HELLO. I'M SARAH FRANCIS
I’m a data monster and professional boat rocker. I love all things product and UX and am passionate about changing lives and businesses with data and technology.
I’m a regular speaker and panelist at technology and product management conferences, speaking on topics including neurodiversity, data storytelling, psychological safety and building high-performance teams.
Chartered Marketer
About Sarah Francis
Data-driven commercial and creative product leader with 10 years experience designing, delivering and scaling software for global companies.
I fell in love with product back in 2014, when my team and I created the UK’s first social network for parents of autistic children. We won three awards and most importantly, made a positive difference to the lives of thousands of families.
Most recently, I joined YouGov in 2021 after nearly a decade in senior product roles across hospitality, housing, and health. I lead the teams that build engaging, inclusive, and rewarding experiences for YouGov’s 20 million members worldwide, ensuring their voices and opinions are heard – on everything from Harry Styles to human rights!
I’m passionate about changing the world with technology and truly believe the best way to do this is through brilliantly diverse, curious, creative and empowered teams focused on a compelling mission.
Product
Passionate about building products that solve real problems for people and businesses. Pretty good at it too.
UX & Service Design
Advocate of service design principles as a crucial part of delivering a phenomenal user experience and taking the whole business on the journey.
Strategy & Data
Relentlessly commercial and obsessed with data and the stories it tells. Experimental, iterative, and rigourous.
People & Teams
We do our best work when we have brilliant, creative and supported people around us. It’s not always easy, but the best things aren’t. Empathy first.
Experience
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Product Director at YouGov
Market research technology platform
Responsible for the team that builds engaging and rewarding experiences for YouGov’s 20 million registered members in 55 countries.2021 -
Senior Product Manager at The FA
Football governing body Technology lead for the English Football Association's education division, responsible for researching and creating the digital strategy for the post-Covid direct to consumer business model.2020 -
Senior Product Owner at Guestline Hospitality technology platformDiscovery, design, build and launch of two software products for the hospitality industry during the Covid-19 pandemic. Insights - big data and analytics platform - and GuestStay - a digital, contactless check-in solution.2019
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Product Director at 24/7 Fitness Fitness SME powered by tech Led consumer product and marketing strategy, using technology to drive top and bottom line growth and get the business ready for sale. Increased online sales revenue by 164% in 18 months and a 25% YOY increase in average customer value. Highlights included build and launch of two native mobile apps, and a unique fitness experience with VR.2017
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Head of Product at Housing Partners Technology SME - UK social housingOwned product, leading a talented cross-functional distributed team (UK, EU and India) to launch three new products to market in 12 months, increasing revenue by 33%. Built the innovation strategy for the business, leading a focused team to explore diversification, including rapid prototyping to support investment decisions.2015
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Product Lead at Just Checking IOT technology supporting people with dementia Launched a range of new physical and digital product features that helped deliver YOY revenue growth of 50%. Conceptualised and designed a new consumer product to be delivered in partnership with a major international retail brand.2014
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Head of Product & Marketing at Autism West Midlands Large regional mental health & neurodiversity charityDiscover/deliver for ‘Connect’– the UK’s first autism social network and e-learning platform, in 12 weeks, with a distributed Agile team (US and India). Connect won two Digital Impact Awards (Gold) in 2014 and was the first ever regional project to be awarded both Department for Education and Department of Health funding. Speaker at the ITASD International Conference for Autism and ICT.2010
Awards & Reviews
Best IT System & App
Housing Excellence Awards
Insights
2017
Best Female Marketer
Chartered Institute of Marketing
Women in Marketing Awards
2014
Gold: Best Community
Digital Impact Awards
Autism Connect
2014
Gold: Best Social Network
Digital Impact Awards
Autism Connect
2014
Feedback
Sarah Francis is by far the best product manager I’ve had the privilege to work with. She’s sharp,
determined and easy to work with. She drives decisions through data to ensure the most value is being delivered, while maintaining a healthy compromise with the team on paying down technical debt.
Sarah had an impact from day one and hit the ground running.
Her energy is contagious and drives everyone in the team to be better. The world would be a
better place if she had a clone
Pedro Rodrigues
Engineering Manager - Just Eat Takeaway
I have worked with Sarah for five years and can only say I have never worked with
anyone like her, she is one in a million. She builds great relationships with people and
is equally comfortable chatting about technical things with a team of developers as she is presenting product ideas to customers. She has an insatiable desire for data to enable her to make sound
business decisions. She has built and inspired a great team.
Jo Freegard
Business Intelligence Lead - St Modwen Group
Sarah genuinely cares about the people she manages, taking time to get to know them.
She uses her superb people skills to establish how she can best support them to excel.
On occasion she will throw you in at the deep end to help you build skills in your weakest
areas, which can be daunting. But, once you have completed the task, you realise that she
had already given you all of the tools and self-belief you needed to succeed.
Julia Begley
UX Lead - Cancer Research UK
The value Sarah Francis has delivered so far has been astonishing! One new product launched successfully and a complex data visualisation tool in the finishing line in 18 months
I am always impressed with her ability to easily engage with such a diverse range of stakeholders from technical development to clients; to manage several teams and projects at once; to solve complex challenges; to think strategically and to deliver reliable and innovative solutions as well as results.
Sara Canatario
Senior Product Marketing Manager - OAG
Sarah Francis possesses an unparalleled wealth of skill and experience in product management. She had a transformative effect across the team by emphasising the importance of data-driven decisions, coupled with considerable communication and interpersonal skills.
Her ability to negotiate roadmaps with stakeholders, both customer and colleague, is enviable. Every decision is confidently backed up with persuasive & clear analysis using accurate data about our customers, about our products, and about the markets we operate in.
Rob May
Product Owner - Guestline
Sarah Francis was a fantastic leader, an extremely valued mentor who saw potential and instilled me with belief. She offered me patience and advice and filled me with motivation and ambition. With her leadership I have been able to redirect my career onto a new path. She gave me targets and valuable experience that I needed to move forward.
Sarah has a passionate drive that is all apparent for anyone to see and will give all she can to a project she believes in.
Ian Cowin
Test Automation Engineer - Yozu
Skills
Product
Marketing
Design
Data
85%
100%
70%
60%
Education
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Carruthers & Jackson - Data Summer School2021
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Lean Six Sigma - Green Belt2020
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Scrum Alliance - Certified Scrum Product Owner Maintained certification with CPD for more than 8 years.2014
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Chartered Institute of Marketing - Professional Postgraduate Diploma Distinction in Marketing Strategy & Planning, Innovation and Brand Management. Achieved chartered status.2010
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University of Hull - BA (Hons) Design - 1st Class
Graduated top of class, winning multiple academic awards.
Activities included chair of debating society, chair of women's committee, co-editor of the student magazine. Elected welfare and equality officer and school student representative to the University.2008 -
A Levels
A A A2004 -
GCSEs
A* A* A* A* A* A A A A2002
Get in touch with Sarah Francis
I love meeting interesting people. Whether you’re another boat rocker, a product person with a story to tell, a professional troublemaker or just a lovely human, please say hello.
TELEGRAM: +44 7545 461180
EMAIL: hello@sarah-francis.co.uk
SIDE PROJECT: www.datamonsters.co.uk