Job Description

Lead Product Owner

📍 Reading (Hybrid / Custom working options available)

💷 £95 - £104.46 per hour

🔐 Active SC Clearance Required

🇬🇧 UK Nationals Only (SC eligibility required for sensitive MOD/aerospace programmes)

Join a global defence and aerospace environment, shaping next-generation digital capabilities across critical MOD and regulated programmes. This is a senior leadership role where you will define product ownership standards, drive delivery excellence, and influence how complex digital products are designed and delivered at scale.

The Role

As Lead Product Owner, you will take ownership of product management strategy, governance, and delivery assurance across complex digital portfolios. You will lead multiple product streams, set delivery standards, and ensure alignment between business outcomes, technical execution, and long-term value realisation.

This role is highly strategic, focusing not only on delivery but on shaping how product ownership is embedded across large-scale digital transformation programmes.

Key Responsibilities

Define and evolve product ownership frameworks, governance models, and delivery standards

Lead end-to-end delivery of complex, data-driven digital products across multiple teams

Own backlog strategy, prioritisation, and value-driven delivery across programmes

Align product direction with organisational, portfolio, and MOD objectives

Establish strong collaboration between Product Owners, Business Analysts, architects, and engineering teams

Oversee supplier and third-party performance, ensuring quality, compliance, and strategic alignment

Drive continuous improvement in Agile and Lean product delivery practices

Mentor and influence product teams, embedding best practice across the organisation

Ensure clear communication between senior stakeholders and delivery teams

Translate complex technical and security considerations into clear product strategy

Essential Experience

Active SC Clearance

Proven leadership of product ownership across multiple major programmes

Strong background within MOD, Defence Digital, or UK aerospace environments

Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and external suppliers

Deep understanding of Agile and Lean product delivery frameworks

Strong technical awareness across:

Digital platforms and infrastructure

Security protocols

Modern enterprise architectures

Proven expertise in backlog management, prioritisation, and value-based delivery

Excellent stakeholder engagement with senior leadership

Ability to define and operate scalable product governance frameworks

Desirable Experience

Experience operating at strategic or portfolio product level

Strong mentoring or coaching experience within product teams

Familiarity with complex defence or regulated digital ecosystems

Experience influencing organisational product transformation

Why Apply?

Senior leadership role shaping defence digital transformation

High-impact programmes with national and global significance

Opportunity to define product operating models and standards

Collaborative, multi-national working environment

Flexible hybrid working arrangements

Work that directly contributes to critical defence capability