Product Manager (SAMpeople)

Job Description

Location: Remote, UK

Salary: up to £50,000

About us

At Arbor, we’re on a mission to transform the way schools work for the better. 

Central to this mission is equipping Schools with the technology and support to address any challenges they may face, so expanding our product suite and enhancing our customer offering has become an essential priority.

One of these many products is SAMpeople, a cloud based software platform for schools to give them a one-stop shop for their people management.

SAMpeople are Education people specialists; we have a team of leaders who have all worked in education for many years and understand the business challenges that schools and MATs have to deal with day in and day out. 

At the heart of our brand is a recognition that the challenges schools face today aren’t just about efficiency, outputs and productivity - but about creating happier working lives for the people who drive education everyday: the staff. We want to make schools more joyful places to work, as well as learn. 

About the role

The Product Manager is responsible for the full product lifecycle of our SaaS solutions, from idea through to launch and ongoing improvements. This role requires a deep understanding of customer needs, competitive landscape, and technology trends to guide product strategy and ensure successful execution. The Product Manager will work closely with cross-functional teams, including engineering, marketing, sales, and customer support, to deliver high-quality products that meet customer needs and drive business growth.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Strategy & Roadmap

• Define and develop the product vision, strategy and roadmap for FEPS SaaS products.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and threats.
• Prioritise product features and improvements based on business impact, customer feedback, and market dynamics.
• Communicate the product strategy and roadmap to stakeholders across the organisation.

Product Development & Management

• Collaborate with engineering teams to translate product requirements into technical specifications.
• Manage the product backlog, ensuring that features are well-defined and prioritised for development.
• Oversee the product development lifecycle, from concept through to release, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery.
• Manage user acceptance testing (UAT) process and work closely with QA to ensure product quality.

Customer Insights & Feedback

• Engage with customers and users to gather feedback and understand their needs, challenges and usage patterns.
• Analyse customer feedback and usage data to identify opportunities for product improvement.
• Serve as the voice of the customer within the organisation, ensuring that customer needs are reflected in product decisions.

Performance Tracking & Reporting

• Define and track key product metrics (KPIs) to assess product performance and drive decision making.
• Regularly report on product performance, including customer adoption usage, retention, and satisfaction metrics.
• Identity and implement strategies to improve product performance based on data insights.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with various teams including engineering, marketing, sales, and customer success to ensure alignment on product objectives and deliverables.
• Facilitate cross-functional meetings to drive product initiatives and resolve issues.
• Act as the primary point of contact for all product related inquiries and decisions. 

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering or a related field, or otherwise qualified by experience.
• Experience: 2-5+ years of product management experience in a SaaS or software environment.
• Technical Skills: Strong understanding of SaaS business models and cloud-based technologies. Experience working with Agile methodologies.
• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to clearly articulate product concepts and strategies to diverse audiences.
• Customer-Centric: Passionate about solving customer problems and delivering exceptional user experiences.
• Product Management: Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

What we offer

The chance to work alongside a team of hard-working, passionate people in a role where you’ll see the impact of your work everyday. We also offer:

• 25 days annual leave (plus 8 days Bank Hols)
• Your birthday off
• BUPA Healthcare Cashback plan – following successful completion of probation
• Pension Scheme
• Ongoing professional development opportunities – we can offer supported study and potential funding for external qualifications
• A cracking team to work with!
• Flexible working – we can offer part time or term time hours to suit you and your family