Job description:

Salary: £65,000 to £67,000 per annum dependent upon experience

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

Security Level: SC

Base Location: Gatwick – 2 days per week are expected in the office

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

The Role

The Product Owner – Surveillance & Oversight is responsible for the vision, prioritisation and development of the digital product that supports surveillance and oversight activities across the Safety and Regulation Group (SARG).

This role will play a key part in the implementation and onboarding of a new off‑the‑shelf platform, before leading its ongoing evolution.

The role plays a key part in enabling the Future Surveillance Operating Model (FSOM), ensuring the product supports agreed approaches to surveillance, certification and oversight and works effectively in day-to-day use.

Working closely with colleagues across Safety Operations, customer account management and process roles, the Product Owner ensures the product continues to evolve in line with operational needs and the agreed operating model.

Key Responsibilities

Owning the vision, roadmap and backlog for the Surveillance & Oversight digital product.
Providing product ownership input to FSOM and related change activity.
Working with an off‑the‑shelf product, with responsibility for configuration, optimisation and continuous improvement.

Ensuring FSOM outcomes are embedded into effective business‑as‑usual use of the product.

Translating agreed surveillance, certification and oversight processes into clear product requirements and priorities.

Working closely with Customer Account Management team to ensure the product supports integrated oversight and the safety service enhancement model.

Working with the Certification & Oversight Process Manager to ensure agreed processes and standards are reflected in the product.

Considering customer insight from Customer Experience Management (CX&M) where relevant to inform product improvement.

Acting as the approval point for product‑level workflow and configuration changes before implementation.

Prioritising change requests to maintain consistency, safety and auditability.

Ensure the services aspire to the Government Digital Service Standards and apply principles that help to maximise value and ensure a good user experience.

Monitoring product health and identifying opportunities for improvement.

Set measurable goals for the services and report against these to demonstrate progress against stated benefits

Representing the product in relevant governance and programme forums.

Deputising for the Safety Operations Product Manager when required.

Accountabilities

Ensure the Surveillance & Oversight digital product supports agreed surveillance, certification and oversight processes by translating operating model and process requirements into clearly defined product features and changes.
Provide clear direction and decisions on product‑level workflow and configuration changes, ensuring changes are assessed, prioritised and approved before implementation.
Work with system support and delivery teams to ensure approved product changes are implemented safely, tested appropriately and aligned with agreed outcomes.

Ensure product changes are communicated clearly to relevant stakeholders, including impacts, benefits and any operational considerations.

Maintain effective oversight of product behaviour in business‑as‑usual, identifying issues, risks or inconsistencies that may affect safety, auditability or usability.

Ensure product changes introduced through FSOM, and subsequent enhancements are embedded consistently across the organisation and not degraded by ad‑hoc or localised alterations.

Support investigation and resolution of product‑related issues by clarifying expected outcomes and validating that fixes meet business and regulatory intent.

Ensure product documentation, product decisions and configuration intent are sufficiently clear to support effective system operation, training and handover.

Act as the single point of product accountability for Surveillance & Oversight, providing clear decisions where there are competing requests or differing stakeholder views.

Ensure the product continues to align with Safety Service Enhancement objectives, Customer Account Management requirements and portfolio‑level priorities.

Decision Making

Decide which changes are accepted into the product backlog and when they are prioritised.
Determine whether proposed workflow or configuration changes align with the operating model and agreed processes.
Balance regulatory need, operational impact, risk and delivery capacity when making product decisions.
Decide when issues or proposals require escalation through product or portfolio governance.

Influencing Others

Influence product outcomes by working collaboratively with Customer Account Management, process and delivery colleagues to ensure product changes reflect agreed operating models, standards and priorities.

Influence product decision‑making by providing clear rationale, impact assessment and prioritisation of change requests through product governance.

Influence consistent ways of working by promoting a shared understanding of how the Surveillance & Oversight product supports the FSOM operating model.

Influence stakeholders by clearly communicating product decisions, trade‑offs and intended outcomes.

About You

Essential

Experience working in a Product Owner, System Owner, Service Owner or equivalent role, with responsibility for prioritising change and managing digital products.
Experience working with multiple stakeholders to translate business processes, operating models or service requirements into digital product changes.
Ability to prioritise competing demands, make clear decisions, and manage trade‑offs in a complex or changing environment.
Experience working within governance frameworks, ensuring changes are controlled, approved and auditable.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain product decisions, impacts and priorities to a range of audiences.
Experience working closely with delivery and technology teams while retaining accountability for product direction.
Confidence working with ambiguity and evolving operating models.

Desirable

Experience working in a regulated, safety‑critical or assurance‑based environment.
Knowledge of surveillance, oversight, audit, inspection or certification processes, or similar regulatory activities.
Experience contributing to or supporting the transition of products or services from programme delivery into business‑as‑usual.
Familiarity with agile or iterative delivery approaches and relevant product or agile certifications.

Experience working with customer or account management models.

Knowledge of public‑sector or regulatory operating environments.

Experience supporting the transition from legacy systems or ways of working to modern, sustainable digital products, including embedding new solutions into business as usual.

Experience or knowledge of regulatory oversight, auditing or quality management systems (QMS), and how digital systems support assurance, evidence and compliance activities.

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.

SC - To be vetted we will usually expect a reasonable period of residency in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. For this role this will need to be 5 years.

If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

For more information on SC clearance please visit - Vetting explained - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Relocation & Property

The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (Our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational and environmental considerations.

We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15-mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers.

We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office, before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028

Inclusive Recruitment

We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.

Use of Artificial Intelligence by candidates in the CAA recruitment process

We recognise that many of our candidates find Artificial Intelligence to be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be rejected on that basis.

Working With Us

We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.

We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance.

We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!

Our Values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone – For more information please Click Here

Closing Date: Thursday 18th June 2026

Interview Date: Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th June 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

No recruitment agencies please.

Product Owner - Surveillance & Oversight

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