Product Owner (IT)
Strategic Education, Inc. (SEI) is a leading education services company focused on expanding access to high quality, flexible learning solutions that support academic and career advancement for learners worldwide. The Product Owner (IT) plays a critical role within SEI’s technology organization, serving as the bridge between business needs, technology solutions, and user experience. This role is responsible for owning the product roadmap and prioritizing the backlog to ensure initiatives are aligned with strategic goals and deliver measurable business value. Working closely with cross functional teams, stakeholders, and leadership, the Product Owner defines clear objectives for initiatives and sprints, translates business requirements into actionable work, and drives execution of the product vision. Through continuous collaboration and thoughtful prioritization, the Product Owner ensures the delivery of solutions that create meaningful, high quality user experiences. Essential Duties And Responsibilities Product Vision & Strategy Alignment
- Translate product vision and high‑level strategy into a clear, actionable product backlog.
- Ensure backlog priorities align with business goals, customer needs, and technical considerations.
- Collaborate closely with stakeholders to align sprint work with the long‑term product roadmap.
Backlog Ownership & Product Discovery
- Own, maintain, and continually refine the product backlog, ensuring items are well‑defined, prioritized, and ready for delivery.
- Write clear, concise user stories with well‑defined acceptance criteria.
- Break down epics and complex features into manageable, sprint‑sized deliverables.
- Drive product discovery in collaboration with team leads and stakeholders using techniques such as story mapping to define scope, sequence work into customer journeys, and determine launch readiness for rapid learning.
Sprint Execution & Delivery Support
- Lead backlog refinement and actively participate in all Scrum ceremonies, including sprint planning, daily stand‑ups, reviews, and retrospectives.
- Provide day‑to‑day guidance to developers and testers by clarifying requirements and resolving ambiguity.
- Accept or reject completed stories based on defined acceptance criteria and quality standards.
- Develop detailed feature requirements and collaborate with delivery teams on implementation planning.
Stakeholder Collaboration & Communication
- Gather and synthesize input from internal stakeholders to ensure alignment, transparency, and shared understanding.
- Communicate roadmap updates, sprint progress, risks, and trade‑offs clearly and proactively.
Quality & Risk Management
- Ensure delivered features meet functional requirements, quality standards, and user expectations.
- Identify risks, blockers, and dependencies early, partnering with cross‑functional teams to mitigate and resolve them efficiently.
Cross‑Functional Coordination
- Lead and influence a cross‑functional delivery team of UX/UI designers, developers, and QA professionals without direct line management responsibility.
- Partner closely with UX/UI teams to review and provide feedback on wireframes, prototypes, and user flows.
- Collaborate with IT and architecture teams to assess technical feasibility, dependencies, and constraints.
- Train and support internal stakeholders on newly released features and functionality.
Job Skills Product & Business Skills
- Strong understanding of product lifecycle management and value‑driven product delivery
- Ability to assess value, develop use cases, and prioritize epics, themes, and stories aligned to product strategy
- Expertise in discovery techniques and mapping exercises to identify optimal solutions
- Ability to translate business objectives and user needs into actionable requirements
- Familiarity with KPIs, metrics, and data‑driven decision‑making
Agile & Delivery Skills
- Deep knowledge of Agile and Scrum principles, practices, and ceremonies
- Ability to decompose large initiatives into incremental, value‑driven deliverables
- Proven skills managing scope, dependencies, and iterative delivery
Technical & Analytical Skills
- Foundational understanding of software development concepts (APIs, integrations, data flows, architecture)
- Ability to engage in technical discussions and understand trade‑offs and solution constraints
Communication & Collaboration Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to articulate complex concepts to technical and non‑technical audiences
- Strong facilitation skills for backlog refinement, planning