Description

Role Overview

The Product Owner (PO) is a critical tactical role within our Agile Development team, responsible for the successful delivery of work that generates positive ROI for the business. While the Product Manager sets the high-level vision, the Product Owner transforms that vision into detailed requirements and executes the product roadmap.

You will act as the bridge between business strategy and technical execution. By defining user stories, prioritizing the backlog, and outlining sprint goals, you ensure the delivery team meets both business requirements and user needs. You will not operate in a vacuum; you will collaborate closely with Engineering, Architects, UX, Scrum Leads, and Business Leaders to make informed prioritization and trade-off decisions.

This role will support a CMMC Level 2 compliant Enclave environment, inclusive of several components. This role will participate in and support frequent government audits, compliance training, and support onboarding of new users including general change management duties in addition to tactical product ownership.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Execution & User Focus

Translate Strategy: Convert the Product Manager’s high-level strategy into actionable tasks and work with cross-functional agile teams to execute those requirements.
User Advocacy: Represent the user within delivery teams by thoroughly understanding their needs, pain points, and problem statements.
Business Intimacy: Continually build knowledge through user research, interviews, shadowing, market research, and data analysis.
Problem Solving: Define business problems with empathy to create the right solutions. Avoid "order taking"; instead, consult with engineering to propose optimized solutions that fit a wide range of business needs (reusable, scalable, user-centric).

Sprint & Delivery Management

Backlog Management: Define the sprint plan, prioritize the sprint backlog, and adapt to changing circumstances. Ensure the backlog is healthy, organized, and groomed.
User Story Creation: Break down Epics into User Stories written in the "user’s voice." Ensure they are the smallest possible increment with clear acceptance criteria agreed upon by engineering and architecture.
Team Focus: Work continuously with delivery teams to focus on completion according to sprint goals. Shield the engineering team from distraction by acting as the main point of contact for users and the business.
Feedback Loop: Demonstrate new features to business leaders and users, incorporating their feedback into future sprints.

Key Accountabilities

You are accountable for the health and efficiency of the delivery process, including:

• Backlog Health: Maintaining a highly organized backlog where User Stories are well-defined, hierarchical, and linked to Epics.

• Sprint Planning: Creating sprint plans based on team capacity and managing "swaps" if unplanned work must be introduced mid-sprint.

• Feature Alignment: Ensuring feature delivery aligns strictly with the product vision and roadmap.

• Efficiency: Keeping the engineering team productive by preparing clear stories for estimation and maintaining a backlog of ready-to-work items.

• System Maintenance (GUS):

Ensuring GUS Stories are created and linked to Epics.

maintaining Story and Epic pages with the most current information.

Linking Epics to Projects.

Compliance & Security Responsibilities

You will play a vital role in ensuring our products meet strict compliance and security standards:

LeanIX (LIX): Maintain accuracy of required fields in application factsheets and roadmaps (when delegated).
Security Controls: Ensure all security controls are tested, delivered, and that advisory reviews are requested from Enterprise Security Advisory.
Sprint Prioritization: Manage the backlog to allow bandwidth for security, privacy, disaster recovery, and data requirement definitions.
Testing: Complete UAT testing and submit testing evidence during change request approvals.

The Interaction Model: Who You Will Work With

Success in this role requires deep collaboration across the organization:

Product Manager: Your main partner in prioritizing features. They translate Product Strategy to you, and together you serve as the voice of the customer.
BPG Product Line Manager: Works with you to prioritize epics and ensure features align with the broader portfolio vision.
Solution Architect: Aligns with you to design solutions defined by epics and ensures implementation meets non-functional requirements across the value stream.
Scrum Lead: Collaborates with you on daily reports, progress tracking, and resource gaps.
Engineering Team (SE, QE, UX): Receives your input on user stories and reviews developed work with you for acceptance.