Product Owner I

Farmers Insurance Group is seeking a Product Owner I to lead parts of product development using Agile practices. In this role, you will act as the customer proxy, refine and prioritize the team backlog, coordinate across stakeholders and teams, and support the planning and delivery of iterated product increments, including AI-driven solutions for the Farmers Contact Center.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multiple areas of product development by applying Agile principles to manage the team backlog, anticipate needs, prioritize work, oversee development stages, and evaluate product progress.
• Act as the customer proxy, partnering with business owners and stakeholders to accomplish product delivery tasks.
• Use business vision understanding at a foundational level and work with frequent support and direction from the Product Manager and/or Product Owner II or III.
• Apply basic scientific thinking within iterations by planning, doing, checking, and adjusting routinely.
• Manage backlog items and prioritize based on business value, outlining dependencies and communicating sequencing needs to stakeholders for optimized outcomes.
• Contribute to quality control with authority to accept stories as done.
• Use basic business knowledge and communication skills to anticipate issues, respond as needed, and coordinate cross-functionally within a self-organizing team.
• Apply critical thinking to determine flexibility in how and when iteration work and product elements are developed.
• Serve as a primary connection between stakeholders, end users, and teams to confirm each story meets shared expectations.
• Ensure collaboration on decisions and strategy by providing clear instructions and deliverables for developers.
• Own process stages and final product alignment by ensuring work items in the backlog connect to the goal and vision.
• Provide ongoing backlog refinement, coordinate dependencies, and participate in inspection and evaluation of product progress through each iteration.
• Participate in PO and/or ART sync meetings and the system demo to present key solution elements; also join the Inspect & Adapt workshop to define and implement improvement stories that increase program quality.
• Help define iteration goals and drive execution and delivery using Agile team perspectives.
• Partner with the business owner to understand needs, manage scope, and add or eliminate user stories.
• Communicate requirements to the Agile Team to support new requirement definition, negotiate team needs, and coordinate dependencies.
• Interact regularly with the Product Manager regarding goals and business/value stream vision to build relevant knowledge.
• Participate heavily in Program Increment (PI) planning, story definition, and assist with story estimates and sequencing.
• Oversee product development from planning and refinement through review and execution, and work with stakeholders to organize next-iteration steps.
• Seek clarity on queries and participate in demos of committed items.
• Participate in team ceremonies to refine processes, identify improvements, and support task execution.
• Lead the identification, evaluation, and implementation of AI-driven solutions that enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, and service delivery across the Farmers Contact Center.
• Partner with Contact Center Operations, Technology, Data & Analytics, and business leaders to develop and execute an AI roadmap aligned to strategic business objectives.
• Research emerging AI technologies, industry trends, and customer service innovations to recommend scalable solutions that improve agent productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• SAFe Product Owner Certification (must be obtained within 180 days of hire).
• Strong product knowledge.
• Business and functional knowledge in the supported value stream.
• Demonstrated written communication skills.
• Ability to write user stories and break down features into user stories.
• Strong verbal communication and listening skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Flexibility to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to develop and deliver effective presentations.
• Excellent collaboration and team building skills.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary: USD 76,275 - 144,875 per year.

• Bonus Opportunity (based on Company and Individual Performance)
• 401(k)
• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Tuition Assistance

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Open office working environment with normal and customary distractions, noise, and interruptions.
• Sits or stands for extended periods, up to a full work shift.
• Occasionally reaches overhead and below the knees, including bending, twisting, pulling, and stooping.
• Occasionally moves, lifts, carries, and places objects and supplies weighing 0-10 pounds without assistance.
• Listens to, interprets, and differentiates auditory information at normal speaking levels with or without correction.
• Visually verifies and reads information; visually locates material, resources, and other objects.
• Operates a computer for extended periods, up to a full work shift.
• Uses hands, arms, and shoulders repetitively to operate keyboard and other office equipment, up to a full work shift.

Location and Workplace Details

• Location: Remote (Remote)
• Job Location(s): R_US - United States
• Workplace: Hybrid, Remote

Additional Information

• Salary Grade: Grade 35
• Hiring Manager: Piers Nash
• Recruiter Name: Elizabeth Ventura
• Education: Bachelor's degree (preferred)
• Minimum Experience: 1 years