Head of Product
£90,000 / Gateshead / Sep 22, 2026
Our client is a successful tech scale‑up, a cash‑generative SME currently at c.£12m turnover and c.80 staff, looking to double in size in the next five years under the guidance of its experienced, highly charismatic and driven owner, supported by a first‑class senior leadership team. Further to promotion, we’re looking to strengthen the company’s growing Product team by appointing a new Head of Product to work closely with the Chief Product Officer.
As Head of Product, you will lead and develop a team of Product Owners, being responsible for driving quality and turning strategy into meaningful, measurable impact, ensuring squads — organised around clear customer outcomes — are focused on the highest-value challenges, operating with clarity, autonomy and strong product thinking within an existing North Star and OKR framework.
Strengthening how the business defines and prioritises opportunities, you will ensure it is consistently building products that genuinely help people change their lives, with key responsibilities including:
Product Impact & Focus:
• Ensure each squad has clear problem ownership and measurable outcomes
• Hold Product Owners accountable for defining high-value opportunities grounded in user insight and commercial impact
• Maintain clarity of priorities so teams can focus on what matters most
• Surface trade-offs and misalignment early to support strong decisions
• Push teams to focus on outcomes, not just shipping features
Leadership & Development:
• Line-manage and develop Product Owners across multiple squads
• Raise the bar on product thinking, problem framing and decision quality
• Coach the team to think in terms of impact, experimentation and learning, not just feature output
• Support progression from strong execution to stronger strategic product capability
Strategy in Practice:
• Translate CPO-level strategy into clear quarterly objectives and problem spaces
• Ensure roadmaps reflect both business priorities and real user value
• Maintain alignment as priorities evolve in a fast-moving environment
• Provide clear visibility of progress, risks and impact to senior leadership
Product Operating Model:
• Embed and strengthen the company Product Operating Model as it continues to scale
• Clarify decision rights and ownership across squads
• Improve consistency in discovery, prioritisation and measurement
• Partner closely with Engineering, Delivery, Design, Data, QA, Marketing and Customer Experience to ensure strong cross-functional collaboration
• Partner with Technical Director and Principal Engineer colleagues where product priorities intersect with technical strategy or complex build decisions
As Head of Product, you’ll need:
• Significant experience in Product leadership as Head of Product, Product Manager, Senior Product Manager, Product Director or equivalent
• Experience leading multiple product teams in fast-moving digital environments
• Strong track record of improving product quality and outcome focus
• Commercial awareness: you understand how product decisions drive growth, retention and long-term value
• Excellent communication skills: you'll be able to align senior stakeholders while empowering teams
• A calm, pragmatic leadership style with high ownership and no ego
• Interest or experience in health technology is a bonus (but not essential)
Rewards and Benefits:
- Basic salary between £80,000 and £90,000 plus benefits including pension and health/wellbeing programme
- Maximum pay/rewards, dependent on possessing all outlined experience, skills, knowledge and qualifications
- Full‑time, permanent role, office-based in Gateshead
- Free parking
- On‑site health facilities, staff events and discounts, training/development and more
- Casual dress
- Pet friendly
Please note: we review applications on receipt and aim to respond to shortlisted candidates within 5 working days. You must have permanent eligibility to work in the UK - no visa opportunities available.
Head of Product, Gateshead