Product Owner I

Position Summary

The Product Owner I serves as a liaison between our customers, business units, and Tech to define and prioritize work for development teams by aligning features and user stories with business value. The product owner is the voice of the customer, stakeholder, and end user. The product owner works closely with developers and analysts to create executable stories and provides final approval that ensures delivered stories meet user acceptance criteria. This individual is responsible for building and maintaining a prioritized Product Backlog, based on stakeholder feedback. They are also responsible for participating in the development and execution of the product roadmap. Product Owners will participate in all scrum ceremonies.

The Product Owner I works with the Portfolio/Delivery Manager to build relationships with the stakeholders. They are active participants in the Product Owner Community of Practice meetings. They should be capable of mentoring associate-level product owners. The PO I should have a foundational understanding of Agile and how to apply it to their team. Typically, a PO I will be able to independently support a scrum team.

About The Team

The Clayton Data Engineering, Analytics & Governance (DEA&G) team exists to enable data-driven
decision making. The Data Engineering team provides a central, stable, and integrated location for
accessing Clayton and external data. The Data Analytics team tells the story from the data using data visualization tools, exploratory data analysis, and provides data-driven projections and forecasts to Clayton business units. The Data Governance team ensures our data is cared for as we would care for other assets. They partner with subject matter experts across the company to define standards, improve processes, and educate team members to ensure that the right team members and processes are in place to maintain high data quality.

Primary Responsibilities

• Collaborate with prospective users and clients to understand their needs and translate them into product requirements.
• Work with others to define the product vision and create a product roadmap based on the vision.
• Manage the product backlog and prioritize it based on changing requirements.
• Translate product roadmap features into well-defined product requirements that include user stories, features, and acceptance criteria.
• Work with cross-functional teams and various stakeholders.
• Evaluate possible risks associated with the product and address the risks.
• Build and maintain the Product Backlog of user stories (detailed requirements) and defects.
• Ensure product status is communicated.
• Participate in Scrum meetings and product sprints.
• Monitor and evaluate product progress throughout each stage of the process.

Primary Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent technical or business experience.
• Experience in Agile product ownership, software development, Scrum, and phases of project life cycle.
• Experience in project management, group facilitation, data gathering, or phases of software life cycle (requirements gathering, design, development, deployment, training, or measuring effectiveness).
• Experience in JIRA and Agile methodology preferred, not required.

Desired Skills

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills and the ability to interact with a diverse group of team members, including Executives, Managers, IT professionals, and Subject Matter Experts.
• Knowledge of the assigned product or product line.
• Strong ability to work effectively within time constraints, changing priorities, and independently.

Behavioral Competencies

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Collaboration and Teamwork.
• Business Acumen.
• Relationship Building.
• Composure and Resiliency.
• Planning and Priority Setting.
• Service Focus.
• Communicating.
• Deliberate Decision Making.
• Interpersonal Dynamics.

Why Clayton Homes?

Founded in 1956, Clayton is a Berkshire Hathaway Company committed to opening doors to a better life and Building Happyness® through homeownership. Through its family of brands, Clayton builds, sells, finances, and insures traditional site-built homes and off-site built housing – including modular homes, manufactured homes, CrossMod™ homes, tiny homes, college dormitories, military barracks, and apartments. Corporate headquarters is located in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, specifically, Maryville, Tennessee. Clayton is the recipient of numerous industry awards including 2019 Builder of the Year and ranks as the #2 builder of homes in the U.S. by units sold. Our site-built division, Clayton Properties Group, is the 8th largest site builder in the U.S. We achieve our results through the strength of our people and have been recognized on the 2021 Forbes Best Employers for Diversity and 2021 Forbes America’s Best Employers Lists. To learn more about Clayton Homes, go to: https://www.claytonhomes.com.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits including 401(k) with 100% company match of the first 4%; medical, dental, and vision plans; paid time off days and holidays.
• Quarterly bonus program.
• Forbes lists: America’s Best Employers, America’s Employers by State, Best Employers for Diversity, Best Employers for Women.
• Recognized as one of East Tennessee’s top technology workplaces.
• Wellness programs that focus on emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, physical, and financial well-being.
• Onsite fitness facility with full gym, workout classes, volleyball and basketball, ping-pong, and disc golf course.
• Paid Time Off for Volunteer work.

Business Unit - B00023