New Product Development jobs in United Kingdom

Salary: £45,100 - £60,400

Location: Cambridge, UK - Hybrid

Contract: Fixed Term/Secondment (6 months)

Hours: Full time (35 hours per week)

Are you ready to shape the future of schools' professional development?

This role sits at the front end of product creation, where decisions are made that will impact the future of teaching and learning. You'll lead product discovery and early design for new professional development propositions, helping us create solutions that genuinely work for schools while also delivering sustainable commercial value.

If you enjoy turning real user insight into validated propositions, bringing clarity to ambiguity, then this is an opportunity to do meaningful work at pace during an exciting period of strategy and portfolio change.

We are Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world‑leading academic publisher and assessment organisation and a proud part of the University of Cambridge.

The Senior Product Discovery & Design Manager is responsible for leading early‑stage product discovery and design for a defined set of new products within our Professional Development portfolio. This role is critical to the success of our strategy, shaping customer‑centred propositions that strengthen educational impact and commercial value.

Working to ambitious launch timelines, you will be leading the development of new products from ideation, experimentation, and the transition of validated concepts through to product launches.

You will make data‑supported recommendations to product owners on the desirability, feasibility and viability of new propositions before full rollout, with a focus on solutions that are customer centric, competitive and aligned to the evolving strategy.

This role offers an exceptional opportunity to join a vibrant, creative and commercially minded team and to have a real impact on the professional development of teachers and school leaders worldwide.

We are a hybrid working organisation, and we offer a range of flexible working options from day one. To live our core value of collaboration, we expect all colleagues to spend a minimum of 2 days per week in our Cambridge office, where many of the key stakeholders for this role are based. In addition, this role may require some international travel.

We’re keen to hear from people who bring strong experience of developing teaching and learning resources for professional development. We’re also looking for someone who is:

• A collaborative and adaptable professional, comfortable bringing structure to ambiguity without slowing momentum
• Innovative in their approach, with the ability to develop competitive, customer‑centred solutions and work effectively with product owners, content specialists, external partners, suppliers and senior decision‑makers
• An experienced teacher—ideally with school leadership experience—with a strong understanding of best‑practice pedagogy and how new technologies can improve learning outcomes

For a detailed job description, please refer to the link at the bottom of the advert on our careers site. Interested in careers beyond teaching? Learn more about working at Cambridge University Press & Assessment here.

We are a Disability Confident (DC) employer that is committed to equality and inclusion ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. The DC scheme’s Offer of an Interview commitment applies to applicants who opt in, and disclose a disability or a long‑term health condition, and best meet the minimum criteria for the role. In instances where interviewing all qualifying candidates is not practicable, we prioritise those who best meet the minimum criteria, as we would for applicants who do not have a disability or long‑term health condition.

Please note that Cambridge University Press & Assessment will not ordinarily be able to provide sponsorship for vacancies of less than 12‑months in duration. Applicants must therefore have an existing right to work in the UK to be eligible for this position.

We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent. The closing date for all applications will be 18 January 2026. We will review applications on an ongoing basis, shortlisted candidates can expect interviews to take place on/from week commencing 20 January 2026. We aim to support candidates by making our interview process clear and transparent.

If you are shortlisted and progressed through the stages, you can expect:

• First stage virtual interview via MS Teams.
• Final stage interview: in‑person at our offices in Cambridge. There will be a short role‑related task, and instructions will be sent to shortlisted candidates prior to the interview.

If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process due to a disability or a long‑term health condition, there will be an opportunity for you to inform us via the online application form. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Please note that successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory background checks including DBS due to working in a regulated industry.

We are committed to an equitable recruitment process. As such, applications must be submitted via our official online application procedure. Please refrain from sending your CV directly to our recruiters. If you experience technical difficulties or require additional support with submitting your online application, contact the Recruiter.

Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You will belong to a collaborative team that is exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe – for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. Sharing our mission will inspire your own growth, development and progress, in an environment which embraces difference, change and aspiration.

Cambridge University Press & Assessment is committed to being a place where anyone can enjoy a successful career, where it’s safe to speak up, and where we learn continuously to improve together. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics (age, disability, educational attainment, ethnicity, gender, marital status, neurodiversity, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual identity), cultural, or social class/background.

We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and communities, actively seeking to employ people from a wide range of different communities.