
Product Owner, WPP Open
- London
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Backlog Management & Ownership: Own and manage complex or high-impact product backlogs, ensuring they are meticulously prioritized, well-defined, and aligned with the overall product roadmap and strategic themes.
- Requirement Definition: Translate high-level product strategy and user needs into clear, concise, and actionable epics, user stories, and acceptance criteria that lead to clear, testable outcomes.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with engineering teams, UX/UI designers, and other product stakeholders throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from concept to release.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Proactively engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, including senior managers, Product Leads, and end-users, to gather feedback, shape the roadmap, and ensure alignment.
- Problem Solving: Analyze and resolve complex product-related problems, considering broader implications and introducing new approaches to improve efficiency and delivery.
- Decision Making: Demonstrate strong prioritization and decision-making skills, especially under ambiguity, to ensure the most valuable features are delivered.
- Communication & Presentation: Confidently present product progress, plans, and insights to senior stakeholders, ensuring clarity in complex discussions with both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Contribution to Vision: Actively contribute to the product vision and roadmap, ensuring the backlog consistently aligns with strategic themes and business objectives.
- Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvements within the product development lifecycle and contribute to the evolution of WPP Open's product practices.
- Experience in product management or a similar product ownership role.
- Proven ability to own and manage complex or high-impact product backlogs.
- Strong understanding and practical experience with Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban). Agile certification (e.g., CSPO) is desirable.
- Ability to translate strategy into actionable backlog work with little help, demonstrating an understanding of technical considerations and constraints.
- Demonstrated experience in leadership or mentoring roles, with a desire to guide and develop team members.
- Ability to analyse and resolve complex problems, considering broader implications and introducing new approaches to improve efficiency.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt communication style to suit different audiences (technical and non-technical).
- Proven ability to proactively engage with senior managers and external vendors, resolve conflicts independently, and contribute to shaping the product roadmap.
- A strong track record of successfully delivering features from concept to release in multiple sprints, with a focus on achieving clear, testable outcomes.