Product Owner

Who We Are

International Justice Mission (IJM) is the global leader in protecting vulnerable people from violence around the world. Our team of over 1,300 professionals are at work worldwide in over 30 offices. Together we are on a mission to rescue millions, protect half a billion, and make justice unstoppable.

We are a global community that cares for one another. We believe that the way we work is as important as the results we achieve. We provide professional excellence with joy and celebration to all those we serve. 

The Need

For over 25 years, IJM has pioneered the work to protect vulnerable people from violence. 9 out of 9 times in the last decade, IJM’s Justice System Strengthening Projects have reduced slavery and violence between 50 and 85% for very large populations of people in poverty. As we grow to expand our impact to protect 500 million people from violence, we are seeking a Product Owner, Microsoft 365.

The Product Owner will be responsible for overseeing the user experience, product roadmap, and feature development for a suite of Microsoft 365 tools. This role requires a strategic thinker with a deep understanding of Microsoft 365 capabilities and a passion for delivering exceptional user experiences. The Product Owner partners with Architecture and Engineering, along with Security, Risk and HR to ensure a well-rounded approach to delivery.

This position is preferred to be hybrid (onsite Tuesdays & Thursdays) and located in the Washington, DC area. Remote work  for non-local candidates can be considered. This role reports to the VP, IT Operations and is only available for candidates with the right to work in the US.

Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management

• Product Governance: Lead the strategy and development for Microsoft 365 globally, establishing a Product Governance structure to ensure methodical request processing, stakeholder alignment on product priorities, and clear reporting and communications. Leverage agile methodologies and foster collaborative cross-functional engagement. Facilitate all necessary planning, meetings, etc. to ensure effective product management. 

• Product Roadmap Development: Define and maintain the product roadmap, aligning with organizational strategy, user needs, operational needs, and industry trends. Prioritize features and enhancements based on impact, feasibility, and strategic alignment. 

• Product Backlog Prioritization: Manage and prioritize the product backlog, ensuring that the most valuable features and improvements are delivered first. Balance short-term needs with long-term strategic goals. 

• General: Leadership position responsible for owning and driving IJM’s enterprise-wide Microsoft product suite strategy. Microsoft is utilized by employees throughout IJM – at every level of the organization and around the globe.   

Strategy & Knowledge Development & Implementation

• User Experience Focus: Ensure a frictionless and intuitive user experience via Microsoft platforms globally. Gather and analyze user feedback to inform product improvements. 

• Market Research: Stay up to date with industry trends and advancements in Microsoft 365 technologies. Identify opportunities for innovation and improvement. 

• Training: Provide guidance and support to users and internal teams on the effective use of Microsoft 365 tools. Develop training materials and conduct training sessions as needed, in collaboration with Enterprise Technology Adoption team. 

Networking & Partnership

• Business Consultation: Engage with business partners across all levels and roles to understand their needs and ensure that the product roadmap is inclusive of organizational objectives. Communicate product vision and updates effectively. Make recommendations to drive adoption of Microsoft 365 tools. 

• Enablement Work: Partner with other teams to support the integration and enablement of other services into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, and strategic alignment on complementary platforms (ex: Zoom).

• GTS Collaboration: Participation in GTS Huddles, All Hands, and other collaborative working sessions, to ensure alignment with the technology team and to foster communication, planning and coordination.

Documentation, Reporting & Data Management

• Performance Metrics: Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of product initiatives. Use data-driven insights to guide decision-making. 

• Product Roadmap Maintenance: Active maintenance and socialization of the product roadmap.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of professional work experience.  

• 5+ years of proven experience as a Product Owner or similar role, with a focus on Microsoft 365 tools. 

• Bachelor’s degree is preferred, but additional experience will be considered in lieu of degree. 

• Microsoft 365 Certification(s) highly preferred.

• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification is a plus.

• Strong understanding of Teams (including video), SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook, Forms, and Viva Engage. 

• Familiarity of Power Platform tools – Power Apps, Automate, and BI is a plus.

• Familiarity with Copilot preferred.

Critical Qualities:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 

• Ability to think strategically and execute methodically.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 

• Experience with agile methodologies and project management tools.  

• Experience working in global, multi-cultural organizations.

• Eager commitment to IJM's Core Values: Christian, Professional and Bridge-Building. 

• Self-starter with strong initiative. 

• Disciplined approach with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively. 

• Strong interpersonal skills and self-awareness. 

• Exceptional verbal and written communication. 

• Flexible, collaborative and eager to support others.

• Effective team player who fosters collaborative environment.  

• Positive, solutions-oriented attitude.  

• Productive under pressure. 

• Proactive, creative problem solver. 

Application Process:

Upload Resume, Cover Letter & Statement of Faith* in one PDF document.

*What is a statement of faith?
A statement of faith should describe your Christian faith and how you see it as relevant to your involvement with IJM. The statement can either be incorporated into the cover letter or submitted as a separate document and should include, at a minimum, a description of your spiritual disciplines (prayer, study, etc.) and your current fellowship or place of worship.

What does IJM have to offer?

• Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision benefits

• Monthly commuter and parking benefits in the DC metro area

• Retirement benefit options

• Paid leave starting at 23 days

• 12 holidays (plus early release the day prior)

• Daily, quarterly, and annual community spiritual formation

• Robust staff care resources

IJM holds strict safeguarding principles and a zero tolerance to violations of the Safeguarding Policy, Protection against Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy, and Code of Ethics. Candidate selection is based on technical competence, recruitment, selection and hiring criteria subject to assessing the candidates value congruence and thorough background, police clearance, and reference check processes.

At IJM, we’re committed to building a diverse workforce through fair and equitable employment practices. IJM encourages people of any race, color, age, sex, marital status or political ideology to apply for employment. While we welcome everyone into this work, we truly believe that the work we are doing is God’s work, not our own, and practice spiritual disciplines together daily. That’s why we legally require under SEC. 2000e-1 [Section702] of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that all employees practice a mature orthodox Christian faith, as defined by the Apostles’ Creed.

IJM requires a background check, police clearance and thorough review of references with an employment offer and/or employment contract.

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