Product Owner - IWG (Instant Win Games)

We are Allwyn UK, part of the Allwyn Entertainment Group – a multi-national lottery operator with a market-leading presence across Europe which includes: Czech Republic, Austria, Greece, Cyprus & Italy.

While the main contribution of The National Lottery to society is through the funds to good causes, at Allwyn we put our purpose and values at the heart of everything we do.  Join us as we embark on a once-in-a-lifetime, largescale transformation journey by creating a National Lottery that delivers more money to good causes.  

We’ll talk a bit more about us further down the page, but for now – let’s talk about the role and who we’re looking for…

A bit about the role…

Instant Win Games (IWGs) are digital games loved by National Lottery players. With game types including online Scratchcards, Bingo, Word, Board & Dice, and with prizes ranging from 25p to over £1 Million – there is something for everyone!

The IWG Product Owner will be responsible for the delivery of the Instant Win Games roadmap and category innovation, ensuring existing and new consumers experience a high level of satisfaction with the National Lottery games, and Good Causes contributions are met, while also protecting participants from harm. You will also be responsible for continuing to maintain and grow the great relationships with our game studios and partners. This role will play a key part in growing and innovating the Instant Win Games category to achieve the 10-year licence objectives.

We operate a hybrid working model requiring employees to work from the office 3 days per week. These in-office days will be spread across the standard working week (Monday-Friday).

What you’ll be doing…

• Support the Head of IWG and IWG Product Manager on the roadmap and product strategy to ensure innovative and appealing games are always available to National Lottery players.
• Manage the Game Launch Plan to ensure game milestones and launch timings are correct and on-track with studios, working with the Games Producer to ensure production schedule alignment.
• Be the first point of contact for the Assistant Product Managers and Product Executives for day-to-day operational assistance, challenges, questions and general support.
• Lead the IWG Product Team scheduling meetings to ensure priorities, upcoming tasks and activities to be completed are on-track.
• Own and be responsible for the end-to-end development and delivery process for a number of games in the roadmap at any one time, including game concepts, wireframing, writing game briefs, creating prize structures, reviewing creative and game builds and writing working pages for new game development and existing game optimisation, ensuring the game vision is executed to a high quality and delivered to the required timelines.
• Own more complex titles and the delivery of new initiatives to drive category innovation, including licensed properties and long-term initiatives working with the IWG Product Manager. Mentor the Assistant Product Manager to own more complex game titles over time.

• Manage the relationship with the internal and external studios, leading weekly studio calls to build strong relationships and ensure that games are developed in line with the game specifications and timings, including any regulatory requirements, and monitor and develop ways of working with frequent communication.
• Manage and maintain relationships and workflows with alternative prize payment suppliers.
• Deliver assigned tasks as part of the transformation plan and report on progress.
• Track game development costs and work with the Head of IWG and IWG Product Manager on approvals.
• Work cross-functionally with internal teams including Participant Protection, Regulatory Affairs, Commercial Assurance and Legal to ensure compliance with all statutory duties and to gain approval for trademarks, game procedures and prize structures and improve ways of working.
• Work with the Scratchcards team to build synergies in the retail and digital products.
• Manage game development research in line with the IWG strategy and game development timings, to understand the consumer appeal of games and build in learnings to future games.
• Support the Assistant Product Manager with the ownership of the required governance approvals, and work with internal stakeholders to track more complex titles or resolve any challenges raised.
• Keep up to date with market trends in the lottery and iGaming space, to help drive portfolio innovation working with the Head of IWG and IWG Product Manager.

• Games industry experience with a studio or operator background, with a keen interest and passion for gaming.
• Demonstratable knowledge and understanding of Instant Win Games.
• Proven experience of owning and delivering high performing game content.
• Ability to write game briefs and design documentation to a high standard.
• Understanding of what makes a game engaging, appealing and fun to play.
• A technical and mathematical background with experience of designing and discussing game rules and prize structures with studios.
• Comfortable owning and maintaining launch plans and coordinating team priorities.
• Agile product management experience, with the ability to manage multiple projects and hit deadlines.
• Understanding of research techniques and consumer behaviour, sufficient to brief and interpret research.
• A great team player, who is ambitious, naturally organised, collaborative and enthusiastic.
• Comfortable working with cross-functional teams, internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Demonstrable oral and written communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Previous line management experience a strong plus, but not essential.