IT Product Owner
Job Description: IT Product OwnerLocation: Hybrid – Chicago, IL Duration: Through end of year (extensions possible)Work Model / Location NotesOnsite Monday–Thursday for the first few weeksAfter ramp‑up: Onsite Mondays & WednesdaysStrong preference for onsite interviews; remote candidates considered only if able to relocate and be onsite Day 1Role OverviewClient is seeking an experienced Product Owner to join the TPM team and help address a growing backlog of enterprise platform and integration work. This role will focus on maximizing the value of platform products by owning and prioritizing the engineering backlog while partnering closely with digital product managers, engineering teams, and enterprise stakeholders.The ideal candidate brings strong enterprise product ownership experience, comfort working across multiple teams, and a solid technical foundation across APIs, cloud data integrations, and identity/access platforms. Product Owners with banking or large enterprise experience tend to do well in this environment (industry experience is not required).Key ResponsibilitiesAct as Product Owner for large, complex, high‑value enterprise initiativesOwn, prioritize, and continuously refine the engineering product backlogMaximize the value delivered by the engineering teams through clear prioritization and decision‑makingCommunicate backlog priorities and product vision to development teams and stakeholdersServe as the primary decision‑maker for technical product features and tradeoffsTranslate complex business needs into epics, features, and sprint‑ready user storiesCoordinate work across multiple engineering and platform teamsPartner with stakeholders to align on release scope, timelines, and deliveryCommunicate product status, dependencies, risks, and backlog prioritiesSupport agile ceremonies and champion agile best practices within the organizationTechnical & Domain Focus AreasAPI‑driven integrations, data flows, and shared data servicesCloud environments, with a strong preference for AzureDevOps tooling: Azure DevOps (ADO) preferred; strong Jira experience acceptableSnowflake and data platform integrationsCustomer Identity & Access Management (CIAM)Directory services and shared enterprise data usage across applicationsRegistration flows, data collection, and streamlining user onboarding processesRequired QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field (preferred)5+ years of experience as a Product Owner or software developer5+ years of experience leading technical teams while managing multiple initiatives3+ years working in Agile delivery environmentsHands‑on experience with enterprise‑class platforms and integrationsStrong ability to work across multiple teams and coordinate dependenciesExcellent verbal, written, and stakeholder communication skillsStrong planning, organizational, and accountability skillsAbility to navigate complex, enterprise‑scale technical environmentsPreferred QualificationsExperience with Agile tools such as Azure DevOps, Jira, Rally, or similarExperience working in onshore/offshore delivery modelsStrong understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)Background in banking or large enterprise platforms (industry experience not required)Ability to empower teams and drive outcomes with minimal escalationMaster’s degree or hands‑on technical development background a plus