to-day issues and take a strategic view on operational or policy areas 

• Contributed significantly to the achievement of policy or business objectives 

Essential Criteria:

• Previous experience in Criminal courts 

• Previous experience of working in a large digital organization as a product manager or lead product manager 

• Have been accountable for successful management of a digital product 

• Prior team management experience having operated as a team leader managing and supporting the work of more junior grades, role modelling what good looks like  

• Ability to work with technical and business stakeholders to drive out visions, roadmaps and needs; ability to assess and assign priority 

• Capability to set direction and methodology (while adhering to agreed standards) 

• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills  

• Able to provide expert advice to all stakeholders, both junior and senior. 

Application process:

The following areas of the Success Profile Framework will be used to assess and score your application during the sift and interview. 

• Experience - As demonstrated in your CV and Application Form.

• Behaviours - During the interview you will be required to provide evidence of the following key behaviours at Grade 7 Level:

  • Delivering at Pace

  • Making Effective Decisions

  • Communicating and Influencing

  • Working Together

• Technical - GDD Assessment - During the interview, you will be assessed against the 
  GDD framework. Your behavioural answers should be aligned to the appropriate skills 
  set out within the GDD framework.