APPLYING FOR PRODUCT MARKETING DIRECTOR EMEA, WORKIVA

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. Based in London.

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

GTM Strategy

I've led GTM strategy for complex, multi-product portfolios across multiple markets. At Xero that meant segmentation and ICP work, experiment programmes, and building launch playbooks that scaled. Workiva's multi-market EMEA challenge is exactly the kind of scope I work best in.

Product Team Proximity

I sat on the Payroll leadership team alongside PMs, Designers, and Engineers. I contribute to what gets built, not just how it's sold. That proximity shapes better positioning because the brief starts earlier, and the product input is grounded in what the market actually needs.

Positioning and Messaging

I develop value propositions that translate complex, data-heavy products into language that buyers and commercial teams actually use. The challenge for Workiva is helping finance and sustainability leaders trust that an integrated platform delivers something their current fragmented tools cannot. That's a positioning problem I've worked through before.

Market Strategy and Commercial Rigour

I've led market sizing and ICP development, modelled opportunity by segment, and translated competitive and regulatory intelligence into GTM priorities. At Xero that included country-level analysis for North American market entry and multi-year UK investment cases I took to regional leadership.

WHY WORKIVA

A direct fit

COMPLIANCE-HEAVY, TRUST-DEPENDENT PRODUCTS

Payroll is a product businesses are scared to get wrong. At Xero, getting that trust required accurate positioning, clear education on what the product actually did, and a GTM approach that reduced perceived risk. I know how to position products where the cost of being wrong is high and trust has to be earned before the sale.

MULTI-MARKET GTM

I've owned GTM strategy across UK, Australia, and New Zealand simultaneously, building region-specific segmentation and adapting positioning to local market dynamics, competitive sets, and buyer behaviours. That's the same discipline Workiva needs across EMEA. Markets have different maturity levels and different entry priorities. Getting that right requires more than translating messaging.

MARKET STRATEGY AND INVESTMENT CASES

I led UK market segmentation and ICP development, modelling opportunity by segment to inform annual GTM strategy and product investment priorities. I also led the competitive and market analysis that informed Xero's Canadian market entry build/buy/partner evaluation. That discipline maps directly to what this role requires: sizing markets across EMEA, prioritising countries, and translating regulatory and competitive intelligence into investment recommendations.

BUILDING FROM FIRST-PMM FOUNDATIONS

I came in as the first PMM for Xero Payroll globally. I built the positioning, messaging frameworks, GTM playbooks, and sales enablement that helped drive 154% revenue growth across a $400M+ portfolio. Workiva needs a Director who can define the EMEA market strategy and bring cross-functional alignment behind it. That's work I've done.

REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE INTO GLOBAL PRODUCT DIRECTION

At Xero I sat on the Payroll leadership team alongside PMs and Engineers. Part of that role was making sure regional market needs were understood and prioritised by the product team, translating what businesses in a specific market required into something the team could act on. That's the dynamic Workiva is describing, and it's one I've worked in for years.

AI AS A WORKING TOOL

I've been building with AI tools, actively optimising how I work, and applying them to projects outside my day job. For strategy work that means moving from a market question to a structured recommendation faster, running competitive analysis more thoroughly. It's become part of how I work, not a side interest.

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 offers, messaging, activation flows, and channel mix to drive an 18% activation increase across UK Payroll 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.
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
"

At Xero I came in as the first PMM for payroll globally. I built the positioning, messaging, GTM frameworks, and sales enablement that helped drive 154% revenue growth across a $400M+ portfolio spanning UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

The work that maps most directly to this role combines market strategy with GTM execution. UK segmentation and ICP development that shaped annual GTM priorities and product investment decisions. Competitive and market analysis that fed into Xero's Canadian market entry evaluation and built the case for where and how to enter. North American GTM kickoff when the new partnership direction was confirmed. An 18% activation increase in six months through quarterly experiment programmes with GTM and Product teams. And early positioning for Xero's AI-powered features ahead of Xerocon, translating technical capability into something the sales team could use and buyers could understand.

Workiva's challenge is similar: helping finance, sustainability, and risk leaders understand why connected, assured reporting across a single platform is categorically different from the spreadsheets and point solutions most of them are still using. That's a market education and positioning problem, and it's one I know how to work through.

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 regional input, because I know what can realistically be delivered.

Quick take
✓First PMM for Xero Payroll globally. Built positioning, playbooks, and GTM foundations across a $400M+ portfolio
✓Led market segmentation, ICP development, and opportunity modelling that shaped annual GTM strategy and product investment priorities
✓Led competitive and market analysis for North American market entry evaluation. Ran the GTM kickoff when the new direction was confirmed.
✓Contributed to 154% revenue growth through GTM alignment across three markets
✓18% activation increase via quarterly GTM experiment programmes
✓Uses AI tools daily across research, competitive analysis, and strategy work. Building with AI outside work too.
✓Sits inside product teams, feeds regional intelligence into global roadmap. PM background is real, not decorative.
✓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 PMs, 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 UK market segmentation and ICP development

Partnered with the Strategy team to identify target customer cohorts and model opportunity by segment, translating that into annual GTM priorities and regional investment decisions. The same approach applies to Workiva's EMEA country prioritisation and segment focus.

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.