Product Owner

RESPONSIBILITIES:
•    Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
•    Create, maintain, and prioritize the product backlog, including user stories, features, and technical tasks, and ensure that the backlog is groomed and ready for the development team.
•    Collaborate with stakeholders, including customers, business leaders, and development teams, to gather requirements, gather feedback, and ensure alignment with the product vision.
•    Determine and communicate the priority of features and user stories based on business value and customer feedback.
•    Write clear and detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and functional specifications that guide the development team.
•    Work closely with cross-functional teams, including developers, designers, and QA testers, to ensure a smooth development process and timely product releases.
•    Participate in release planning and sprint planning meetings, defining the scope of each sprint and ensuring that the development team has a clear understanding of the goals.
•    Review and accept/reject completed user stories based on predefined acceptance criteria and quality standards.
•    Continuously gather feedback from users, stakeholders, and team members to iterate on the product and make improvements.
•    Identify and mitigate risks and issues that may impact product development and delivery.
•    Maintain up-to-date product documentation, including user manuals, release notes, and product roadmaps.
 
REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
•    Bachelor's degree in a relevant field preferred.
•    Proven experience as a Product Owner or experience in a similar role.
•    Strong understanding of Agile and Scrum methodologies; experience with SAFe is a plus.
•    Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
•    Problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
•    Customer-focused mindset with a deep understanding of user needs.
•    Knowledge of project management and product development processes.
•    Experience with product management tools (e.g., Azure DevOps).
•    Technical background or understanding is a plus.
•    Relevant industry certifications (e.g., Certified Scrum Product Owner) is a plus.
•    Strong problem-solving skills and exceptional attention to detail.
•    Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team environment.
•    Ability to create and communicate clear requirements to a development team.
•    Ability to adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment.
•    Must thrive in a collaborative work environment and be comfortable seeking input from other team members.
•    Elections Management experience is a plus.