Product Owner - Science Projects

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda and promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system. UNEP serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment and is dedicated to addressing pressing environmental challenges. Established in 1972, UNEP operates in over 150 countries and has a workforce of approximately 1,000 employees. The organization focuses on various environmental issues, including climate change, biodiversity, pollution, and sustainable development, and works collaboratively with governments, civil society, and the private sector to foster sustainable practices and policies.

Job Overview:
The Product Owner is a pivotal role within the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO). This position is responsible for maximizing the value of IMEO’s data products by defining and prioritizing product requirements, managing the product backlog, and collaborating with stakeholders involved in science and digital products. The Product Owner will ensure the delivery of high-quality, high-value solutions that meet user needs. The role involves leading the development of methane data products for diverse stakeholders, ensuring that scientific data products transition efficiently from scientific outputs to published digital products. The Product Owner will develop a product strategy based on a defined product vision, prioritize outputs, and act as a central coordination point across teams to achieve delivery milestones. This includes establishing coordination mechanisms between science teams and digital products teams, allowing IMEO to share methane insights with external stakeholders such as national authorities, regional organizations, civil society, and experts.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Science–Digital interface: Establish interfaces between the science and digital products teams; map existing data products and plan future data products; establish coordination mechanisms to gather baseline user requirements; define delivery plans and milestones; translate product vision between teams; manage operational backlog for digital implementation; ensure accuracy and quality during data-to-digital conversion; identify bottlenecks, risks, and dependencies; integrate lessons learned.
• Management support: Summarize product status information for donor reporting and work plan development; ensure outputs are accepted by UNEP to be considered satisfactory. Performance indicators include effectiveness in defining and prioritizing the product backlog, timely delivery of product features, stakeholder satisfaction, quality of product requirements, and ability to facilitate decision-making.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Analytics, Business Administration, Information Systems, STEM, or a related field. Additionally, five or more years of relevant experience in product ownership, project management, or similar coordination roles within an Agile/Scrum environment is required. Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple parallel workstreams are essential. Candidates should have experience working across technical and non-technical teams and possess a pragmatic mindset that allows them to bring structure without slowing teams down. Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills are also necessary, along with a high attention to detail, especially regarding data quality and handoffs. Familiarity with agile or hybrid delivery environments and experience with backlog management tools such as Jira are preferred.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Data Science, Analytics, Business Administration, Information Systems, or other STEM-related disciplines is required for this position. This educational background provides the foundational knowledge necessary for understanding data products and managing product development effectively.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have five or more years of relevant experience in product ownership, project management, or similar coordination roles, particularly within an Agile/Scrum environment. This level of experience is crucial for effectively managing the complexities of product development and ensuring successful collaboration across various teams.

Languages:
Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in additional languages is considered an asset, enhancing the ability to communicate with a diverse range of stakeholders and partners.

Additional Notes:
The position is remote and is expected to last for a duration of 12 months. The role does not involve any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, as the United Nations does not charge applicants for applications, interviews, or training. The organization emphasizes that it does not require any information regarding applicants’ bank accounts.