Information Technology Specialist 5 - Product Portfolio Manager

Job Description

The Department of Management (DOM), Division of Information Technology (DoIT), is seeking an Information Technology Specialist 5 – Product Portfolio Manager. This pivotal role will guide several innovative technology products through their entire lifecycle—from initial concept to successful delivery—ensuring they align with strategic goals and meet evolving user needs. The position involves close collaboration with business and IT leadership, oversight of cross-functional fusion teams, and a commitment to continuous improvement driven by performance data and user feedback. The ideal candidate brings proven experience in agile environments and a strong history of delivering impactful, user-centered digital solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of IT products and applications, ensuring successful completion and alignment with business needs for both internal and external users.
• Serve as a Product Owner to guide products through all lifecycle stages—from ideation through deployment—ensuring efficiency, quality, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Work with business SMEs, internal teams, external agencies, and vendors to define product scope, identify IT-enabled solutions, and support procurement and implementation processes.
• Create and prioritize product backlogs and maintain roadmaps that align with long-term IT strategies and changing user and state needs.
• Oversee product releases, ensure readiness for deployment, monitor performance, gather feedback, and manage risks affecting delivery or budget.
• Collaborate with business and IT leadership to define and track performance metrics, ensuring all products and processes meet state, federal, and IT governance requirements.
• Manage relationships with vendors and service providers, overseeing performance, resolving issues related to interoperability, and ensuring adherence to service level agreements (SLAs) and availability targets.
• Oversee product IT financials, including budget planning and monitoring, while providing leadership with regular updates on product status, risks, and strategic roadmap progress.
• Lead and manage cross-functional fusion teams, ensuring effective collaboration among IT, vendors, and business units to deliver solutions that align with business needs and budget constraints.
• Partner with DoIT supervisors to allocate appropriate technical resources, monitor team performance, and provide ongoing support to fusion team staff.
• Facilitate agile meetings and lead sprint reviews, ensuring team alignment on priorities and presenting outputs to stakeholders.
• Use feedback and metrics to identify product needs and collaborate on acceptance criteria, testing, and feature delivery.
• Collaborate with Executive Technology Officers (ETOs) and product teams to prioritize and manage product development efforts, ensuring alignment with agency needs and effectively transitioning products to enterprise services.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with client/business teams, establishing regular communication and fostering trust to ensure successful collaboration and issue resolution.
  
  

Working Arrangement

This position requires some on-site work in Des Moines, Iowa, with potential hybrid/remote flexibility.

Please note, candidates for this position must reside in the state of Iowa at the time of starting the role.

Employer Highlights

The Department of Management, Division of Information Technology provides adaptable, secure, and cost-effective technology services and solutions to support the agencies across the State of Iowa, trusted partners, and citizens. We are responsible for managing all IT assets, projects, and resources to deliver top-tier technology support and expertise across the enterprise. Our strength is driven by the skills, talents, and diversity of our people.

We have a great total compensation package for all of our full-time employees, including:

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS)
• Retirement Investors Club (RIC)
• Flexible Working Environment- Work from Home Opportunities
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Vacation Leave
• Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
  
  

Background Check Requirements

• After a conditional offer of employment has been made, and as the final step in the hiring process, candidates for this position will be subject to a background investigation, which may include but may not be limited to a verification of a candidate’s education, previous employment/work history, contact of personal references, motor vehicle records, and a criminal history check (including through Federal, State, or Local criminal justice agencies).
• Information gathered as part of such background investigation will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by Iowa Code section 22.7, 8B.4A, and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; provided that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, such information shall be available to candidates upon request.
  
  

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to three years of full-time work in: operating a multi-job computer; installing, operating, and coordinating computer-based networks; installing/maintaining database management systems; developing business application processes; developing/operating system programs; installing/maintaining personal computers, Local Area Networks, and/or servers; managing operating systems; developing/delivering information management training; providing Information Technology (IT) customer service; designing/administering websites; or executing technology projects (e.g., systems analysis, requirements, design, development, and testing).
• All of the following (a and b):
• Three years of full-time work experience in: operating a multi-job computer; installing, operating, and coordinating computer-based networks; installing/maintaining database management systems; developing business application processes; developing/operating system programs; installing/maintaining personal computers, Local Area Networks, and/or servers; managing operating systems; developing/delivering information management training; providing Information Technology (IT) customer service; designing/administering websites; or executing technology projects (e.g., systems analysis, requirements, design, development, and testing); and
• A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
• All of the following (a and b):
• Three years of full-time work experience in: operating a multi-job computer; installing, operating, and coordinating computer-based networks; installing/maintaining database management systems; developing business application processes; developing/operating system programs; installing/maintaining personal computers, Local Area Networks, and/or servers; managing operating systems; developing/delivering information management training; providing Information Technology (IT) customer service; designing/administering websites; or executing technology projects (e.g., systems analysis, requirements, design, development, and testing); and
• Certification by an authorized educational institution/major computer or software producer in an area directly related to one of the computer specialty fields described in part a.
• All of the following (a and b):
• Three years of full-time work experience in: operating a multi-job computer; installing, operating, and coordinating computer-based networks; installing/maintaining database management systems; developing business application processes; developing/operating system programs; installing/maintaining personal computers, Local Area Networks, and/or servers; managing operating systems; developing/delivering information management training; providing Information Technology (IT) customer service; designing/administering websites; or executing technology projects (e.g., systems analysis, requirements, design, development, and testing); and
• Eighteen semester hours of accredited post-high-school coursework in one of the specialty fields described in part a.
• Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes six months of fulltime work as an Information Technology Specialist 4.
  
  

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.