Senior Product Owner

This position is responsible for leading the product definition and development within an Agile Team. The Senior Product Owner is responsible for defining complex user stories and prioritizing the team’s backlog to streamline the execution of program priorities while maintaining the conceptual and technical integrity of the features or components for the team.  The Senior Product Owner plays a significant role in maximizing the value produced by the team and ensures stories meet the user’s needs and comply with the definition of done.  This role actively collaborates with Product Managers, Customers, and other key stakeholders.  This position combines expertise in the domain while applying scaled agile principles to deliver innovative product solutions.

• Provides input into the Product Roadmap and Vision
• Champions efforts to achieve the Vision, goals and objectives
• Responsible for maximizing the Return on Investment of the development effort
• Acts as a resource, subject matter expert, and single point of contact for the business and application development teams
• Empowered to make critical decisions regarding functionality and priority
• Effectively works with the team and stakeholders in a collaborative environment.
• Works with the Product Manager to refine the product backlog and prepare for planning events
• Manages the team backlog, negotiating and reprioritizing as appropriate and adjusting any long-term expectations with stakeholders.
• Collaborates with the team to define stories with acceptance criteria and examples in the form of acceptance tests.
• Communicates story details and priorities to ensure the team aligns and agrees on a final iteration plan.
• Accepts user stories by establishing acceptance criteria and ensuring a level of quality, focusing primarily on fitness for use.
• Understands the scope of technical dependencies and requirements by collaborating with IT to assist with decision-making, sequencing and solutions
• Coordinates dependencies with other Product Owners.
• Actively participates in the Retrospective, where the teams gather to improve their processes
• Produces and facilitates System Demos for stakeholders.
• Acts as the decision maker for when to release completed and accepted stories by determining business readiness.

EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor of Arts or Science Degree required.  Advanced Degree preferred.  Relevant combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of degree.  Continuous learning, as defined by the Company’s learning philosophy, is required.  Certification or progress toward relevant certification is highly preferred and encouraged.
• With proper education credentials, ten years of relevant industry experience.

SKILLS/ KNOWLEDGE/ ABILITIES (SKA) REQUIRED

• At least five years of experience with the development and implementation of business functionality and solutions.
• Healthcare industry experience with payers, third party administrators, benefit consultants, healthcare IT, or P&C insurance preferred.
• Must have demonstrated the ability to manage multiple products &/or scrum teams
• Experience with scaled Agile development methodologies.
• Expertise in defining and prioritizing business requirements, and validating product capabilities.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and presentation skills.
• Excellent communication skills to engage an organization of multiple specialties
• Ability to manage competing priorities and understand the downstream implications of shifting priorities.
• Ability to facilitate the completion of work in a matrix environment.
• Ability to analyze information and to evaluate the implications of a course of action or solution.
• Ability to interpret and apply common sense understanding to carry out a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Strong interpersonal skills with a collaborative style.
• Demonstrated ability to use sound judgment and discretion regarding confidential information.
• Relationship management skills.
• A demonstrated track record of working with minimal supervision, being a self-starter, and working with others in a team environment.
• A demonstrated track record of consistently meeting and/or exceeding performance expectations.
• Strong implementation, problem solving, and analytical skills.
• Excellent project and time management skills.

WORKING CONDITIONS