BUSINESS FUNCTION:  Customer & Commercial
SALARY: £50,211-£61,895 / Grade: ML2/SB1
ROLE TYPE: Permanent
LOCATION:  Manchester, Leeds or York
HOURS: 37 per week

Northern is on a journey of digital transformation – and our customers are right at the heart of it. We’re creating new products and experiences that make travelling by rail easier, more personal and more rewarding.

As our New Product Development Manager based at our York or Manchester offices, you’ll be the spark behind that innovation. You’ll lead the design, development and launch of new digital products that make life easier for our customers and help Northern grow. Working closely with teams across the business, you’ll work across the full product life-cycle, turning ideas into real-world improvements that make a difference every day. Ensuring new products are commercially viable, customer centric, and delivered on time and within budget, supporting Northerns strategic objectives and long-term competitiveness

What you’ll be doing

You’ll manage the full lifecycle of new product initiatives – from spotting opportunities to seeing them through to launch and beyond. It’s about combining creativity with commercial thinking and making sure every product delivers genuine value to our customers and the business.

You’ll:

• Lead the end-to-end development of new products – from concept, research and testing to launch and review.
• Translate customer insights and market trends into exciting, customer-focused ideas.
• Build robust business cases that balance innovation, commercial return and operational feasibility.
• Work with teams across Customer Experience, IT, Marketing and Operations to make sure each product lands smoothly and delivers on its promise.
• Responsible for management of multiple projects, budgets and supplier relationships – keeping delivery on time and on budget.
• Use data and feedback to measure success and continuously improve what we deliver.
• Embed a culture of innovation by identifying emerging opportunities, championing new ideas, and embedding lessons learned into future developments.
• Define success criteria and KPIs for new products, monitor performance post-launch, and provide insight and recommendations for optimisation.
• Seamless handover of products to Product Managers on delivery with agreement from Strategic Customer Product Lead on capacity and priority

About you

You’re a creative thinker with a practical streak – someone who loves turning ideas into action. You understand what makes a great customer experience and how digital products can help deliver it.

You’ll bring:

• Demonstratable experience in customer product management, with strong knowledge of end-to-end product lifecycles and varying delivery methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall
•  A strong understanding of UX/UI principles and the ability to translate user insights and performance metrics (e.g. OKRs, KPIs, CSAT) into impactful, customer-centric product decisions.
• Excellent communicator with the ability to influence, negotiate, and build trusted relationships across technical and non-technical teams, suppliers, and multi-stakeholder complexity.
• Able to identify opportunities for differentiation, innovation, and cost-effective delivery, balancing commercial value, user benefit, and risks
• Strong problem-solving skills with a sharp eye for detail. Capable of managing competing priorities, multiple initiatives, and making informed decisions under pressure.
• Comfortable using product management tools (Jira, Trello, Confluence, Miro) and with a working knowledge of web and app development principles.
• Experience of managing a pipeline of product deliverables as well as delivering continuous improvement of customer products on time and within budget.
• Experience of people management to contribute towards a high-performing, engaged and competent team.
• Experience with SalesForce would be an advantage 

Experience in the rail industry isn’t essential – curiosity, creativity and a drive to make things better are what really count.  If you’ve had experience working with Salesforce products, that would be advantageous. 

What’s in it for you?

At Northern, we don’t just value our people - we go the extra mile to support them. Here’s a taste of what you can look forward to:

• Free Travel: Unlimited free travel for you, your partner, and your dependents on Northern services. Plus up to 75% discount on other networks in the UK and Europe.
• Generous Pension Scheme: We top up your contributions by 1.5 times.
• Enhanced Family Benefits: We offer 9 months of full pay for maternity leave and 2 weeks for paternity leave.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save up to 42% on a bike and spread the cost.
• Electric Car Scheme: Lease a brand new electric or plugin hybrid car.
• Exclusive Discounts: From shopping to wellbeing, Northern Perks has you covered.
• Holiday Purchase Scheme: Buy up to 5 extra days of annual leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 support for family, lifestyle, and more.
• Training and Career Development: We offer tailored training to our colleagues and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications. Plus enhanced career pathways no matter what part of the business you’re in.
• Recognition: We know how important it is to show how much we appreciate our people. That’s why we have our Northern Lights and Northern Sparks Awards, recognising and celebrating brilliance every day.

Why Northern?

We’re more than just a train operator. We’re the heartbeat of the North - connecting communities, creating opportunities, and driving sustainable growth. With 2,500 trains running daily, we’re on a mission to improve rail travel and enhance the customer experience while protecting the environment.

Back in 1825, the first passenger train set off in the North of England, after which rail quickly spread across the globe - and this year, we’re celebrating 200 years of the modern railway. As we look back on the historic events that led us here, we also look towards the future as we move into the era of Great British Rail. Join us at this pivotal moment in rail history and play your part in our journey.

A place for everyone

The best journeys happen when everyone feels welcome on board.

At Northern, we don’t just move people from A to B - we’re building a team where everyone feels they belong. Our talent team can make reasonable adjustments to the process if that’s something you need. We're also a Level 2 Disability Confident employer, so if you meet the minimum criteria for the role, we’ll always offer an interview.

We automate parts of our screening process to remove any unconscious bias and to make sure every application is treated fairly. All successful offers will be subject to a DBS check and a medical assessment.

No matter your background, experience, or whether you call it a bap, barm, or cob… there’s a place for you here in the railway.