Full-time Product Manager, Scottish Government

Join Social Security Scotland as a Product Lead and help shape the future of

vital public services.

Within our Digital Directorate, the Apps & Platforms team plays a critical role

in delivering secure, resilient and scalable technology that underpins our

national services. Working at the heart of our Digital Delivery Management

function, you’ll be part of a collaborative, forward-thinking team that partners

with internal specialists and external suppliers to design and run the platforms

that support everything from benefit applications, client communications to data

sharing and reporting.

As a Product Lead, you’ll take ownership of key platforms, driving their ongoing

development and performance as live services. You’ll work closely with technical

and service management, product colleagues to ensure the platforms continually

meet user needs, delivering meaningful improvements to the experience of both

citizens and staff. This is a unique opportunity to combine product thinking

with technical insight to make a tangible difference at scale.

Product Leads manage multiple products or a single product that is especially

complex, high risk or sensitive.

At this role level, you will:

• Line manage Associate Product Managers and Product Managers.
• Have expert product management skills.
• Potentially be involved in elements of programme management activity.
• Be involved in hiring associates, product managers and contractors.

02RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities

• Identify and apply the most effective delivery approaches, using data and
• evaluation to measure outcomes, inform decisions, and support the management
• of allocated resources.
• Support teams to prioritise work, visualise outcomes and maintain focus on
• agreed scope, MVP and delivery within financial limits.
• Develop and deliver strategy for your Platform, ensuring alignment with wider
• organisational objectives.
• Design, implement and continuously improve operational processes across the
• full product lifecycle, including the introduction of new services.
• Act as the escalation point for complex operational or project issues,
• proactively anticipating risks and overcoming constraints to ensure
• successful delivery.
• Understand and clearly articulate problems in their wider organisational
• context, helping others to do the same and make informed decisions.
• Collaborate effectively with Digital, Product and operational delivery teams,
• as well as wider Government Digital and Data communities.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including senior
• leaders —challenging constructively, securing buy-in and driving adoption.
• Develop and manage stakeholder engagement throughout delivery, ensuring the
• right people are involved at the right time.
• Promote the value of products and services, ensuring integration with other
• systems and maximising organisational benefit.
• Apply product management expertise across all lifecycle stages, recognising
• when to progress, adapt or stop activity as needed.
• Use a range of tools, techniques and agile approaches flexibly, adapting to
• change and working effectively with limited or ambiguous information.
• Collaborate with user researchers to ensure user needs are understood and
• represented in decision-making.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of design, technology and data principles
• to inform product direction and delivery.

03QUALIFICATIONS

Success Profiles

We use an assessment framework called ‘Success Profiles’ which lists the

elements we test and provides detailed descriptions of each. Find out more about

04the framework here

• [https://www.gov.scot/publications/success-profiles-candidate-guide/].
• For this post, the following Success Profile elements will be assessed:

05Experience

• Experience integrating technology products with other services while
• managing stakeholder engagement at key stages of delivery, to ensure
• alignment and successful implementation .
• Ability to clearly define and articulate complex technical problem
• statements, supporting others to develop shared understanding and inform
• decision-making

06Behaviours

• Changing and Improving (Level 3)
• Leadership (Level 3)
• You can find out more about Success Profiles Behaviours here.
• [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/success-profiles/success-profiles-civil-service-behaviours]

07Technical Skills

• This role is aligned to Senior Product Manager within the Government Digital and
• Data Profession.
• Please review the following to understand the skill expectations: Product
• Manager - Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework
• [https://understand-digital-data-roles-skills.service.gov.uk/role/product-manager/#senior-product-manager]
• These skills will be tested during the Technical Assessment if you are

successful at sift stage. They will not be assessed at application stage.

08How to Apply

• Apply online, providing a CV and a Supporting Statement (of no more than 750)

which provides evidence of how you meet the Success Profiles above. Both the CV

and the Supporting Statement provided will be assessed against the criteria for

09the role

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but
• all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and

taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified

(presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial

intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and

internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

10Please see our candidate guidance

• [https://www.gov.scot/publications/recruitment-candidate-guide/pages/introduction/]
• for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.
• An initial sift may be completed using the CV and Supporting Statement against

the first Experience criteria. Candidates who pass the initial sift will have

their applications fully assessed.

Successful candidates will be invited to a competency based interview which will

assess the Experience and Behaviours, and a technical assessment comprising a

short presentation which will assess the Technical Skills.

Full details of the interview and assessment process will be shared with

shortlisted candidates once the sift has been completed.

We aim to provide feedback on request. However, where a large number of

applications are received, it may not be possible to give feedback to candidates

who are not invited to interview or assessment. Feedback will be available on

request to all candidates who attend an interview or assessment.

11Expected Timeline (subject to change)

Sift - week commencing 9h November

12Interview – week commencing 23rd November

• Location - In Person in either Dundee or Glasgow

13Reserve List

• In the event that there are more successful candidates than posts available, a
• reserve list will be kept for up to 12 months.

14About Us

Social Security Scotland is an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government. Our

benefits help people from all walks of life in Scotland. We offer rewarding

careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and

roles. We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that is representative

of the clients we serve. Find more about us here.

15[https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/]

• We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range

of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

16[https://www.jobs.gov.scot/what-we-offer]

As part of the UK Civil Service

[https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/about-us/], we uphold the Civil

Service Nationality Rules.

[https://www.gov.scot/publications/recruitment-candidate-guide/pages/nationality-requirements/]

17Working Pattern

• Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible

working options, depending on the needs of the role. We embrace a hybrid working

style   where all colleagues will spend time in either our Glasgow or Dundee

offices. There is an expectation of a minimum 2 days per week in your assigned

location, which will be either Glasgow or Dundee.  If you have specific

questions about the role you are applying for, please contact us.

18Equality Statement

• Social Security Scotland are committed to equality and inclusion, and we aim to
• recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Social Security Scotland are a Disability Confident Employer. We will consider

and implement any reasonable adjustments you may require throughout the

recruitment process and during the course of your employment, should you be

successful in securing a post. If you feel you may require assistance with any

part of our recruitment process, please contact us at

Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot. [Recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot]

19Find out more about our commitment to diversity

• [https://www.jobs.gov.scot/an-inclusive-organisation]and how we offer and
• support recruitment adjustments
• [https://www.jobs.gov.scot/requesting-adjustments-2] for anyone who needs
• them.

20Further Information

• This role is only available to those currently employed by Social Security
• Scotland, Scottish Government Main or Common Citizenship organisations, who have
• passed probation and have been recruited via Fair and Open means.
• Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to
• apply on our Careers Website. [https://www.jobs.gov.scot/how-to-apply]

21Read our Candidate Guide

• [https://www.gov.scot/publications/recruitment-candidate-guide/pages/introduction/]
• for further information on our recruitment and application processes.
• The successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 3
• years unless successful in gaining promotion to a higher Band or Grade.
• If you experience any difficulties accessing our website or completing the
• online application form, please contact the Resourcing Team via
• recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot
• [https://recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot ]

22Apply before 23:55 on 9th November 2026

Contact Name  - Resourcing Team

23Contact e-Mail - recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot

[https://recruitment@socialsecurity.gov.scot ]