Agile Product Owner

Agile Product Owner - BA07DE

We’re determined to make a difference and are proud to be an insurance company that goes well beyond coverages and policies. Working here means having every opportunity to achieve your goals – and to help others accomplish theirs, too. Join our team as we help shape the future.

A new role can expand your knowledge and your network, and help you learn more about our business. If you think this opportunity is a fit for your career you should apply. If you are not sure you can have a conversation with your manager.

The SC Transformation Office team is seeking an Agile Product Owner (APO) to support our Distribution Value Stream working on Agency Book Consolidations. The Book Consolidation APO is a critical role that acts as a liaison between the business and IT. The candidate will work across various disciplines within the organization including Marketing, Underwriting, Product, and Sales to deliver new customer and agent distribution experiences. The role does not have direct reports, but requires leadership skills to guide teams, drive conversations, determine business requirements, and provide expertise on the Small Commercial business flow are critical. The candidate will set priorities for an agile team, represent the voice of the customer, link execution to the business vision and be comfortable balancing multiple responsibilities and priorities.

To be successful in this role, the individual needs to have a high level of self-motivation, curiosity and ownership. Strong knowledge of one or more Agency Management Systems (i.e. Applied Epic, Vertafore) and APIs are essential.

This role will have a Hybrid work arrangement, with the expectation of working in an office location (Hartford, CT and Charlotte, NC) 3 days a week (Tuesday through Thursday).

Responsibilities

• Lead product execution for 1 or more agile team(s), depending online of business
• Engage with business and technology stakeholders to identify product opportunities and implications.
• Stay current on internal, competitive, and industry technology trends to be a subject matter expert.
• Represent the voice of the customer to the agile team(s)
• Provide perspective on portfolio / value stream vision and roadmap.
• Articulate the product vision and roadmap to the agile team(s)
• Guide the agile team(s) in determining sprint goals, linking execution activities to business intent.
• Manage the product backlog, breaking down features into stories and prioritizing stories to maximize business value. Regularly assist APM with feature road mapping
• Accountable for the health and readiness of the team backlog
• Ensure the agile team(s) understand the items in the backlog and their business value.
• Independently write user stories, including defining acceptance criteria, without requiring coaching and oversight
• Accept completed stories that meet the “definition of done” and quality expectations.
• Validate that the solution and functionality meet the product vision.
• Incorporate feedback from sprint demos.
• Partner with the Scrum Master, Agile teams, Architects, APMs, Tech Leads, and business stakeholders to ensure solutions will deliver the business vision.
• Drive business readiness and change management activities
• Monitor and share execution progress including risks and impediments.
• Analyze delivery metrics to identify key trends and opportunities for continuous improvement within the agile team(s)
• Leverage data, Voice of Customer and Voice of Business to manage and prioritize the Product Backlog
• Strong Communication skills that can adapt and adjust for different audiences.
  
  

Qualifications:

• 3 years of experience in agile product-related role, digital, technology, or related field
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Knowledge of one or more Agency Management Systems (i.e. Applied Epic, Vertafore) is required
• Strong technical acumen, including knowledge of APIs & ACORD XML
  
  

General knowledge of

• Knowledge of agile methodologies and frameworks such as Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Scrum, Kanban, XP, etc.
• Experience with Agile lifecycle management tools (e.g., Rally, JIRA)
• Experience with Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Teams preferred.
• Strong collaboration and influence skills, including ability to manage multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability understand audiences, tailor messages and influence outcomes in a collaborative manner.
• Experience with analyzing data to identify insights and create hypotheses for testing.
• Self-motivated individual with demonstrated ability to handle multiple high-priority demands, manage expectations and achieve objectives.
• Experience with ADKAR or other change management frameworks preferred.
• May mentor junior APOs and contributing to an Agile product management community of practice.
• Prior Financial Services/Insurance experience a plus
• Prior Product Ownership experience a plus
• CSPO, PSPO or SAFe POPM certification preferred. Otherwise, Product Owner Certification/training within 90 days of start.
  
  

Compensation

The listed annualized base pay range is primarily based on analysis of similar positions in the external market. Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to performance, proficiency and demonstration of competencies required for the role. The base pay is just one component of The Hartford’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include short-term or annual bonuses, long-term incentives, and on-the-spot recognition. The annualized base pay range for this role is:

$97,440 - $146,160

Equal Opportunity Employer/Females/Minorities/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity or Expression/Religion/Age

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