About this role
Job Title: T Levels Product Owner Job Family: Product Job Tier: M35 Division: Vocational Qualifications – UK Product Management; EL&S Reporting to: Lead – Vocational Qualification, UK Product Management Location: United Kingdom Primary Location: B-GB-London, GB – Hellaby, GB - Oxford, GB - Manchester -Hybrid Full-time: 37.5 hours per week Role Purpose The T Level Product Owner is accountable for the strategic leadership, development, delivery and lifecycle management of Pearson’s T level qualifications. Working across a complex matrix of assessment, operations, technology, commercial and customer teams, the postholder will define the T Level product strategy, oversee qualification development and change, manage government and regulatory relationships, and lead on the successful delivery against agreed contractual commitments. Key Responsibilities
• Own and deliver the overall T Level strategy, vision and roadmap. • Provide end-to-end accountability for T Level performance, growth and operational readiness. • Lead governance, reporting and executive stakeholder communications. • Ensure alignment across product, assessment, delivery, operations and technology workstreams. • Oversee commercial, contractual and regulatory obligations relating to T Levels. • Prioritise strategic investments, change initiatives and continuous improvement activity. • Manage key risks, dependencies and escalation routes across the T Level portfolio. • Represent T Levels within Pearson governance forums and with external stakeholders including DfE, awarding organisations and providers. • Drive transition from contract-led delivery to a scalable, product-led operating model. • Define and own the strategic vision, roadmap and product lifecycle strategy for the T levels portfolio. • Translate government policy and market intelligence into product strategies and investment plans. • Lead T Level portfolio planning, prioritisation and decision-making to ensure products remain relevant, compliant and commercially sustainable. • Ensure alignment between qualification strategy, organisational objectives and contractual obligations. Key Accountabilities Product Strategy and Portfolio Leadership
• Ensure delivery of all contractual commitments, milestones, reporting requirements and service obligations. • Work closely with DfE and contracting authorities to maintain confidence in delivery. • Support contract mobilisation, extension and transition activities. Product Performance and Commercial Accountability
• Own product performance measures including customer satisfaction, quality indicators, contract KPIs and financial performance. • Develop business cases and investment proposals for T Level portfolio development. • Monitor performance trends and implement improvement plans where required. • Ensure T Level products deliver value for customers while maintaining commercial sustainability. Continuous Improvement and Innovation
• Champion evidence-based improvement across qualification development and delivery. • Use customer insight, performance data and market intelligence to inform decision making. • Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, scalability, digital delivery and customer experience. Leadership Expectations
• Sets strategic direction and creates clarity of purpose. • Builds trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and government partners and internal teams. • Lead governance forums as appropriate. • Balance strategic priorities with operational considerations and delivery constraints. • Drive collaboration across functions to deliver consistent customer and learner experiences. • Demonstrates accountability for outcomes and contractual performance. • Uses data and evidence to drive decision-making. • Develops high-performing teams and promotes continuous improvement. • Operates with integrity, transparency and strong regulatory awareness. Skills and Competencies
• Adaptability (Effective): Responds productively to change, adjusts priorities, and sustains momentum in dynamic situations. • Artificial Intelligence (Effective): Applies AI tools to streamline work and inform decisions. • Learning to Learn (Effective): Uses strategies to acquire new skills quickly and deeply. • Stakeholder Engagement (Effective): Collaborates across teams to ensure alignment and buy-in. • Business Acumen (Experienced): Understands commercial drivers and makes sound business decisions. • Customer Discovery (Experienced): Gathers insights to shape product direction. • Data Analysis (Effective): Translates data into actionable insights for product improvement. • Design Thinking (Effective): Applies creative problem-solving to product development. • Product Strategy (Effective): Uses customer and market intelligence to inform long-term direction. • Strategic Thinking (Effective): Anticipates trends and shapes competitive advantage. Proficiency Level Descriptors:
• Effective: Consistently applies this skill to complex tasks, works independently, and adapts approaches to achieve results. • Experienced: Demonstrates deep expertise, mentors others, and leads initiatives using this skill. Qualifications and Experience
• Qualified to degree level (or equivalent). • Substantial knowledge of the UK education market and environment including schools, colleges, private training providers, HEIs and employer environment • Experience of working in different regulated and/or government-policy driven environments and substantial knowledge of the regulatory environment concerning vocational qualifications • Substantial experience in funded vocational qualification product management • Experience of developing winning and customer-focused strategies • Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and delivering complex products. • Experience managing government, regulatory, or contractual relationships is highly desirable. #LI-IM1