Assistant Product Owner
Oxford University Press · Oxford, England, United Kingdom
- On site
- Full-time
- £45,000 / year
- Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Job highlights
- Own product backlog and drive digital change.
- Collaborate with teams to deliver product value.
- Translate requirements into user stories.
- Support products from concept to launch.
- Hybrid role in Oxford office.
About the role
About the Role
Oxford University Press is seeking an Assistant Product Owner passionate about driving meaningful digital product change and maximizing product value. In this role, you will own a product backlog, collaborating with Product Managers, Senior Product Owners, delivery teams, and business stakeholders to define, prioritize, and deliver work that aligns with clear business objectives. You will translate high-level requirements into epics, features, and user stories, ensuring value-driven prioritization and clear, achievable sprint goals and plans. You will be actively involved in the entire delivery process, from concept to launch. As the voice of the customer, you will work with development and design teams to transform requirements into well-defined user stories with precise acceptance criteria. Your responsibilities will include collaborating on UX/UI design, contributing to prototypes and wireframes, supporting stakeholder sign-offs, and providing ongoing clarification of requirements, review of demos, and acceptance of completed work throughout the delivery cycle, adhering to agreed-upon methodologies.
Beyond direct delivery, you will help embed change and support products throughout their lifecycle. This includes implementing new processes, creating training materials and documentation, and facilitating knowledge transfer and training for teams. You will also liaunt with customer-facing and operational teams to manage inquiries, address issues, and communicate any planned changes or downtime. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, a delivery-focused communication style, and a positive, flexible attitude, enabling you to influence, adapt, and remain committed to achieving excellent outcomes for both users and the business.
This is a 12-month fixed-term contract position. We embrace a hybrid working policy, requiring a minimum of two days per week in our Oxford office.
About You
We are looking for a versatile digital product professional with a comprehensive understanding of modern product development and delivery practices, including experience with Agile methodologies and associated tools. You should be an effective communicator, adept at engaging and influencing stakeholders, with a strong emphasis on quality delivery and problem-solving, even when working with distributed teams. Possessing solid technical understanding and a user-centric approach, you will prioritize customer experience and leverage feedback to shape product direction. You should be comfortable navigating ambiguity and change, adaptable in your methods, and self-aware, actively seeking feedback, learning from experiences, and continuously refining your work processes.
Benefits
At Oxford University Press, we value work-life balance. Our benefits include 25 days of holiday, increasing with service, plus bank holidays and a Christmas closure (3 days). We offer a 35-hour working week and are open to discussing flexible working patterns depending on the specific role. We also host a variety of active employee networks and societies.
To support your financial well-being, we offer a competitive pension contribution of up to 12%, loans and savings schemes through our partnership with Salary Finance, travel-to-work initiatives, and access to numerous local discounts.
This role includes the additional benefit of a discretionary annual payment. Please refer to our Rewards and Recognition page for further details.
Key skills/competency
- Agile methodologies
- Product backlog management
- User story creation
- Stakeholder management
- Digital product development
- UX/UI collaboration
- Requirements gathering
- Quality assurance
- Change management
- Product lifecycle support
Skills & topics
- Assistant Product Owner
- Product Management
- Agile
- Scrum
- User Stories
- Stakeholder Management
- Digital Products
- Product Backlog
- Requirements Gathering
- Oxford University Press
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight Agile experience and product ownership skills relevant to Oxford University Press's needs.
- Showcase your impact: Quantify achievements in previous product owner roles, demonstrating value delivery.
- Prepare for Agile questions: Be ready to discuss your experience with Scrum, Kanban, and backlog prioritization.
- Emphasize collaboration: Demonstrate your ability to work effectively with diverse teams and stakeholders.
- Research OUP's mission: Understand their commitment to learning and how your role contributes to it.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What are the key responsibilities for an Assistant Product Owner at Oxford University Press?
- As an Assistant Product Owner at Oxford University Press, you will manage the product backlog, translate high-level requirements into user stories, collaborate with development and design teams, and support products throughout their lifecycle. You'll act as the voice of the customer to ensure delivered features meet business goals and user needs.
- What Agile experience is required for the Assistant Product Owner role at OUP?
- The Assistant Product Owner role requires experience with modern product development and delivery, specifically mentioning Agile approaches and supporting tools. While not specified, familiarity with Scrum or Kanban is highly beneficial for backlog management and sprint planning.
- What is the work arrangement for this Assistant Product Owner position?
- This Assistant Product Owner position operates under a hybrid working policy, requiring a minimum of two days per week in the Oxford office. The remaining days can be worked remotely.
- What is the employment type for the Assistant Product Owner role at Oxford University Press?
- The Assistant Product Owner role at Oxford University Press is a 12-month fixed-term contract position.
- How does Oxford University Press support work-life balance for its employees?
- Oxford University Press supports work-life balance with benefits such as 25 days of holiday, bank holidays, a Christmas closure, and a 35-hour working week. They are also open to discussing flexible working patterns.
- What technical skills are beneficial for an Assistant Product Owner at OUP?
- While a deep technical background isn't the primary focus, a solid technical understanding is beneficial for the Assistant Product Owner role. This helps in collaborating effectively with development teams and understanding the implications of product decisions.
- How important is stakeholder management for this Assistant Product Owner role?
- Stakeholder management is crucial for the Assistant Product Owner. You'll need to engage, influence, and collaborate with various stakeholders, including Product Managers, Senior Product Owners, and business representatives, to ensure alignment and successful product delivery.