Product Owner, Learening Platforms

Learning & InnovationUS Exempt RegularFull timeStateside Exempt 4.2Location: Adelphi, MD (Hybrid)

Summary:

The Product Owner, Learning Platforms works closely with the UMGC platform lead, functional and technical leads, application developers, QA testers and business stakeholders to drive operations and enhancements for Learning Platforms, including D2L Brightspace, integrated technologies, and related technology operations. This individual provides guidance to the overall planning and implementation of learning platform initiatives, manages the team's backlog, participates actively in all phases of Learning Platform features, and is a key stakeholder in prioritization and release planning.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Understand the vision for the product(s) and related technologies

• Work in collaboration with product teams and business stakeholders to establish a clear scope of work, collect requirements, and ensure that there are clear goals, objectives, resources, and delivery milestones

• Lead organizer and success agent for critical learning-based product and program projects.

• Evaluate various approaches to implement effective solutions to enhance and support operations

• Collaborate with platform leads, business leads, and other stakeholders to drive product specifications, product design, and overall product direction

• Translate ideas and strategies into tangible product requirements in the form of themes, epics, and user stories

• Manage analytics to identify trends, implement solutions, and to measure the value of enhancements

• Prioritize backlog items based on strategy, value, impact to the learning experience, implementation cost, and resource availability

• Tactfully establishes objectives, business value, and scope of work with stakeholders.

• Coordinate cross-platform needs and work with other Product Owners to get items on their backlogs when needed

• Continuously groom the development backlog by recurring iterations of user story development and prioritization

• Partner with leadership to understand the goals and objectives behind the features, and assist functional leads as needed by providing support to ensure successful implementation

• Lead the kanban team using Agile methodology and practices

• Monitor and report on the progress and outcomes of implemented features, in coordination with functional leads and incorporating insights from the Learning Platforms leadership team

Skills:

• Detail-oriented self-starter who thrives on solving problems and delivering innovative solutions

• Knowledge of software development lifecycle methodologies (e.g. Waterfall, Iterative, Agile)

• Experience with translating business requirements into system functional and non-functional requirements

• Welcomes solving problems with a positive attitude, teamwork and innovation

• Excellent interpersonal skills as a collaborator and communicator with stakeholders at all levels

• An effective and persuasive communicator (written, verbal, presentation, email, etc.), who is skilled at leading meetings and making presentations

• Proven ability to work in a collaborative environment - consulting frequently with team members to understand all issues, ideas, and suggestions

• Must be able to grasp the big picture vision and have the drive to make that vision a reality

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with many moving parts where information, resources, and priorities can change quickly, and where information must be readily digested and decisions made expeditiously

• Must be a proactive problem solver, innovator and able to handle multiple complex product features and tasks

Education & Experience Requirements:

Experience:

• 5-10+ years of relevant professional experience

• Experience with agile processes and methods

• Experience writing formal business/functional requirements and user stories, creating mock-ups, etc.

Preferred Experience Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree

All submissions should include a cover letter and resume.

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination. UMGC is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, ancestry, political affiliation or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Workplace Accommodations:

The University of Maryland Global Campus Global Campus (UMGC) is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive working environment for people of all abilities. UMGC is dedicated to the principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall, based on disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the University, or be subjected to discrimination. For information about UMGC's Reasonable Workplace Accommodation Policy or to request an accommodation, applicants/candidates can contact Employee Accommodations via email at employee-accommodations@umgc.edu. 

Benefits Package Highlights:

• Generous Time Off: Enjoy 22 days of paid vacation, 15 days of sick leave, 3 personal days, and 15 paid holidays (16 during general election years). For part-time employees, time off rates will be prorated based on the number of hours worked.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access to health care, medical with vision, dental, and prescription plans for both individuals and families, effective from the 1st of the month following your hire date.
• Insurance Options: Term Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, and Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance. Part-time employees working less than 0.5 FTE are not eligible for LTD.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Available for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Retirement Plans: Choose between the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) or the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (MSRPS).
• Supplemental Retirement Plans: include 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and various Roth options. The university does not provide matching funds.
• Tuition Remission: Immediate availability for Regular Exempt Staff. Spouses and dependent children are eligible for undergraduate tuition remission after two years of service. NOTE: For part-time employees (at least 50 percent of the time), tuition remission benefits are prorated.

Hiring Range:

$112,000.00 - $123,200.00