Product Owner, K12
State College, PA
With nearly 20,000 organizational customers and millions of student users, Blackboard is the world’s leading education technology company. Blackboard is shaping the future of education with big ideas that challenge conventional thinking and advance new models of learning. Every day we’re inspiring people to find new ways to learn, connect and drive change in the way education is delivered and experienced. Through technology and services we bring people closer to the knowledge they seek and to ways they can change their own education and the world for the better.
Overview
The Product Owner plays an integral role in the Product Management department, development teams and the company as a whole, managing development timelines, releases and goals for cutting-edge mobile and web applications.
Essential Functions:
- Works closely with development, design and product management to ensure that products released meet expectations and will delight clients
- Must maintain a solid product and market understanding
- Provides functional and market expertise to development teams
- Lead and facilitate discussions, decisions and conflict resolutions
- Manages cross dependencies, impediments, priorities & risks for the squads
- Must be a member of the squad – willing to help out when needed
- Work with squads & product management to breakdown requirements & designs into deliverables
- Coordinates sprint and release timelines
- Prioritizes and maintains a product backlog through collaboration with product managers and development squads
- Represents the squads in cross functional and external meetings
- Assists with internal and external communication, improving transparency, and information sharing
- Guides development squads & organization on Agile & Scrum practices
Required Skills / Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four year college or university; or one to two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- At least 2 to 4 years of product development management experience.
- Excellent communication and time management skills are required.
- Stellar organizational and planning skills
Preferred Skills / Experience:
- Scrum Master and/or Product Owner certification
- Experience as Scrum Master or Project Manager on software development team
- Knowledge of and experience with agile development principles and methodologies
- Knowledge of software life-cycles, process management and improvement techniques
- Experience in aggressive and short release cycles
- Good conflict management abilities and experience
- Strong team building and motivation skills
- Must be nimble, proactive and comfortable working with ambiguous specifications and can prioritize on the fly
- Knowledge of communication and presentation tools
- Knowledge of product and project management tools
- Able to work independently and to remain flexible and responsive in a very dynamic environment
- Honesty, integrity, enthusiasm, teamwork, commitment to excellence, and attention to detail are a must.
This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time.
Blackboard is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected factor.