Role Title: Network Component Product Owner
Location: Hybrid (60% office / 40% remote) - Manchester
Contract End Date: 18/12/2026
Rate: £550 - £600 per day - Inside IR35

Role Overview

We are seeking a Network Component Product Owner to lead delivery across a defined network or security capability area (e.g., segmentation, NAC, DDI, egress, SIEM detections, or runbook automation). You will translate technical and risk requirements into actionable delivery outcomes, manage dependencies across technology towers, and ensure smooth, continuous delivery within an agile pod structure.

Key Responsibilities

Story & Backlog Management

• Translate risk, control, and design artefacts into clear user stories with defined acceptance criteria.

• Define Definition of Ready (DoR) and Definition of Done (DoD).

• Coordinate UAT activities and stakeholder sign-off.

Dependency & Delivery Management

• Maintain cross-domain dependency mapping across networks, identity, endpoint, SOC, and service management teams.

• Negotiate sequencing and prioritisation to keep delivery unblocked.

Change Enablement

• Co-create standard change models and evidence packs with technical leads.

• Ensure post-implementation review actions feed back into the backlog.

Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Track and visualise delivery progress (e.g., burn-up charts, control coverage).

• Maintain a tight feedback loop with the Key Product Owner and stakeholders.

Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years' experience as a Product Owner or Business Analyst within network or security domains.

• Strong experience writing technical user stories and maintaining healthy backlogs.

• Familiarity with configuration and policy artefacts such as firewall baselines, NAC policies, DDI plans, proxy/ZTNA, and SIEM rules.

• Working knowledge of ITIL change processes and ServiceNow request/change models.

Preferred Certifications

• PSPO or CSPO

• ITIL 4 Foundation

• Vendor fundamentals across one or more technology stacks (e.g., Cisco, Zscaler, Fortinet, Splunk, Infoblox, Forescout)

Key Performance Indicators

• Backlog health metrics (aging, WIP, throughput)

• First-time pass rate against Definition of Done

• Change lead time and change-related incident rates