Products and delivery

Roles in NHS products and delivery

• Delivery manager
• Delivery officer
• Product manager
• Service owner

Delivery manager

As a delivery manager, you’ll make sure that your team is delivering digital and technology products that meet user needs and offer good value.  You’ll work closely with different teams, ensuring everyone is clear on what needs to be done and helping to solve problems along the way.  

Your role will involve:

• tracking progress and ensuring projects stay on course.
• managing risks and resolving obstacles that could impact delivery.
• collaborating with others to achieve goals.
• helping your team improve how it works together, breaking work into small steps, learning and making improvements during the process (this is called working in an agile way).

Delivery officer

You’ll support the delivery manager and the team by keeping track of progress and reporting on the delivery of digital and technology products and services. This includes:

• spotting and dealing with any problems,  
• making sure the projects run smoothly
• gathering and sharing information to help with future plans.

Product manager

As a product manager, you’ll work to understand what users need and have a clear understanding of the product’s purpose and intended outcomes. You’ll make sure the team builds the right digital tools to meet those needs.

Your work may include:

• prioritising tasks to design, develop, and maintain products in collaboration with the delivery teams
• gathering and evaluating ideas for product improvements
• working closely with delivery managers
• ensuring continuous improvement for users using agile ways of working, which focuses on continuous learning, testing ideas quickly, and adapting to feedback.

Service owner

You’ll be accountable for the quality and long-term success of one or more services. These may be services that make processes simpler and more convenient for patients, such as digital appointment booking systems or online prescription services.  

Your work may include:

• defining the purpose and strategy of the service in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
• using user research and product development insights to make informed decisions.
• planning future development and maintenance of services.
• managing risks and ensuring service effectiveness through ongoing monitoring.
• making sure NHS digital services are high quality, easy to use, and keep improving. 

How much can I earn

Most NHS jobs follow the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales.  A standard NHS working week is 37.5 hours. 

• Delivery manager: Starting at Band 7 or 8a, with senior roles reaching Band 9.
• Delivery officer: Typically starts at Band 4 or 5, with opportunities at band 6 for those with more experience.
• Product manager: Band 7 or 8a, with potential to move up to Band 9.
• Service owner: Band 8c, with opportunities to advance to director level

How about the benefits

• You’ll be part of a research-led team of digital and healthcare experts working to transform digital health and care.
• You’ll build up a strong portfolio of experience delivering with multi-disciplinary agile teams.
• Flexible working applications considered.
• Family friendly benefits.
• Annual leave starting at 27 days per annum plus statutory bank holidays rising to 33 days with service.
• An excellent contributory pension scheme

Entry requirements

No specific degree is required for some entry-level roles but qualifications are needed for more senior roles: 

• Delivery managers: A master’s degree or equivalent and evidence of continuous professional development.
• Delivery officers: A foundation degree, higher national certificate/diploma, or equivalent experience.
• Service owners: Experience in delivery and improving services across multiple teams.

Much needed skills

Depending on the role, some of the skills you may need are: 

• Ability to understand and present complex information
• Knowledge and experience of different project management techniques
• Ability to build and maintain digital/technology products
• Ability to lead a team and deliver a high-quality service
• Ability to evaluate and continuously improve, using user research and other methods
• Willing to learn new ways of working and improve services.
• Ability to think about how technology can help people

How to start your career in products and delivery

There are different ways to start a career in products and delivery: 

• Delivery officers can gain experience and progress into delivery manager roles
• Alternatively, you may move into delivery management via a project management role
• Product managers may start as associate product managers or move from related fields like software development or business analysis
• Service owners usually have relevant previous subject matter expertise in the service or experience in delivering and improving services that span multiple digital products and channels

What are my chances of starting a career in Delivery Management  

The NHS has several thousand staff working in the growing digital, product, and delivery workforce. With more healthcare services moving online, there’s a high demand for people to help build and manage digital tools that improve patient care so there are many opportunities for career growth and development. 

Where can a career in products and delivery take you

With further training and experience, you can move into senior management and director-level roles or explore other digital profession in the NHS.