Product Manager

Kingston, Jamaica | Full Time

Governments and private sector organisations across the Caribbean are aggressively pursuing digital transformation programmes to realise a new “digital society” here in the region. At SlashRoots, our mission is to ensure that this shift to a “digital society” creates a future that is more inclusive, with economic opportunity available to all, and services that meet the needs of the communities and individuals who rely on them–whether rural, urban, poor, middle-class, differently-abled or otherwise.

Through the design and delivery of good services, engagement in the discourse around new digital policies, and expanding the capacity of communities, practitioners and decision-makers, we’re working to help shape this digital future.

To support this work, we’re looking for a Product Manager to sit at the heart of our multidisciplinary team. As Product Manager, you set the tone for a healthy, service-focused team. We want someone excited about building great services and technology alongside our partners and their users. In this role, you’ll be expected to use agile methodologies to deliver services, products and programmes across various sectors and scales. You may work with a government ministry, an international organisation, civil society, or in a community with SlashRoots colleagues, the client and other stakeholders.

A normal day for the Product Manager would be running the daily stand-up while coordinating and checking in with partner organisations. You will be part of the service design/software development life cycle, from the discovery phase down to QA Testing. You will be focused on ensuring that service design and product development are on schedule. 

If you are excited about using agile methods and product management tools to shape the digital future in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, click apply below.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Facilitate agile delivery of complex projects, helping teams break down goals and tasks, and coach people through change by leading by example
• Help set the strategy for projects and ensure they’re adequately resourced, within budget, removing blockers to teams delivering
• Build narratives around projects to bring stakeholders on board and help teams define measures of success
• Develop products and services through design-build-test cycles and help teams to learn and consider wider service or political implications
• Participate in and conduct design research activities, engaging with users and project stakeholders.
• Introduce new ways of working and help build business cases for change and future delivery
• Collaborate in the creation of product development and management documents, including roadmaps, project briefs, and user stories;
• Supporting product development and fundraising activities ranging from proposal and grant writing to networking and speaking at engagement events

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE HAS/CAN:

• A track record of planning and managing projects in an agile environment, building high-performing teams and achieving the outcomes you set out
• Participated in user research and/or developed digital products or services in collaboration with users.
• The ability to help teams and stakeholders plan and prioritise their work over the project lifecycle, helping them understand what tradeoffs must be made to deliver a project effectively
• Coach others in new ways of working and help embed change, not being afraid to adjust your approach or constructively challenge the approaches of others
• Manage multiple projects and teams at once, remaining supportive and open even through challenging times
• Tell compelling stories about your work and help people make decisions
• Comfort in playing a servant leadership role within multidisciplinary teams, ensuring the team works together well and has clarity on their roles and responsibilities 
• Patience and sensitivity to manage calls and interactions with clients and external partners.

TO APPLY

This position is initially offered as a three-month contract, with a full-time position to be offered based on performance and organisational fit. We are looking for someone to be engaged for the long-term and who will grow with us. 

Interested candidates are asked to submit a CV and a cover letter that describes why you believe you would be a good fit for SlashRoots. Please highlight relevant experience in your cover note to support your application. Only complete applications will be considered.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

About SlashRoots

The SlashRoots Foundation is a social impact organisation that uses the principles and practices of the digital age to create a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable Caribbean society. We work with governments, development organizations, and civil society to improve the design and delivery of social services and development programmes, while helping them be more responsive to the communities they serve. 

Since 2011 SlashRoots has partnered with a variety of government agencies, development organizations, academic institutions, and private sector organizations to better use technology, user-centred design, and data to improve services and create innovative solutions to complex problems. Our approach focuses on understanding context first, then providing tools to incorporate this knowledge into the iterative and participatory design of innovative and realistic solutions.