Product Owner

Maryland Department of Labor

$88K — $105K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years of product management experience
  • Experience managing remote cross-functional teams
  • Proficient in collaborative work with key stakeholders
  • Background in iterative user engagement for digital products
  • Knowledge of modern product delivery practices

Responsibilities

  • Monitor and influence vendor product leadership
  • Ensure a consistent user experience across various channels
  • Review user and business needs to refine priorities
  • Set high-level priorities for product workstreams
  • Collaborate with delivery teams to optimize sprint content
  • Foster a cohesive team culture focused on product success
  • Build trust and understand the needs of FAMLI's users

Benefits

  • Flexible hours with hybrid teleworking options
  • 12-13 paid holidays per year
  • Comprehensive paid leave package (annual, sick, personal)
  • Defined benefit state pension plan
  • Subsidized health, dental, and prescription plans with minimal costs
  • Flexible Spending Accounts for Health Care and Daycare
  • Access to State Employee Credit Union
Full Job Description
GRADE

STD0022

LOCATION OF POSITION

Maryland Department of Labor
100 South Charles Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Main Purpose of Job

The Product Owner reports to the Director of Product Management in the Division of Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) at the Maryland Department of Labor (MD Labor). The Product Owner is responsible for the end-to-end user experience for their assigned user type (e.g., employers, workers, FAMLI staff) and/or journey, coordinating work teams using an agile approach. The Product Owner plays a key role in service delivery vision, prioritization, backlog, and acceptance criteria.

POSITION DUTIES

  • Closely monitor, facilitate, and influence vendor product leadership and activities
  • Encourage consistent user experience (including self-service support, in-call support, written material, etc.) across workstreams and channels
  • Continuously review the user and business needs, refine priorities, outline milestones and deliverables, and identify opportunities and risks for their user type
  • Set high level priorities for a workstream
  • Work closely with delivery teams to ensure that the right work is getting into each sprint
  • Help build a cohesive team culture of alignment, trust, empowerment, and collective investment in the success of their products
  • Build trust and develop a comprehensive understanding of the needs of FAMLI's users and stakeholder


MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • 5 or more years of experience in product management, including
    • Managing cross-functional teams in a remote-first environment
    • Working collaboratively with key stakeholders (e.g., internal teams, subject matter experts, policy) to understand product requirements
    • Working iteratively with users of digital products to define, build, improve, and maintain those products
    • Making effective digital product trade-off decisions that balance feasibility, user needs, value, and time
  • Demonstrated knowledge of modern digital product delivery practices, including continuous delivery and user research.


DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

We're hiring a team of multiple Product Owners. We prefer all candidates to have:
  • A keen interest in the challenges of public-sector service design
  • Experience building alignment with stakeholders
  • Experience with human-centered design
  • Experience collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to translate a product vision into a backlog and lead the team through smooth and continuous delivery
  • Experience with agile software development
  • A history of having generated creative ideas to complex problems and followed through on the implementation of solutions
  • An ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders, cross-functional teams, and across business lines


We'd like candidates to also have knowledge of one or more of the following:

  • Paid family and medical leave programs, policies, and users
  • Salesforce, especially Public Sector Solutions and/or Benefits Management
  • Call Centers
  • Program-level data reporting and analytics
  • Knowledge management tools


SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

All candidates are subject to a background check against files maintained by the Division of Unemployment Insurance (Labor/DUI) to determine whether any monies are owed to Labor/DUI as a result of unemployment insurance overpayment/fraud. Any unpaid debt may have an impact on whether or not a candidate is offered employment.

SELECTION PROCESS

All information concerning the qualifications, including any required documentation (resume, written introduction) must be submitted and received by the closing date. Information submitted after this date will not be considered. Application that meet minimum and/or selective qualifications will be referred to the hiring unit for interview selection. Units will select those candidates most closely demonstrating the qualifications for the interview.

A resume and written introduction must be included for this position. In the introduction, briefly explain (maximum of 2 pages):

  • Your core skills to a government employee who isn't familiar with product management
  • Why you believe your experiences and expertise will benefits the launch of paid leave in Maryland
  • A project, accomplishment, or lesson from your government service experience that highlights your skillsets
  • Your experience with any of the following: paid family and medical leave programs, policies, and users; Saleforce, especially Public Sector Solutions and/or Benefit Management; call centers; program-level data reporting and analytics; knowledge management tools

Please upload one Word or PDF file that includes your combined resume and written introduction using the "Transcript" upload function or via the JobAps "Other" tab.

A resume may be attached as supplemental information; however, only the information provided in the application will be reviewed and considered in the evaluation process.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

The assessment may consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of the position. It is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application.

BENEFITS

This is a full-time, permanent position and eligible for full State benefits, which include:
  • Flexible hours and hybrid teleworking
  • Paid holidays 12-13 per year
  • Generous paid leave package (annual, sick, personal and compensatory leave)
  • State Pension ("defined benefit" plan)
  • Tax-deferred supplemental retirement savings plan (401(k) and 457)
  • Comprehensive, subsidized health, dental and prescription plans with little to no deductibles, free generic prescriptions, and free preventative health services
  • Flexible Spending Account plans for Health Care and Daycare
  • State Employee Credit Union

To learn more, please click this line: STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Please contact [email protected] for additional information concerning this recruitment. Online applications are strongly preferred. A resume may be attached as supplemental information; however, only the information provided in the application will be reviewed and considered in the evaluation process. Please upload a Word or PDF file that includes your combined cover letter and resume using the "Transcript" upload function, or via the JobAps "Other" tab.

U.S. Military Veterans may qualify for additional bonus points towards certification. Any job offer will be contingent on the candidate providing a U.S. Military form DD214 verifying honorable discharge form service prior to starting employment (and may be requested prior to interview). Permanent State employees do not need to submit proof of Veterans' status.

If you are unable to apply online, or encounter difficulty attaching required or optional documentation you may submit via mail or deliver in person. Please be sure to include your name, identification number (Easy ID#) and job announcement number on any documentation to ensure timely processing.

PLEASE DO NOT FAX EMAIL UNSOLICITED DOCUMENTATION

Completed applications required documentation, and any required addendums may be mailed to:

Maryland Department of Labor

ATTN: Tiffany Lott-Mallard

#26-001638-0001

100 South Charles Street Tower 1, 5th Floor

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

For additional information, please contact Tiffany Lott-Mallard via email [email protected]

The MD State Application Form can be found online.

TTY Users: Call via Maryland Relay

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