Associate Product Owner - AASC

Home Based with UK Wide Travel

Permanent, Full Time

Up to £55,000 per annum + Excellent Corporate Benefits Package

Here at Serco, we have a newly generated critical role as part of the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contract (AASC). The Analytics and Strategy directorate are an integral function of the AASC contract. The department are responsible for producing accurate, current, and insightful Management information to provide all contractual, external, and internal reporting as well as the strategic modelling of technology solutions, system development and Agile working. The department is also responsible for optimising service performance, driving adoption, effective business change, and helping to develop a data-driven organisation.

This role is suited for candidates with some background in Senior Business Analysis, Product Owner or technology development. While direct technical expertise is not mandatory, some understanding of Agile software delivery and experience in matrix structures is required. candidates should be able to facilitate discussions with senior stakeholders and collaborating with business subject matter experts.

You will work collaboratively with subject matter experts to define detailed requirements and will need to foster and support innovation aligned to the overall business strategy driving business process change and enhancements while managing successful relationships across the operational and technical development teams to ensure these are delivered.

This is a key role, in the delivery of the strategic objectives of the business while facilitating, continual service improvement through agile application delivery. You will have accountabilities including:

Product Backlog Management

• Assist Product Owner in the creation, prioritization & refinement of the product backlog Aora (Appian) & Power BI.
• Work with BA’s to assist in requirements capture/ elicitation.
• Aid and support Product Owner in day-to-day delivery of the strategic objectives supporting the business to get what they want and need from the technology systems.
• Track, monitor and report on ASP department developments, appropriately prioritising tasks and mitigating and escalating at-risk areas to the Product Owner.
• Responsible for daily updates of task tracking, Kanban board, and ASP Project Plan to ensure any deadlines / work at risk is appropriately escalated.
• Support the Product owner to develop and maintain a clear model of how technology solutions will provide value to the business and customers.

Sprint Planning and Execution

• Participate in sprint events (Daily scrum, Planning, Refinement, review & retrospective) to help define sprint goals and prioritize work.
• Work closely with the development team to ensure clarity on user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Monitor sprint progress and provide support to the team to ensure successful delivery.

Stakeholder Communication

• Function as a liaison between stakeholders and the development team.
• Gather and incorporate feedback from stakeholders to ensure product alignment with business goals.
• Support in the creation of regular contractual communications with support from change managers, briefings, and newsletter updates including but not restricted to Power BI, Aora updates and general change.

Product Vision and Strategy Support

• Support the Product Owner in developing and maintaining the product vision and strategy.
• Contribute to the creation of product roadmaps and strategic plans.
• Tracking development costs and benefits both before and after development delivery.
• Tracking all relevant associated costs in a clear manner.
• Track and monitor all development activity via a clear project plan.

Projects

• Support the Product owner in project management, setting deadlines, prioritising tasks.
• Support the Product owner in successful project delivery across the AASC contract driving on-time delivery, ensuring Change Control parameters are met.

BAT/UAT Testing

• Facilitate and run Bi-Weekly AORA & Power BI BAT and UAT testing across the business.
• Own and update BAT Master User tracker.
• Work with BAT Testers to ensure all requirements are met and documented.
• Capture all sign off and approvals from BAT testers and Business SME’s.

What you’ll need to do the role

You are not expected to drive decisions on the design of applications / processes but rather to understand requirements and aid the Product Owner in driving strategic technological change.

Technical Skills

Agile Methodologies

• Understanding of Agile principles and practices (Scrum, Kanban).
• Some experience with Agile tools such as Jira or similar project management software.
• Ability to facilitate meetings, including sprint planning and daily stand-ups.

Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Knowledge

• Understanding of the software development lifecycle.
• Familiarity with development, testing, deployment, and maintenance processes.

Technical Literacy

• Understanding of web and mobile technologies, APIs, and databases.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical teams and understand technical constraints.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Proficiency in using data analysis tools such as Excel, PBI or similar.
• Ability to create reports and visualizations to communicate product performance and insights.

Collaboration Tools

• Some experience with Agile collaboration tools such as Confluence or similar.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively engage with team members and stakeholders.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

• Good problem-solving skills to address challenges and find effective solutions.
• Ability to think critically and make data-driven decisions to improve product outcomes.

Professional Skills

Project Management

• Project management skills to assist in setting deadlines, prioritizing tasks, and ensuring on-time delivery.
• Familiarity with project management tools and techniques.

Stakeholder Management

• Ability to effectively manage and communicate with stakeholders at various levels.
• Ability to gathering and incorporating feedback from stakeholders.

Documentation and Process Management

• Ability to maintain clear and detailed documentation to track project progress or roadmap progress.
• Understanding of change control processes and documentation.

Experience

• 1-2 years of experience in a related field.
• Experience working in an Agile environment is preferred.
• Technical background or qualification preferred.

Why Serco

Meaningful and vital work – With approximately 20,000 asylum seekers and more than 5,000 properties you’ll be delivering an essential service that touch people’s lives.

A world of opportunity - Our diverse UK-wide operations offer unrivalled opportunities to learn and develop. You’ll be able to broaden your experience and apply your skills in new ways.

Great people - We are a motivated team who will encourage you and help you to succeed. You’ll have the resources you need to do your job in a diverse and supportive environment.

 What we offer

• Pension – up to 6%
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Chance to contribute to innovation in the Immigration sector
• A company passionate about diversity and inclusion
• A Serco benefits portal offering a wide range of discounts for major high street brands in Retail, Leisure & Hospitality
• A safe and supportive culture
• The chance to make a positive difference and contribute to innovation in the public services sector

#aasccareers

About Serco

At Serco, not only is the nature of the work we do important, everyone has an important role to play, from caring for vulnerable people to managing complex public services.  We are a team of 50,000 people responsible for delivering essential public services around the world in areas including defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and citizen services. We are innovators, committed to redesigning and improving public services for the benefit of everyone.

By joining Serco you will have unlimited access to our Global Employee Networks – SercoInspire (Gender), SercoEmbrace (Multicultural), SercoUnlimited (Disability) and In@Serco (LGBT & Networks). Serco Employee Networks, led by colleagues who are passionate about diversity, inclusion and belonging. 

Apply

Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment. 

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. We operate a hybrid work structure in many of our business areas. We are proudly Disability Confident Leader employers and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard. Disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.  For help with your application please contact 0345 010 4000.
 

At Serco we support fair access to employment for those with unspent criminal convictions through the ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some may be exempt due to the nature of the role and the security clearance required). Please contact our recruitment team directly on 0345 010 4000 to discuss.