Product Owner

Product Owner – Salary Negotiable – Manchester

We currently have an exciting new position in our Manchester office and are looking for an experienced Product Owner to join our team. The role will be reporting to the Senior Product Owner, although this is not a customer facing role you will have a responsibility to achieve excellent UX and therefore will be expected to interact with customers during user testing and by community posting. The ideal applicant will have at least 2 years’ experience as a Product Owner within an agile environment as well previous experience in an UX or Business Analysis role.

Duties Include:
Own and manage a product for the business
Align Product backlog with strategic roadmap, taking lead from Head of Product, Product Managers or other Business Owners
Manage stakeholder and sponsors to align with company and Product Goals
Gather and specify high level business requirements and work with a team to write user stories
Prioritise and manage the backlog of change through agile leadership and agile ceremonies
Work with UX and directly with Customers to ensure a customer centred approach
Make judgement calls between UX, Business and Tech to ensure the right balance across their Product
Help create vision and strategy for the Product and Product portfolio of the business
Facilitate change within the business
Be the bridge between the customer, business and technology
Responsible for prioritisation of backlog to ensure alignment to strategic business vision and team objectives
Ensures user stories meet standards for progression into development
Communicate to senior stakeholders on progress, blockers, risks and successes
Engender a culture of shared team ownership of objectives
Challenge and validate justification for change, using a hypothesis, test, implement and learn approach. Ensuring we only work on change we understand.

Customer Service
Not a customer facing role but has a responsibility to achieve excellent UX and will therefore be expected to interact with customers during user testing and by community posting

Control (Risks, Financials, Processes)
Make informed risk decisions and effectively and credibly debate and challenge management recommendations within the role and in line with the approved Risk Appetite Framework
Use the training and competence scheme to maintain the appropriate knowledge, skills and expertise to carry out the role completely
Maintain the first line of compliance defence by ensuring individual, adherence to business processes and procedures that are designed to meet the regulatory standards set out in the relevant FCA rules and guidance
Follow product governance to ensure that we validate and achieve the best outcome for the organisation and customers

Leadership
Some involved with leading a Product Team but no direct line management responsibilities

Change
Responsible for on-going incremental change
Larger changes will need to be communicated across the business and in line with agreed change methodology

Core Capabilities:
Self-Starter and motivated to get the job done
Can demonstrate strong analytical skills
Create thinker and problem solver
A quick learner with a high level of attention to detail
Excellent stakeholder management at all levels
A thirst for learning and self-progression
Multi-tasking & time management

Technical Capabilities:
Agile / Kanban/ Scrum methodology
Wireframing/prototyping/sketching
User story writing
Data analysis
JIRA/Confluence proficiency
MS Office suite
Google Analytics
AB/MVP Testing
Worked across Web, Software and App

Knowledge, Skills, Experience Required:
At least 2 years as Product Owner within an Agile environment in a SME or enterprise.
Previous experience in UX or Business Analysis