We are responsible for creating and managing our interactive experiences on the Web, Mobile and next-generation Connected TV Devices such as Connected TVs and YouView.

The department comprises three main functional teams: Production, Product Management, and Multiplatform Commissioning.

The product management team, headed by the Product Management Lead, is responsible for the success of our ongoing customer-facing propositions, or "products". At present these Products are: Channel4.com; 4oD which includes 4oD on devices and off-C4.com platforms; Scrapbook; E4.com and Film4.com. Each product has an associated Product Manager who owns that product.

Job Purpose

The 4oD Product Manager is responsible for 4oD on devices (product suite currently consists of iOS iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone, Xbox, PS3, mobile 4oD site but also oversees 4oD on subscription VoD services on BT, Virgin, Talk Talk and YouTube. The suite is currently expanding into Connected TV's and an Android app also in the pipeline) ; he/she is the domain expert for all the constituent parts that collectively provide the end-user product experience and is responsible for the planning and prioritisation of the 4oD product roadmap, working with Stakeholders across the business to understand and contribute to the department-wide and corporate-wide context for these decisions. The 4oD Product Manager is responsible for the entire product life cycle for each product launch on the roadmap, through from assessing and understanding the consumer need and validating the business opportunity to defining the product, overseeing its development and continually measuring its performance through hard and soft measures.

An Assistant Product Manager 4oD (APM) is now sought to work with the 4oD Product Manager. The role will:

• collaborate with the Product Manager to define the product roadmap and understand the priorities, business drivers and performance measurement criteria for each of the product
• create and manage the product backlog(s) and any centrally driven web services that are available to other products on the platform or to third parties
• act as a conduit for requirements across the various stakeholder departments; represent the prioritisation and definition of these requirements to the internal development team and the communication of progress to the business
• work closely with the C4.com Product Manager and APM to ensure that 4oD is driven in a collaborative way.
• input into the product definition, delivery and ongoing optimisation of products in the suite, collaborating with the Product Manager to assess and understand the consumer need and validate the business opportunity.
• work closely with the technical teams to ensure the smooth running of product delivery
• measure the performance of the 4oD products
• represent the 4oD products in the absence of the Product Manager at all management routines and internal department meetings
• understand the competitor landscape



Key Responsibilities

• To oversee the current product backlog(s) and the related needs of the Product team, IS development teams and various stakeholder departments (ATI, VOD operations, VOD editorial, Channel4.com Production, Multiplatform Commissioning, Marketing, Ad Sales, Sponsorship, Business Development)
• To gather and assess new product enhancement requirements from various business stakeholder departments and ensure these are fed into the associated backlogs or product roadmap for the Channel4.com product.
• To identify opportunities to iteratively improve upon existing product features and functions with reference to available or commissioned user research-insight, routine product performance evaluation and competitor analysis.
• To oversee the end to end lifecycle of specific product evolution launches and in so doing: successfully balance and communicate the end-user, business and internal stakeholders' needs throughout; to work closely with internal and external UX, IA, Design and Development teams to assess, define and produce products to brief and budget and that deliver tangible consumer benefit and ROI.
• monitor the performance of existing product areas and feed into the prioritisation of the associated product backlogs
• oversee the delivery of specific user research commissioned to support a better understanding of current or planned product development
• understand the core uses cases, user journeys and business drivers for 4oD
• plan and oversee user testing of the products and product features and feedback learning to the wider Product team
• keep abreast of competitors landscape
• input into the evolution of the 4oD product suite

JOB FACTORS

Technical & Professional Skills (Knowledge, Understanding, Experience, Education)

• Clear understanding and experience of performing the Agile Product Manager role
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills: ability to understand a problem/opportunity in context of current Channel 4 business need and user need
• Excellent organization skills: ability to communicate and manage internal and external teams and business stakeholders.
• Experience in effectively managing both internal and external third party consultancy, creative and technical agencies or individual freelancer
• Appreciation of the benefits of, and process inherent in, a user-centered approach to product development
• Aptitude for developing an applied understanding of the practical application of role of research and analytics in online product management
• Demonstrable aptitude for developing an understanding of underlying platform technologies and business processes

Autonomy/Judgement/Decision Making

• Autonomy to own and drive the Product Backlog(s)
• Daily decision-making to understand and prioritize the impact of commercial, marketing, production (editorial) and technical requirements on the product backlog
• Autonomy to self-manage within context of department targets, agreed priorities and given budgets
• Ability to judge when to escalate issues to PM and when to self-manage risks
• Relationship Management (internal, external, third parties)
• Excellent track record of working within internal multi-disciplinary teams (commercial, marketing, creative, editorial and technical) and third party agencies
• Day to day partnership management of relevant third party agencies/contractors
• Ability to deputise for the 4oD Product Manager when required

Business Impact/Strategic Perspective

• Ability to understand the relationship between day to day product feature iteration and the longer term strategic development of 4oD
• Passionate about user centered design and usability
• Interest in evolving practices and techniques for shaping, defining and delivering products (e.g. Agile)
• Passionate about television, Channel 4 and its role in a connected age
• Aware of Channel 4 as a business, its values, corporate objectives and the role of the Online department in delivering against these
• An evangelist for product management
• Enthused about the always evolving Online and On Demand landscape, in particular the competitor landscape, and interested in interpreting the threats or opportunities these developments represent for Channel 4 products