Download Product Executive

Product Executive
Basic information
Band: D
Job family: Customer Experience
Terms: Permanent
Location: Cheltenham
Reports to: Product & Market Strategy Lead
Team: Strategic Product Management Team
Business unit: Customer Experience & Marketing
Additional conditions: Cheltenham based,
occasional UK travel may be required
Regular use of DSE
Role purpose:
The role of the Product Executive is to contribute to the development of the product market strategy, define new
product requirements, and drive new product development to grow products in-line with UCAS’ business goals. The
Product Executive will be responsible for developing the roadmap for their product/service line across the full
product life cycle, with the Product & Market Lead.
Key duties and responsibilities:
Market analysis



Define market – working with market intelligence, provide market context (size, shape, growth, segments,
top line financials, etc.), identify opportunities within it, and make (innovative) recommendations based on
this.
Pipeline buyer analysis – document customer attraction to product, as well as the barriers to buy.
Competitor analysis:
o identify competitive and alternative offerings in the market. Document their strengths and
weaknesses. Make recommendations for strategies to sustain our market position to the Product &
Market Lead
o recommend (innovative) strategies for winning or maintaining our position against the competition


Resources and competencies – list of capabilities and USPs (by product, service or area).
Win/loss analysis – understand why the current evaluators of the product did or did not buy, and
understand the steps they took in the buying process.
Strategic planning





Product strategy – lead on the creation of the recommended product strategy and Roadmap for the
allocated product line.
Pricing and packaging – contribute towards establishing pricing models, schedules, guidelines, and
procedures.
Business model and plan – lead on the recommendations for appropriate business model and financial
targets. Product and Market Lead, SMG and Executive communicate outcomes internally.
Product planning requirements and scenarios – create epic level outcomes based on customer need
and market definition.
Stakeholder communications – managing Boards, advisory groups, sector representation, and internal
stakeholders, etc.
Go to market

Product positioning – describe the product by its ability to solve market problems. Create internal
positioning documents to be used to develop external messages, focused on each key buyer or
persona. Articulation of agreed targets.
Sales enablement

Channel and sales training – design and deliver training programs to help the sales channels focus on
how to sell the product, not how to use it. Produce briefing packs for sales teams, containing product
USPs, elevator pitch etc.
Product evaluation

Performance analysis – monitor product performance (web stats, usage, financials etc.), product
lifecycle evaluation (inc. profitability).
Security Marking: PUBLIC
Document Owner: Recruitment Team
Page 2 of 4
Last updated: 03-Feb-17
Accountabilities:
Primary customers/stakeholders:
Internal:
 Customer Strategy Unit
 IT
 Finance
 Sales and Marketing
 Operational managers
 Executive
External:
 Customers
 Sector bodies
 Third party suppliers/technology partners
This role profile sets out the scope and main duties of the post at the date when it was drawn up. Such details
may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the post or the level of responsibility
entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify a reconsideration of the
level of the post. All UCAS employees are expected to be flexible in undertaking the duties and responsibilities
attached to their role and may be asked to perform other duties, which reasonably correspond to the general
character of their role and their level of responsibility.
Security Marking: PUBLIC
Document Owner: Recruitment Team
Page 3 of 4
Last updated: 03-Feb-17
Our values in action
Customer – We always look through the customer lens. The logic of the customer is the logic of UCAS.
Commitment – When we commit, we deliver on time, quality, and budget, or we negotiate changed
commitments for good reason. We never leave commitments uncovered.
Team – We work collaboratively. When we commit, we commit as an individual and as a team. We strive
for and support team success as well as individual success.
Outcomes – We plan and do things to achieve outcomes. We define them, aspire to them, and deliver
them.
Agility – We know we need to be agile when we look through the customer lens, when we make
commitments, when we work in teams, and strive for the right outcomes.
Extraordinary – We are ambitious for our customers, for UCAS, and for our teams. We want more than
ordinary outcomes – we strive to achieve extraordinary outcomes, extraordinary customer focus, and an
extraordinary culture of high performance and quality of focus.
Security Marking: PUBLIC
Document Owner: Recruitment Team
Page 4 of 4
Last updated: 03-Feb-17