Apply for Product Owner

On behalf of our public sector client, Affinity is looking for a Product Owner who plays a critical role in translating strategic direction into actionable delivery. This role is responsible for managing and prioritizing the product backlog, conducting discovery activities, and ensuring that product development aligns with the needs of providers, workers, and internal staff. The successful candidate will support the definition and delivery of products with cross-divisional impact, working closely with the Senior Manager of Product, Business Lead, Scrum Master, Development Pod, and CX/UX Research and Design Team. This is a highly collaborative role that requires strong communication skills, including the ability to present effectively to key stakeholders and senior leadership.

Responsibilities:

Discovery & Strategy

• Apply strategic thinking to align product initiatives with broader organizational priorities.

• Conduct current state analysis, user research, and problem definition.

• Collaborate with the CX/UX Research and Design Team to gather insights and translate them into actionable requirements.

• Perform user research and analyze user needs to align with desired business outcomes.

• Partner with the Senior Manager of Product to shape product strategy and support the business case.

Planning & Prioritization

• Create and maintain the product roadmap aligned with strategic direction.

• Define and prioritize the product backlog based on user needs, business goals, and technical feasibility.

• Write clear user stories and acceptance criteria.

• Understand DevOps team capacity and velocity to influence sprint commitments.

Delivery & Execution

• Manage the product backlog and ensure it is well-groomed and sprint-ready.

• Work closely with the Scrum Master and Development Pod to ensure timely, high-quality delivery.

• Participate in Scrum ceremonies including Sprint Planning, Daily Standups, Reviews, and Retrospectives.

• Collaborate with the Business Lead to ensure the product delivers business value and integrates with operational processes.

• Engage with the CX/UX team to ensure design fidelity and accessibility.

• Liaise with the product team and end-users to deliver updates and validate outcomes.

• Monitor and evaluate product progress at each stage of the process.

• Identify and help remove impediments blocking team progress.

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Communicate effectively with stakeholders to manage expectations and provide regular updates.

• Ensure the team understands the product vision and goals

• Build strong relationships with stakeholders through continuous and effective communication.

Deliverables

• A prioritized and well-maintained product backlog.

• Discovery documentation (e.g., user needs, current state analysis, problem statements).

• Product roadmap and release plans aligned with strategic goals.

• Sprint goals and user stories with clear acceptance criteria.

• Regular stakeholder updates and progress reports.

• Validated features that meet business and user outcomes.

• Contributions to continuous improvement in process, technology, and team collaboration.

Qualifications:

Required Skills and Experience

• Familiarity with DevOps practices and team dynamics.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Science, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.

Mandatory Requirements:

• 3+ years working experience as a Business Analyst or Product Owner, which includes 2 years direct hands-on experience in the Agile practice

• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered

• Experience in backlog management, user story writing, and sprint planning

• Ability to conduct and apply user research to product decisions

• Strong collaboration skills across business, design, and engineering teams

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

• Preferred Product Owner certification as Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), SAFe Product Manager / Product Owner (PMPO), IEEE Computer Society Scrum Product Owner Certification, Agile Certified Professional (ACP) or similar

Affinity Earn:

Know someone who’s great for this, or any of our open roles? Earn up to $4,000/year for each successful referral through Affinity Earn. You can also earn up to $50,000 for helping us find new clients. Learn about our referral program at https://affinity-group.ca/earn/ or browse our jobs & follow us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/affinity-staffing/jobs/

About Affinity: 

Affinity Group is a technology and business consulting and services company. We believe in creating long term relationships between clients and consultants that foster a mutually beneficial partnership. Affinity is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.

For more information on Affinity, please visit www.affinity-group.ca

Job Number: 12266

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