Job Description

Hours:
35hrs
Closing Date:
Thu, 29 May 2025
We're on the lookout for a visionary Data Platform Product Owner to help lead the evolution of our cloud-native data platform and deliver real business value through data.
Who We Are
You'll be joining our rapidly expanding Engineering team, collaborating with talented Data and Software professionals, and engaging closely with stakeholders across our Technology function and wider business. Your role is pivotal in driving innovative solutions forward and aligning with our ambitious change agenda.
Together, you'll help shape the organisation's future by pushing boundaries and transforming ideas into reality. Join us on this journey of growth, creativity, and collaboration as we set new benchmarks in data engineering excellence. Your contribution is key to our shared success.
What Will You Be Doing
As Data Platform Product Owner, you will join a high-performing team responsible for accepting, prioritising, and managing all types of work within the Data Platform-including business projects, internal initiatives, change requests, and unplanned work. You will gather feature requests, agree sprint goals and objectives, and distil business value and goals into actionable roadmaps while refining the product backlog. Your primary responsibility is to ensure measurable business benefit and value are delivered effectively and efficiently.
Key ResponsibilitiesVision & Strategy + Define and manage the product vision, strategy, and roadmap for the Data Platform, ensuring alignment with business goals and evolving data needs.
+ Champion a product-centric, value-driven approach, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Backlog & Work Management + Own and prioritise the product backlog, ensuring efficient delivery of features, improvements, and technical enhancements.
+ Manage and balance all types of work: business projects, internal projects, change requests, and unplanned work (e.g., incidents, technical debt, urgent fixes).
+ Employ robust planning methods to ensure colleague deployment is agreed, monitored, and evaluated for maximum effectiveness.
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication + Lead stakeholder engagement, maintaining strong relationships across all levels of the Society to drive engagement and alignment in an agile change environment.
+ Gather and translate business requirements into clear, actionable technical requirements, enabling development teams to create impactful features.

Value Stream & Systems Thinking + Visualise and optimise the end-to-end value stream for the Data Platform, identifying and addressing bottlenecks to maximise flow and reduce lead times.
+ Apply systems thinking to ensure changes are made with awareness of their wider impact across teams and processes.

Metrics, Measurement & Reporting + Define, track, and report on key success metrics, including:
- DORA metrics: Deployment frequency, lead time for changes, change failure rate, time to restore service.
- Data product metrics: Data quality (accuracy, completeness, timeliness), adoption and usage, user satisfaction (NPS/CSAT), business value delivered, and operational health.
- Governance & compliance metrics: Data lineage completeness, access control effectiveness, compliance rates.
+ Use these metrics to drive continuous improvement, inform prioritisation, and demonstrate value delivered.

Data Governance & Compliance + Ensure the Data Platform adheres to data governance, privacy, and security standards, coordinating with compliance teams as needed.

DevOps & Automation Collaboration + Work closely with DevOps and engineering teams to enhance automation, deployment, and reliability of the Data Platform, supporting CI/CD practices and rapid, safe delivery.

Continuous Improvement & Feedback + Evaluate and report value post-delivery, supporting ongoing improvement of the Data Platform.
+ Gather and act on user feedback to ensure delivered features meet real business and customer needs.

Leadership & Collaboration + Provide support and guidance as a senior member of the Engineering department, acting as a point of reference/expertise for peers, team members, and other functions.
+ Foster a collaborative, trusting environment, encouraging diversity of thought and creative solutions that benefit customers and colleagues.


What Do We Need From You
We're looking for someone who is not only technically proficient but also a strategic thinker with strong leadership and communication skills. Ideally, you'll bring:Proven experience as a Product Owner or similar role within a data-driven environment. Strong knowledge of data architecture, platforms, and governance. Experience working in Agile methodologies, managing product backlogs, and coordinating sprints. Excellent stakeholder management, with the ability to translate complex data needs into clear objectives. An analytical mindset, focused on delivering business value through data solutions. A deep understanding of the internal and external data landscape, influencing the strategic roadmap to meet future needs. A focus on service delivery, ensuring continuous improvement and innovation within the Data Platform. Strong people and communication capabilities, fostering collaboration and engagement across teams.

Key Technology (awareness of)Azure Databricks, Data Factory, Storage, Key Vault Experience with source control systems, such as Git dbt (Data Build Tool) for transforming and modelling data SQL (Spark SQL) & Python (PySpark)

Certifications (Ideal)SAFe POPM or Scrum PSPO Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Fundamentals (DP-900)

What's in it for you
Skipton values work/life balance and we are proud to support hybrid and flexible working, where possible. We have a newly refurbished head office which offers a vibrant and collaborative working space.
We have a range of other benefits available to you including:Annual discretionary bonus scheme 25 days standard annual leave + bank holidays + rising 1 day per year of service to a maximum of 30 days. Holiday trading scheme allowing the ability to buy and sell additional annual leave days. Matching employer pension contribution (up to 10% per annum) Colleague mortgage (conditions apply) Salary sacrifice scheme for hybrid & electric car A commitment to training and development Private medical insurance for all our colleagues 3 paid volunteering days per annum Diverse and inclusive colleague networks available for you to join. * We care about your health and wellbeing - we provide a range of benefits that support this including cycle to work initiative and discounted gym membership.