Product Owner

Job Posting Organization:
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an international financial institution founded in 199

• Its mission is to promote the transition to open market-oriented economies and to foster private and entrepreneurial initiative in countries from Central Europe to Central Asia. The EBRD operates in over 30 countries and employs a diverse workforce of approximately 2,000 employees. The organization focuses on sustainable development, equality, and digital transformation, aiming to make a real difference in the lives of people in the regions it invests in.

Job Overview:
The Product Owner will play a crucial role in leading the evolution of the Enterprise Cloud Platform at EBRD. This position requires a strategic thinker who can translate business goals into actionable tasks for Agile teams. The Product Owner will be responsible for owning the product vision, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture and user experience goals. The role involves prioritizing features that enhance developer onboarding and cloud-native services, collaborating with various teams to ensure technical soundness and business readiness of releases, and championing user feedback to improve platform usability and performance. The Product Owner will guide Agile squads through the product lifecycle, ensuring clarity and measurable value at every stage, and will be central to enabling secure infrastructure leveraging Azure services and automated compliance tooling. This position is an opportunity to shape the future of enterprise technology and drive strategic transformation within the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Product Owner will support the creation of a comprehensive roadmap that aligns with business objectives and collaborates with stakeholders to validate the vision for specific value streams. They will work closely with other Product Owners to manage dependencies and ensure seamless coordination across teams. The role includes assisting in developing business change management practices, identifying and prioritizing high-value features based on user needs, and ensuring that squads have access to users for research and story delivery. The Product Owner will mediate conflicts related to user requirements and support squads to align their work with the roadmap. They will prepare for go-live activities, monitor product performance post-launch, and proactively foresee future user requirements. Additionally, the Product Owner will represent the product in forums and communities of practice, contributing to the professional network and promoting best practices.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must have a strong understanding of Agile frameworks such as Scrum and Kanban, with practical application experience. Familiarity with the product lifecycle, including roadmap management and user story creation, is essential. Knowledge of business change management practices and strong communication skills are required to articulate product vision and user needs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Experience in managing product backlogs, focusing on user needs, and working in Agile environments is necessary. Candidates should also have experience in cross-functional teams and an understanding of how products align with business processes. Relevant certifications in Agile methodologies and product management are beneficial.

Educational Background:
A relevant degree in fields such as Business, Computer Science, or Engineering is required, or equivalent practical experience in product development or Agile delivery in a technical role. Certifications such as Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or Agile Product Owner certifications are advantageous, along with other relevant qualifications in change management or product management.

Experience:
Candidates should have experience working in Agile environments, either as part of a product team or closely collaborating with Agile teams. Experience in product ownership activities, including backlog management and defining user stories, is essential. Some experience interacting with business stakeholders and understanding their needs is also required. Additionally, candidates should have experience supporting or contributing to project delivery, including tracking progress and managing risks within an Agile framework.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, as strong verbal and written communication skills are essential for articulating product vision and user needs. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory for this position.

Additional Notes:
This position is a fixed-term contract for a duration of 3 years. The EBRD promotes a hybrid and flexible working environment, expecting employees to collaborate in person at least 50% of the time. The organization values diversity and inclusion, encouraging candidates from various backgrounds to apply. Due to the high volume of applications, detailed feedback will not be provided to candidates who are not shortlisted.