Associate Product Manager

Summary

Associate product managers manage subsets of features or components of a product in either its prototype state or once it is live and being incrementally improved. This can be an entry-level role for civil servants who may be looking to progress to product manager or those on emerging talent schemes. At this level, because you will be learning basic product management techniques, you will report to a more senior product manager.

Background

Description	Background
Understands the full product lifecycle and supports all aspects of the product during its lifetime. Able to effectively communicate to stakeholders given the agreed product strategy and plan.	Prior Knowledge and Skills

Behavioural Skills

Title	Details
Information Acquisition	Identifying gaps in the available information required to understand a problem or situation and devising a means of resolving them.
Customer Focus	Understanding the needs of the internal or external customer and keeping these in mind when taking actions or making decisions.
Verbal Expression	Communicating effectively using the spoken word.
Written Expression	Communicating effectively in writing, such as reports and via emails.
Teamwork	Working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal.

Technical Skills

Title	Details	Depth
Own Organisation's IT Products and Services	The IT products and/or services supplied to internal and external customers by own organisation.	Aware of
Third Party IT Products and Services	The IT products and/or services supplied to own organisation by external suppliers.	Aware of
Product Evaluation and Selection	The analytical comparison of IT products against specified criteria (including costs) to determine the solution that best meets the business need.	Familiar with

Training

Title	Details
Presentation Skills	Methods and techniques for verbal and visual communication in a formal or semi-formal environment, including face-to-face and online.
Service Management	Principles, methods and techniques for managing IT services, including the preparation, understanding and use of Service Level Agreements, Operational Level Agreements and underpinning contracts.
Security Awareness	Tools and techniques to help users and employees understand the role they play in helping to combat information security breaches and for IT and security professionals to prevent and mitigate risk.

Professional Development Activity (PDA)

Title	Details	PDA Group
Participation in Group Activities	Participating in group activities inside or outside of the working environment that can assist with the development of interpersonal skills.	Broadening Activities
Deputising	Standing in for supervisor or manager on a temporary basis during periods of absence.	Broadening Activities
Job Shadowing and Special Assignments	Undertaking temporary periods or secondments in other roles, particularly those that offer a new perspective on own function or exposure to other environments and cultures.	Broadening Activities
Gaining Strategic Knowledge of Employing Organisation	Developing a comprehensive understanding of the business environment in which the employing organisation operates and its position, policies and direction in relation to health and care, country and global issues.	Increasing Knowledge
Gaining Knowledge of Surrounding Technical Areas	Gaining knowledge of IT activities in employing organisation external to own function.	Increasing Knowledge
Involvement in Professional Body Activities	Attending meetings, seminars and workshops organised by professional body and reading published material, such as journals and web content.	Participation in Professional Activities
Time Management	Undertaking learning and practice in the planning and organising of own activities.	Developing Professional Skills

Organisational Skill Name and Description

Framework	Skill	Level
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Agile working Agile delivery involves encouraging teams to build incrementally, test and iterate their work based on regular feedback and other useful data.	Awareness Agile working You can: show an awareness of Agile methodology and the ways to apply the principles in practice take an open-minded approach explain why iteration is important iterate quickly
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Financial ownership Financial management involves planning, organising and monitoring financial resources.	Awareness Financial management You can: understand the financial impact of the work you do and how cost and budgets are created
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Government Digital and Data perspective Data visualisation involves producing graphical representations that communicate data, such as charts and graphs.	Awareness Government Digital and Data perspective You can: demonstrate a basic understanding of design, technology and data principles understand the range of available technology choices
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Life cycle perspective Leadership and guidance involves providing effective leadership and management through team motivation, decision making, risk management, mediation and professional development	Awareness Life cycle perspective You can: understand how the needs of the team and the product vary across the stages of the product life cycle
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Operational management Non-functional testing involves verifying that a system (behind the functions and features) complies with requirements such as performance and usability.	Awareness Operational management You can: understand the operational processes of running and maintaining a product or service
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Problem management	Working Problem management You can: initiate and monitor actions to investigate patterns and trends to resolve problems effectively consult specialists where required determine the appropriate remedy and assist with its implementation determine preventative measures
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Product ownership Problem management involves anticipating and identifying problems in systems, processes or services, and ensuring appropriate solutions are implemented.	Awareness Product ownership You can: show an awareness of the tools, terms and concepts used to deliver a product
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Strategic ownership Strategy involves creating a plan to achieve a team or organisation's objectives.	Working Strategic ownership You can: effectively get buy-in from the team
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	User focus User focus involves understanding the user needs to develop a detailed understanding of the problems that need to be solved.	Working User focus You can: identify and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence understand and define research that fits user needs use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes
Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework	Working within constraints Web performance optimisation involves improving the efficiency and speed with which web pages load in a browser.	Awareness Working within constraints You can: understand the value of policy, legislative, regulatory and operational constraints and can find the simplest, shortest and fastest solution for users

Framework

Skill

Level