IT Product Owner

The IT Product Owner role supports DHHS iServe by guiding IT projects from early concept through end user adoption. You will own the product direction, shape requirements, drive backlog prioritization, and coordinate delivery and change activities for systems that meet mission, statutory, and operational needs.

Location and Employment Details

• Location: Lincoln, NE (onsite)
• Employment: Full-time, permanent
• Work arrangement: Not eligible for contracted or remote work
• Reporting: Must report to the Nebraska State Office Building in Lincoln

Salary

• Compensation: USD 34 - 34 per hour

Core Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain product vision, roadmap, and release plan aligned with DHHS mission, statutory requirements, and funding.
• Elaborate and document requirements with program staff, subject matter experts, end users, and stakeholders; convert program and policy needs into user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Prioritize the product backlog by evaluating statutory mandates, risk, accessibility, security, operational impact, and measurable value to clients and staff.
• Make authoritative decisions on feature scope, sequencing, and acceptance of completed work; ensure delivery aligns with program outcomes and compliance standards.
• Collaborate with Scrum Masters, Business Analysts, technical Analysts, and security staff to support sprint planning, backlog refinement, and product increments.
• Coordinate with procurement, vendors, and external partners when applicable to manage integration, service levels, and contractual deliverables.
• Monitor product performance using data, user feedback, and operational metrics; identify enhancements and corrective actions, and prepare briefings and reports for leadership and oversight bodies.
• Support organizational change management, including stakeholder communication, training materials, adoption strategies, and transition activities.
• Participate in audits, reviews, and governance forums; maintain required artifacts such as roadmaps, release notes, decision logs, and risk registers per DHHS standards.

Required Qualifications

• Education and experience option 1: Bachelor’s degree in project management, business administration, public administration, business information systems, or a related field AND two years of experience as a project manager overseeing coordination, planning, initiation, and completion of major or long-term projects.
• Education and experience option 2: Four years of experience AND certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP).
• Education and experience option 3: Five years of experience working on medium-to-large projects.
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Experience in systems analysis, research, business processes, and creating business process applications.
• 5+ years working on medium-to-large IT projects.
• Experience with multiple software delivery lifecycles (SDLC), including Waterfall and Agile (preferably Scrum).
• Product Owner Certification.
• Regular and reliable attendance.
• Must be able to report to the Nebraska State Office Building in Lincoln.

Technologies

• Waterfall
• Agile
• Scrum
• SDLC

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal and analytical skills.
• Ability to communicate technical information clearly and concisely in written and oral formats to non-technical audiences.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working with business and technical staff to determine technical solutions for business requirements.
• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external clients, peers, and management.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently.
• Strong organization, planning, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and evolving requirements.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment.
• Ability to perform assigned work with minimal supervision and meet deadlines for concurrent projects.
• Experience with meeting facilitation, information gathering, research exploration, and problem resolution.

Benefits

• A comprehensive package of pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement, and professional development opportunities.
• Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency, and employment status.

Additional Information

• Full-time/permanent role located in Lincoln, NE.
• Not eligible to be a contracted or remote position.
• The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services does not sponsor or transfer non-immigrant work visas for this position or accept STEM OPT (form i-983) at any time.