Product Owner I

** JOB SUMMARY **

The Product Owner I is a member of the Product Management team and is responsible for bringing together business vision, user experience, and technology to drive delivery of Vermont Mutual products and capabilities. Other responsibilities include supporting the scrum team, managing backlog items, and optimizing the value of the product(s). The ability to lead the product development team toward achieving the vision and mission of the organization is key to the success of this role.

This is a hybrid position based in our Montpelier, VT office, requiring a minimum of three days per week onsite.

** DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES **

• Responsible for innovation and end-to-end launch of products.

• Collaborate with Portfolio Managers, SMEs and customers to co-develop a roadmap and drive products and features from concept to launch in a fast-paced environment.

• Works with cross-functional teams and various stakeholders, including analytics, design/user experience, engineering, and user enablement.

• Works in an Agile environment and continuously reviews the business needs, refines priorities, outlines milestones and deliverables, and identifies opportunities and risks.

• Partners with stakeholders and customers across the organization to inform the product vision, strategy, features, and prioritization.

• Contributes to and executes product roadmap.

• Works with user-focused Subject Matter Experts to define end-user experience, support, and monitoring for customers.

• Translate product roadmap features into well-defined product requirements including features, user stories, and acceptance test criteria.

• Prioritizes and maintains the team increment and sprint backlog for assigned products, balancing the requirements of stakeholders.

• Leads the product functional design process based on an intimate knowledge of the users and technology.

• Leverages business analysis, product management and agile industry best practices to deliver high-quality products and lead by example.

• Assisting the scrum/product development team to meet the objectives of each sprint.

• Defines and executes go-live plan, working to ensure that product management, marketing, and business units/customers have what they need to be successful.

• Performs other duties or special projects as required or as assigned.

** SUPERVISION EXERCISED **

Provide project-related supervision of Business Analysts and Agile team members.

** SUPERVISION RECEIVED **

General supervision is received from the Business Solutions Manager.

** QUALIFICATIONS **

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, business or other appropriate discipline plus 3 or more years of industry, IT or software project management, and supervisory experience, or a combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills are acquired.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage, influence, and inspire partners and stakeholders to drive collaboration and alignment.

• Comprehensive, advanced knowledge of products, operating processes, the Insurance industry, and systems in all areas of the business.

• Balance of technical knowledge and business acumen.

• Strong leadership and management skills.

• Highly motivated self-starter.

• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and effectively handle business/personnel situations.

• Ability to represent the company to and deal effectively with a variety of other organizations/individuals outside the company, as well as a wide range of company personnel including management.

** PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS **

• Predominately sedentary office position with high frequency of keyboarding/computer work required.

• The physical demands are minimal and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations.

• The work environment is representative and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations.

• The salary range reflected is a good faith estimate of base pay for the position. In addition to base salary, this role is incentive compensation and benefits eligible, and individual salary will ultimately be determined based on individual experience, skills, qualifications and geographic location. *