Product Owner

Role Overview

• Own, maintain and curate the Tribe backlog, based on the strategic direction set by the Product Board.
• Contribute to the Bede Product Roadmap for relevant product areas.
• Create high-level requirements and contribute to proposals for new product initiatives where needed.
• Play a key role in the Tribe through all stages of the Bede SDLC.
• Act as the voice of the stakeholder, whether that is a client or Bede sponsor.
• Turn high-level objectives and requirements into clear, detailed product requirements in the form of user stories with acceptance criteria.
• Follow requirements through execution, either by deriving requirements from BA documentation or developing requirements for own initiatives.
• Take accountability for product quality and feature sign-off at the end of each sprint.
• Collaborate with Team Leads to produce sprint reports and project delivery dates for small to mid-scale projects. Large-scale projects will have a dedicated Project Manager.
• Support defect triage for both internal and externally raised defects.
• Be the product subject matter expert for the relevant product area.
• Take accountability for product area documentation and own the strategy for filling any gaps.
• Create and contribute to product release notes.
• Write and maintain product user guides.
• Share product knowledge with the Product Training Specialist.
• Work closely with software engineers to deliver product increments.
• Collaborate with the Product Board to shape a compelling product strategy in line with Bede’s wider vision.
• Build positive relationships with external clients and internal stakeholders, where applicable.
• Work with Team Leads to support continuous improvement practices.

Requirements

• Experience managing a product backlog, including writing clear user stories, defining acceptance criteria and prioritising work effectively.
• Strong understanding of agile methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban, with the ability to support sprint planning, set realistic goals and keep teams focused on delivering value.
• Ability to think strategically and make decisions that align with the long-term vision and goals of the product.
• Good understanding of market trends, customer needs and the competitive landscape, using insight to inform product decisions.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to gather requirements, manage expectations and ensure alignment across customers, internal stakeholders and delivery teams.
• Effective negotiation and prioritisation skills, with the ability to balance competing needs and make considered trade-offs.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to address challenges and find practical, value-focused solutions.
• Experience supporting product releases, coordinating across teams and helping to ensure smooth delivery to users.
• Confidence facilitating meetings, workshops and discussions to encourage collaboration and gather input from the team.
• Commitment to continuous learning and improvement, staying up to date with industry trends, agile practices and product management techniques.

Tech Stack

• SDLC

Benefits

• A friendly, flexible and trust-based approach to working
• 25 days annual leave, plus 8 bank holidays and usually a generous Christmas break
• Fully matched private pension scheme (up to 8%)
• Bupa private healthcare from day one, including cash plan benefits, dental and optical cover (covers all pre-existing conditions)
• Life assurance cover of 4x your annual salary
• Employee Assistance Programme (via Bupa), providing confidential support and practical advice whenever you might need it
• Access to Calm
• the #1 app for meditation and sleep
• Innovation and learning – space to develop skills, try new ideas and experiment, with an annual hackathon where some ideas make it into real work.
• A work-owned mobile phone or tablet of your choice, with the monthly contract covered by us
• A great office setup – free snacks and drinks every day, plus regular food vans from some of the best places in Newcastle
• Bede Bucks – exclusive colleague discounts and access to a wellbeing platform
• Lots of social events – both in and outside of working hours
• Referral programme – help us grow the team and receive a referral bonus of up to £3,000 (pre-tax, subject to scheme terms)
• Bede swag – including hoodies, t-shirts and our much-loved Bede socks
• Bede Holidays – extra discretionary days off through the year as a thank-you for the great work our teams do