Product Manager Review

My day to day role is Product Management, improving customer journeys, managing the product lifecycle and identifying and resolving issues., working with a number of stakeholders from frontline staff to operations to second line of defence teams. In addition to that, am undertaking the Coaching Apprenticeship as self development for myself and also to be able to coach others within the team / wider bank to empower and engage with them to enhance their professional performance.

From the coaching apprenticeship, am gaining an improved understanding of what coaching is and how to do it. It is helping me consolidate and build on the fundamental skills I already had, which has increased my confidence, and, I am also learning new techniques and methods to use during coaching sessions I have with others.

Am really enjoying the programme as it is helping me develop, improve and learn new skills. I find the material very interesting and the online classroom sessions really bring it to life for me with the opportunity to speak with other apprentices on the programme and the direct engagement with the trainer.

The programme has been well organised but was not necessarily structured correctly to start with. We provided feedback and this feedback has been taken onboard so that the sessions have improved from being basic background to providing more detail and discussion around the learning we are doing in the online platform BUD. This is brilliant now and is helping reinforce our knowledge and apply it.

HSBC as an organisation is supportive of the apprenticeship and offered it out widely. Within my department, my manager's and direct reporting line are very supportive, and are freeing up my time from business as usual activities in order to have the 20% off the job training and time to complete tutor led activities, online learning and workplace practice.

I have been allocated a Skills Coach who undertakes frequent reviews of my progress and is someone I can go to for any help and support as required. The trainer in our online classroom sessions is excellent and provides lots of support during the session but has also offered to join some informal sessions our group of apprentices is setting up to give us chance to share knowledge with each other on what we have learnt as we learn more this way rather than just doing the online learning separately. The trainer offers insights into what we need for our End Point Assessment frequently throughout the sessions.

It is giving me more belief and confidence in myself as a person and in my abilities. It is also improving how I coach others as I now know the difference between coaching and mentoring, and I am able to put the new skills into practice in lots of different scenarios with more junior members of the team or others elsewhere in the organisation.

Yes, HSBC encourages lots of different things and supports a number of initiatives such as volunteering / Get Involved with local and national charities, being a School Governor, being a Climate Champion, being part of an employee resource group, providing matching donations through the £ for £ scheme. There are also well being sessions you can attend, you can join sports teams and go along to social events either as a team, wider department or in small groups.

Yes

HSBC has a great culture that it is inspiring everyone to work towards and has in place many things to benefit employees such as flexible working, training and apprenticeship opportunities. Best of all, it is the varied people and teams that you work with day in and day out that make it a great place to work and be empowered and trusted to do your best whilst understanding its okay to learn and make mistakes so long as you own it and learn and grow from it.

Go for it as HSBC has so much opportunity to offer everyone, with lots of different types of roles and work in the organisation to try and so many potential avenues for an individual's career either locally and / or globally. There is a strong people focused culture so make sure this comes across in your application and interview too, along with what value you can bring to the organisation.