Job Details
API/Technical Product Owner
6 Month Contract to Hire
Hybrid in Cleveland, OH
The API Product Owner is responsible for leading the definition of success for digital platform products, Domain APIs. This role ensures the highest value features are in line with the consumers initiatives, are identified, defined, and prioritized, while ensuring the expectations around cost are being managed.
In this role, you will be responsible for defining and executing the strategy for one or more API platform products. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to understand consumer needs, align with enterprise trends, and bring new API platform product features to market.
Essential Functions
Strategy & Planning
Works closely with cross-functional teams to understand consumer needs.
Maintains alignment with the portfolio vision, solution vision, budget, and other guardrails.
Identifies value and outcomes desired by consumers, seeking to optimize enterprise value.
Translates new and existing capabilities into actionable requirements for delivery.
Works with the delivery team to plan product feature releases.
Acquisition & Deployment
Responsible for Product Ownership role within the product portfolio assigned.
Provide product oversight for multiple product capabilities.
Manage multiple projects, assignments, and priorities simultaneously.
Facilitate meetings and follow up with resulting action items.
Develop business cases, make recommendations, and define success factors for enhancements.
Operational Management
Responsible for contributing to the product backlog.
Ensures stories contain clear consumer success statements and acceptance criteria.
Recommends features for program increment planning sessions.
Accepts stories, evaluating for completeness as implemented by the delivery teams.
- Negotiates capacity balancing the need for enhancements, technical & tech debt work items.
Provides delivery team with accurate business and platform context.
Understand business processes and answers questions on relationships between source system, data warehouse and API services.
Ensures API products are delivering value to consumers by defining & measuring indicators.
Incidental Functions
Assist with projects as may be required to contribute to efficiency and effectiveness of the work.
Attend business partner and IT staff meetings where appropriate.
Attend meetings on behalf of the team.
Present to management, partners, and peer groups as requested.
Train and share knowledge with development teams in cross functional capacities.
Participate in hiring activities.
Fulfill affirmative action obligations & compliance with the equal employment opportunity policy.
Position Requirements
Formal Education & Certification
Bachelor s Degree (or foreign equivalent) or in lieu of a degree, at least 12 years in experience in the field of Product Management or Business (work experience or a combination of education and work experience in the field of Product Management or Business).
Knowledge & Experience
5+ years of Product Owner, Product Management/Business experience
3+ years of experience including business analysis, a focus on API products preferred.
Knowledge of API design, development, and management best practices.
Experience with Agile Methodologies and roles.
Strong experience working with effective cross-functional teams.
Exceptional writing, editing, presentation and public speaking skills.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience designing API platform or similar products.
Experience working in an agile software development environment.
Understanding of OpenAPI specification.
Personal Attributes
Strong communication and presentation skills, to effectively communicate technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
Excellent systems/process orientation with demonstrated critical thinking, organization and problem solving skills.
Excels in research and enjoys identifying new opportunities.
Proven ability and initiative to learn and research new concepts, ideas, and technologies quickly, especially in the area of API and platform products.
Proven ability to lead and work in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
Willingness and proven ability to train and teach others.
Proven ability to facilitate meetings and follow up with resulting action items.
Proven ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
Proven ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment, and to lead and influence cross-organizationally with and without direct authority.
Excellent ability to effectively move forward on tasks even with ambiguous or changing requirements.
Strong commitment to inclusion and diversity.