Senior Product Owner (m/f/d)

Description

The Senior Product Owner is a key member of the Agile Development Team, serving as the voice of the customer and working with stakeholders—including the Product Managers and the development team—to define, prioritize, and manage the product backlog. They ensure that solutions meet business needs while maintaining technical integrity. The Product Owner participates actively in PI (Program Increment) planning and related Agile ceremonies, providing essential alignment between customer needs and the development process. This role requires a thorough understanding of the software development life cycle, as well as strong leadership skills to guide the team in effective design, negotiation, and solution implementation.

The main activities of the role are:

• Collaborate on the product backlog and prioritize features for development
• Contribute to PI planning sessions to align work across teams and set objectives for upcoming increments
• Develop a deep understanding of customer needs and integrate these into planning
• Guide sprint content and release dates in line with the overarching release plan
• Actively manage internal and external stakeholders
• Accept or reject work results based on defined acceptance criteria
• Maintain knowledge of software development processes
• Execute on SLAs for support, maintenance, and technical needs

Responsibilities

Product Vision & Backlog Management

• Collaborates with the Product management team, providing the development team with clear direction and prioritized backlog items.
• Actively participates in PI planning sessions to ensure alignment across Agile teams and set clear objectives for upcoming increments.
• Develops and maintains the product release plan, coordinating with the development team to prepare backlog items for future sprints.

Liaison & Communication

• Represents and interfaces with business users, coordinating with other development resources to meet project goals.
• Acts as an embedded team member, accessible within the team area to facilitate effective collaboration.
• Clearly communicates requirements through epics and stories for team clarity and alignment.
• Regularly updates stakeholders outside the team on project progress and team PI outcomes.

Development

• Creates, maintains, and sequences the team product backlog according to priorities indicated by the business.
• Breaks down user stories and acceptance criteria for effective completion within sprints, ensuring alignment with PI goals.
• Provides rapid feedback to guide the development process.
• Participates in project planning, daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, PI planning, and other Scrum-related ceremonies.

Customer Satisfaction

• Informs the development team with clear insights on customer usage, needs, and expectations.
• Establishes open communication with customers to ensure alignment between product development and customer expectations.
• Ensures the product meets or exceeds customer satisfaction standards.

Application Support

• Reviews deliverables and demonstrable code after each sprint, with authority to accept or reject work.
• Maintains visibility into project progress.
• Assists with communication, enhancing transparency and flow of information.

Management

• Engages proactively with the development team, participating in PI and sprint planning to ensure delivery of business value.
• Facilitates knowledge sharing within the team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.
• Creates a culture of continuous improvement and encourages mentorship among team members.

German and English Language Proficiency

• Fluency in German and English is required to effectively collaborate with teams and stakeholders

Requirements

Education:

• Bachelors Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, BCIS or related fields or equivalent work related experience.

Experience:

• 3-4 years of experience in software application development, product management or business systems analysis

Other Knowledge, Skills, Abilities or Certifications:

• Ability to present a positive and effective professional image in all settings
• Experience in software Product Development
• Demonstrable knowledge of software development lifecycles and activities
• A strong understanding of software Agile methodologies, particularly Scrum - other methodologies a plus
• A clear ability to manage a range of different personality types in a facilitative and mature manner
• Strong relationship building skills including the ability to relate constructively to all levels of the organization
• The desire to be part of, and to contribute to, a team environment
• Ability to articulate ideas to both technical and non-technical addressees
• Embrace change and adaptation (positive change agent)

Travel requirements

• Occasional travel, including overnight stays, may be required, based on business needs

Diversity matters

Wolters Kluwer is committed to building an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are valued and empowered. We believe diversity drives better outcomes for our people, our products, and our customers.

We have been recognized as a European Diversity Leader by the Financial Times and as one of Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity and Best Employers for Women in multiple years. Wolters Kluwer and all of its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employers.

Our benefits

• Permanent employment from day one

• Remote work & flexibility: Work remotely up to 3 days per week (home office) with flexible working hours

• Work abroad flexibly: Work from anywhere within the EU for up to 20 days within a twelve-month period

• Rest & time off: 30 vacation days plus additional days off on Rose Monday, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve

• Celebrate together: summer party with family & friends, Christmas party, and regular after-work events

• Make an impact: 1 additional paid day off per year for volunteering (Volunteer Day)

• Well equipped in your home office: budget for IT equipment (€300)

• Company pension scheme

• Support for development: E-learning via LinkedIn, online language training with goFluent, and other training and development opportunities

• Modern on-site working: attractive office in Hürth near Cologne with rooftop terrace, ergonomic workstations, e-charging stations with discounted electricity, and free fresh fruit, water, tea & coffee

• A great start: structured onboarding with a buddy program

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