APPLYING FOR PRINCIPAL PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER, PAYROLL, WORKDAY

CON HARBIS

I build products and take them to market.
Most people do one or the other.

15+ years in product marketing and product management. I sit inside product teams, shape how products go to market, and work across regions to make it land. I've been building with AI tools and actively optimising how I work, inside and outside the day job. It's become part of how I think, not a side interest. Based in London.

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Con Harbis
London · No sponsorship required
Previously at
Xero Carsales ahm Jetstar
WHAT I DO

Payroll Domain Depth

I've spent over nine years working on payroll: a $400M+ portfolio processing $150B+ in annual payroll for 3M+ employees across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, plus market entry work across the US and Canada.

First In, No Playbook

First PMM for Xero Payroll globally. Came in with no inherited playbook and helped build the positioning, messaging frameworks, GTM playbooks and sales enablement across AU, NZ and UK.

AI Positioning

I led the early positioning and announcement strategy for Xero Payroll's AI vision and features, preparing the messaging and go-to-market ahead of Xerocon.

Product Team Proximity

I sat on the Payroll leadership team alongside Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers, contributing to what got built, not just how it was sold. Getting in earlier changes everything: the roadmap priorities, the launch narrative, the sales story, and what the product actually becomes.

WHY WORKDAY

A direct fit

PAYROLL IS THE DOMAIN I KNOW BEST

I've spent over 9 years working on payroll: a $400M+ portfolio processing $150B+ in annual payroll for 3M+ employees across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, for small business owners, payroll administrators, and the accountants and bookkeepers advising them. The multi-country complexity this role calls for is the environment I've worked in.

TRANSLATING AI INTO BUYER VALUE

Workday's payroll marketing is built around an agentic AI vision. At Xero I led the early positioning and announcement strategy for Xero Payroll's AI vision and features, preparing the messaging and go-to-market ahead of Xerocon.

PRODUCT AND ROADMAP PROXIMITY

I sat on the Payroll leadership team alongside Product Managers, Designers, and Engineers, contributing to what got built. I also built the sales enablement that carried that work to market: playbooks, battlecards, and field materials used across three markets. This role asks for someone who can partner with Product and Sales to articulate how AI and automation solve real payroll complexity.

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

I built competitive intelligence frameworks used across multiple regions at Xero, turning market and competitor analysis into positioning and sales enablement. This role asks for exactly that: research applied to messaging and GTM.

COMMUNICATING PRODUCT DIRECTION

I've led webinars and presented product direction to stakeholders across multiple forums, sharing what had shipped and where the product was heading. I've also run workshops to gather feedback and align stakeholders on direction. Xero Payroll's presence at Xerocon and regional roadshows sat within the work I led.

LONDON-BASED

Based in London, no sponsorship required.

BY THE NUMBERS
0%
Revenue growth
Contributed to at Xero across UK, AU, NZ
$400M+
Portfolio managed
Xero Payroll across three markets
0%
Activation increase
In six months through GTM experiments
0%
UK growth YoY
Xero Payroll, coordinated GTM strategy
$6M+
Revenue at launch
Standalone payroll, zero to market in 3 months
0+
Years across PMM and PM
SaaS, fintech, travel, insurance
SKILLS & EXPERTISE

Where I'm strongest

Skills in action
154%
Revenue growth via GTM alignment
Helped drive 154% revenue growth across AU, NZ and UK through strategic positioning and aligning Product, Sales, and Marketing.
ICP
Segmentation to market strategy
Led UK market segmentation and ICP development, identifying target customer cohorts and modelling opportunity by segment to inform annual GTM strategy and product investment priorities.
18%
Activation uplift via GTM experiments
Ran quarterly experiment programmes with GTM and Product teams, testing messaging, activation flows, and channel mix. Activation improved 18% in six months.
NA
North American market entry
Contributed to Canadian market entry evaluation as part of Xero's new growth markets team, leading competitive and market analysis that informed the build/buy/partner decision. When a new partnership direction was confirmed for the US, led the GTM kickoff to activate it commercially.
AI
Building with AI, not just following it.
I've been pushing how far I can take these tools, inside the day job and outside it. It's shifted how fast I move, how I pressure-test ideas, and how I approach problems I haven't faced before. Not a trend I'm watching. Something I'm doing.
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
"

At Xero I came in as the first PMM for payroll globally. I developed the positioning, messaging, GTM frameworks, and sales enablement that helped drive 154% revenue growth across a $400M+ portfolio spanning UK, Australia, and New Zealand. That included a standalone product launch in three months that scaled to $6M+ in annual revenue.

Most recently, focused on the UK: segmentation and ICP development that shaped annual GTM strategy and product investment priorities, with the product team adjusting the roadmap to go deeper on priority cohorts before expanding to others. UK payroll grew 13% year on year, with activation improving 18% in six months through quarterly experiment programmes with GTM and Product teams. I also led the early positioning and announcement strategy for Xero Payroll's AI vision and features, preparing the messaging and go-to-market ahead of Xerocon.

Before moving into product marketing I spent years as a Senior Product Manager at Carsales, and then at Xero as Product Manager for NZ Payroll. It changes how I work with product teams. I understand the build trade-offs, the roadmap constraints, the engineering reality. That proximity makes for better positioning, because I know what the product can actually deliver.

Quick take
✓First PMM for Xero Payroll globally. Developed positioning, messaging frameworks, and GTM foundations across a $400M+ portfolio
✓Contributed to 154% revenue growth through GTM alignment across three markets
✓18% activation increase via quarterly GTM experiment programmes
✓Led UK segmentation and ICP development informing annual GTM strategy and product investment priorities
✓Standalone product launch in three months, scaling to $6M+ annual revenue
✓Sits inside product teams, influences roadmap. PM background is real, not decorative
✓Building with AI tools and actively optimising how I work. Applying them inside and outside the day job.
✓London-based. No sponsorship required
CAREER HISTORY
Xero
Mar 2022 – Apr 2026
Senior Global Product Marketing Manager

Led global product marketing strategy for Xero Payroll and employee management offerings across AU, NZ, and UK. Core member of the Payroll leadership team alongside Product Managers, Designers and Engineers. The payroll platform is a $400M+ revenue portfolio processing $150B+ in annual payroll for 3M+ employees globally.

  • Grew UK product 13% YoY with activations up 18% in 6 months through quarterly GTM experiments with Product and Sales teams
  • Led early positioning and announcement strategy for Xero's AI-powered features, translating technical capabilities into customer-facing value
  • Led UK market segmentation and ICP development, identifying target customer cohorts and modelling opportunity by segment to inform annual GTM strategy and product investment priorities
  • Contributed to Canadian market entry evaluation as part of the new growth markets team, leading competitive and market analysis that informed the build/buy/partner decision. Led GTM kickoff for US market entry following confirmation of new partnership direction
  • Led Xero Payroll messaging and presence across Xerocon, regional roadshows, and accounting industry events, including beta recruitment programmes ahead of product launches
Global GTMPayrollRoadmap InfluenceAI PositioningICP DevelopmentXerocon
Global Product Marketing Manager
Sep 2018 – Mar 2022

First PMM for Xero Payroll globally. Came in with no inherited playbook and built the positioning, messaging frameworks, GTM playbooks and sales enablement across AU, NZ and UK.

  • Helped drive 154% revenue growth across AU, NZ and UK through strategic positioning and aligning product and sales teams on GTM execution
  • Launched standalone payroll product in 3 months, scaling to $6M+ annual revenue and establishing Xero as market leader
  • Established PMM processes and frameworks that improved how products and features were launched across the organisation
  • Created GTM playbooks and sales enablement materials across all regions
PositioningGTM PlaybooksSales EnablementMulti-region
Product Manager, NZ Payroll
Mar 2017 – Sep 2018

Led NZ Payroll product within a global team. Defined product vision and 3-year strategy through market research and stakeholder consultation, managing delivery using agile and lean approaches.

  • Drove subscribers by 80% and employees paid by 87%, directly driving revenue growth and market expansion
  • Launched Contractors feature that became the global template, closing a critical gap in the NZ market and rolling out to all international regions
Product ManagementRoadmapAgileNZ Market
ahm (Medibank)
Dec 2015 – Oct 2016
Digital Product Manager

Led digital transformation, guiding cross-functional teams to deliver customer-focused experiences aligned with digital-first strategy. Developed CRO roadmap to improve conversion and customer experience.

  • Reversed declining conversion trends with 19% increase in online purchases through data-driven purchase form redesign
  • Drove 12 to 13% conversion uplift by building a resume journey feature for returning visitors
CRODigital ProductConversionHealth Insurance
Carsales
Apr 2010 – Dec 2015
Senior Product Manager

Managed product portfolio of 10 market-leading online brands, driving revenue growth, product innovation, and UX improvements while leading cross-functional teams across Product, UX, Marketing, Sales, and Customer Experience.

  • Launched complete quicksales website redesign and new iOS app within a 3-month timeframe
  • Supported SEO/SEM strategy that kept multiple brands at number one market positions
  • Recognised for exceptional performance with Product & Technology Monthly Award
Product StrategyMarketplaceTeam LeadershipAgile
Jetstar
Sep 2007 – Apr 2010
eCommerce Product Manager

Drove eCommerce innovation for Jetstar's digital booking, mobile, and airport experiences. Managed development of 13 multi-language web and mobile sites.

  • Managed implementation of world-first SMS Boarding Pass solution into Web Check-in system
  • Launched Jetstar's first mobile websites across multiple languages in the early smartphone era
  • Created new revenue streams through flexible booking and seat selection products
eCommerceTravelMobileDigital
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Work I'm proud of

XERO — UK GTM

Helped grow UK payroll 13% YoY, with activations up 18% in six months

Ran a quarterly experiment programme with GTM and Product teams, testing messaging, activation flows, and channel mix to find what moved the numbers.

XERO — MARKET STRATEGY

Led Xero's UK segmentation and ICP development

Led UK market segmentation and ICP development, identifying target customer cohorts and modelling opportunity by segment to inform annual GTM strategy and product investment priorities.

XERO — PRODUCT LAUNCH

Took a standalone payroll product from zero to $6M+ ARR

Launched a standalone payroll product in 3 months, scaling to $6M+ annual revenue. Ran service design workshops to shape the launch experience and owned the end-to-end GTM execution that got it to market.

XERO — AI GTM

Led early positioning and announcement strategy for Xero's AI-powered features ahead of Xerocon

Translated technical capabilities into customer-facing value and competitive differentiation, making AI features something the sales team could explain and buyers could actually understand.

XERO — MARKET ENTRY

Contributed to North American market entry across two separate initiatives

Led competitive and market analysis for the Canadian market entry evaluation, informing the build/buy/partner decision. When a new partnership direction was confirmed for the US, led the GTM kickoff to activate it commercially.

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR

Founded a youth football coaching business and ran it for three years alongside a full-time senior role

Built The Football Practice from scratch: brand, curriculum, booking system, and customer experience. Scaled to 50+ players across five weekly sessions. Ran profitably for three years. Closed by choice.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

A bit about me

Product Marketing Leader

15+ years across product, commercial, and customer. Before moving into product marketing I spent years as a Senior Product Manager at Carsales, and then at Xero as Product Manager for NZ Payroll. It changes how I work with product teams and how I think about what the market actually needs before we build anything.

My career has involved complex SaaS: compliance-heavy products, multi-region markets, buyers who need educating before they'll move.

Founder & Director, The Football Practice

I founded and ran The Football Practice, a youth football coaching business, for three years alongside a full-time senior role at Xero. Built it from nothing: brand, curriculum, operations, customer experience. Scaled to 50+ players across five weekly sessions before closing by choice.

I spotted a gap in the market, built something from scratch to fill it, and learned what worked by watching what kids and parents actually responded to.