Lead Product Manager - Payroll, Benefits & Compensation

Lead Product Manager - Payroll, Benefits and Compensation
£63,000 - £73,000 plus private healthcare, pension with up to 10% employer contributions and many more great benefits (Work Level 5) 
Manchester city centre - in this role you’ll work in a hybrid way splitting your time between home and the office as required for workshops, team meetings and events (find out more about our hybrid working policy at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/hybrid-working-policy).  

In line with the Internal Mobility Policy, we’d like to make you aware that there is a preferred candidate who has been identified for this opportunity.

We’re reshaping our Digital, Technology and Data function for the future, creating new opportunities, strengthening our capability, and building clearer, more resilient ways of working so we can deliver even better services for our Co-op, our colleagues, members and customers.

We're looking for a Lead Product Manager to join our Product team and help us shape the technology and experiences that support how we reward, pay and manage our colleagues across Co-op. In this role, you'll set the vision, strategy and direction for products spanning payroll, compensation, benefits and workforce management, working closely with teams across People, Finance and Technology to deliver solutions that are compliant, scalable and easy to use. You'll lead the development of products that support colleagues throughout their employment journey while driving efficiency, continuous improvement and business value.

Why this role matters

As a Lead Product Manager, you'll play a key role in helping us deliver great experiences for our customers, members and colleagues. You'll have the opportunity to influence strategic decisions, shape product direction and lead meaningful change across the business. This is a role where you'll combine big-picture thinking with hands-on product leadership, working with talented people from a range of disciplines to solve complex problems and deliver measurable outcomes.

As part of our wider product community, you'll have opportunities to apply your skills across different products and business areas as priorities evolve, building broad experience and helping us deliver the greatest value for Co-op. This may include moving between product teams over time, giving you the chance to develop new expertise while supporting changing business needs.

What you’ll do

•    Define and communicate a clear vision, strategy and roadmap for products across payroll, compensation, benefits and workforce management
•    Lead the development and continuous improvement of products that support colleague reward, pay and workforce management processes across Co-op
•    Work closely with People, Finance and Technology teams to understand business needs and translate them into product priorities and outcomes
•    Lead the product lifecycle from discovery through to delivery, ensuring products deliver measurable value for colleagues and the wider business
•    Use colleague feedback, operational insights and data to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation
•    Manage and prioritise product backlogs, balancing business priorities, technical requirements, risk and compliance considerations
•    Oversee product performance, using data and insights to inform decisions, investments and future product direction
•    Build strong relationships with stakeholders and cross-functional teams to ensure alignment and successful delivery

What you’ll bring

We’re committed to making our roles as accessible as possible, so we only ask for the minimum criteria. To thrive here, you’ll need to bring:

•    Strong product management experience, including ownership of complex enterprise technology products or platforms
•    Experience leading payroll, reward, benefits or workforce management technology products, including complex integrations, regulatory requirements and operational dependencies
•    The technical knowledge and confidence to work closely with engineers, challenge technical solutions and make informed decisions on product, platform and solution design
•    Deep Oracle Fusion HCM expertise including Core HR, UK Payroll, Compensation, Absence Management, HDL, HCM Extracts, Fast Formulas, BI Reporting, Payroll Batch Loader, and an understanding of how these products interact with wider HR and business processes  
•    Experience managing platform change, releases and upgrades, balancing innovation with system stability, compliance and business continuity
•    Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build relationships across People, Finance, Technology and senior business teams
•    The ability to use data, insight and customer feedback to drive continuous improvement and prioritise product investment

We know some people may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet every requirement. At Co-op, we’re committed to building diverse and inclusive teams, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly, we still encourage you to apply.

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

•    An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
•    28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays 
•    A pension with up to 10% employer contributions 
•    Private healthcare
•    Access to a subsidised onsite gym (at our Manchester HQ) 
•    30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands 
•    Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it 
•    Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice 
•    24/7 colleague support service 
•    Training and support for your development and career progression
•    Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse and inclusive teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are committed to creating a workplace where colleagues can feel like they belong, supported by our inclusive policies and the ways we work.

We’re proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme and offer interviews to disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for a job. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we’ll support you.

Learn more about our recruitment process at jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process and our inclusion commitments at jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion