Lead Product Manager

Job Description

At The National College, we empower education professionals to transform children’s lives. Our all-in-one platform helps schools, trusts, and nurseries stay compliant, raise standards, and reduce staff workload through intuitive, impactful technology. If educators need it, we build it.

We’ve created a unique platform that combines the world’s largest CPD and policy library with innovative software tools, developed in collaboration with thousands of schools and more than 1,000 education experts.

We’re looking for an experienced Lead Product Manager to drive the delivery and evolution of our core products while helping shape our future product portfolio. Working closely with the Chief Product Officer, you’ll lead cross-functional teams, own the end-to-end product lifecycle, and support the development of a high-performing product team.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys turning strategy into execution, making data-informed decisions, and delivering products that create meaningful value for customers and the business.

• Demonstrable track record of delivering high-quality products consistently and at pace across multiple work streams
• Proven experience taking products from discovery through to launch, including user research, stakeholder alignment, prioritisation, and delivery planning
• Experience managing multiple products, platforms, or technology work streams simultaneously
• Experience with in an EdTech, SaaS, or subscription-based business. Familiarity with the UK education sector is desirable

• Strong product management fundamentals, including backlog prioritisation, requirements gathering, and writing clear user stories and acceptance criteria
• Confident working with design teams, providing direction and prioritising design work to support product delivery
• Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to challenge constructively, manage stakeholder expectations, and elevate risks early
• Highly organised and self-motivated, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability in a fast-paced environment
• Commercially minded, with the ability to balance customer needs, technical constraints, and business priorities when making product decisions
• Data-informed approach to decision-making, using qualitative and quantitative insights to guide prioritisation and measure success
• Comfortable working in ambiguity and adapting quickly as priorities evolve

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of products and features, from initial scoping and discovery through to first release, proactively identifying and resolving blockers before they impact delivery
• Own and manage the product backlog, writing clear user stories, requirements, and acceptance criteria to ensure engineering teams always have well-defined, prioritised work
• Provide day-to-day direction to the UX Designer, setting clear briefs, offering timely and actionable feedback, and prioritising design work across competing initiatives
• Ensure the quality of product releases through effective testing and validation before launch, maintaining a high standard of user experience
• Communicate progress, priorities, risks, and decisions clearly with engineering, commercial, and leadership stakeholders
• Coordinate with the wider Product team to manage shared platform dependencies and ensure effective cross-functional delivery
• Work closely with the Chief Product Officer, keeping them informed of progress, risks, and key decisions while operating with a high degree of autonomy

At The National College, we’re passionate about helping organisations grow and thrive through knowledge and connection. You’ll be part of a business that values its people, supports continuous development, and celebrates success.

• Life assurance
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay
• 24/7 online GP access
• Mental health and wellbeing support
• Charity day
• 25 days’ holiday, increasing to 30 days with service
• Professional study support
• Plus more