Job Title: Product Owner
Location: Bethesda, MD (Hybrid Onsite & Remote)
Duration: 9 Months (High Likelihood of Extension)
Requirement: "Active Public Trust clearance or ability to obtain one"
Overview:
An enterprise-focused organization in Bethesda, MD is seeking an experienced Product Owner to support a high-impact mission. The ideal candidate brings strategic thinking, collaborative energy, and a strong ability to turn vision into actionable roadmaps. This role requires a blend of technical knowledge, agile experience, and stakeholder engagement expertise to develop products users love.
We are looking for someone with a proactive, entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to guide cross-functional teams through agile processes to deliver business value efficiently.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead product release planning and manage expectations for feature delivery
Develop and communicate product vision aligned with strategic objectives
Prioritize and maintain a refined product backlog
Translate business requirements into clearly defined user stories and acceptance criteria
Serve as the main liaison between stakeholders and development teams
Participate in all Agile ceremonies (e.g., sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives)
Make strategic decisions on product scope and prioritization based on business impact
Ensure high product quality by defining and enforcing the definition of done
Leverage data and feedback to optimize product development and identify improvements
Stay current with market trends and competitive analysis
Document and communicate progress, changes, and risks effectively to all stakeholders
Basic Qualifications:
Active Public Trust clearance or ability to obtain one
Bachelor s degree with at least 8 years of experience managing large-scale programs/projects
Minimum 5 years of Agile experience, including backlog management and scrum execution
Deep understanding of the system development lifecycle, IT architecture, and engineering processes
Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills
Agile certification: Scrum Master (CSM, A-CSM, or CSP-SM)
Ability to prioritize under pressure and work independently in a dynamic environment
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience supporting federal agencies (FDA, NIH, HHS, or similar)
Product Owner certifications: CSPO, A-CSPO, CSP-PO
Familiarity with CMMI level certifications and compliance practices
Knowledge of tools and platforms such as:
Microsoft Power Platform, M365/MS Teams, Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)
Atlassian Suite (Jira, Confluence), Azure DevOps, JAMF, Okta
Additional Agile certifications (e.g., Client-CF, CAL1, CAS-S1) a plus