Data Product Owner

State of Nebraska•Lincoln, NE

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hiring a Data Product Owner to join our IS&T team! We’re looking for someone who can bring together data, technology, and business needs to help shape products that deliver meaningful results. If you’re ready to take ownership, collaborate across teams, and use data to help drive work that makes an impact for Nebraskans, this may be the perfect role for you. This is a permanent, full-time position located in Lincoln, NE. This role is fully in-office with no remote or contract work.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in project management, business administration, public administration, business information systems, or a field related to the functions of the hiring agency AND two years of experience as a project manager with the responsibility to oversee the coordination, planning, initiation, and completion of major/long-term projects.
Four years of experience and certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP).
Five years of experience working on medium-to-large projects.
Any equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
Strong understanding of Agile and Scrum methodologies, including sprint planning, stand‑ups, backlog refinement, and iterative development
Solid technical understanding of data concepts, including data models, pipelines, and cloud data infrastructure.
Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams
Strong problem‑solving skills with the ability to identify issues early and propose effective solutions
Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to spot inconsistencies and anticipate risks
Excellent communication skills; able to explain complex data concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences
Effective stakeholder management and active listening, building trust across teams
Ability to break down silos and foster cross‑team collaboration
Strong organizational and facilitation skills to keep teams aligned, motivated, and productive

Nice To Haves

SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM)/Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) preferred
Experience with Power BI, Snowflake and Collibra a plus
Experience with Project management tools such as Jira, Confluence etc. is preferred
High level of ownership and accountability for product outcomes
Passion for building data products that deliver measurable value
Experience translating complex business requirements into actionable product features.
Familiarity with data governance, compliance standards, and data quality practices a plus

Responsibilities

Set the vision and roadmap for data products, ensuring alignment with overall organizational objectives
Ensure all teams are working towards a shared vision and that technical development aligns with user and business needs
Serve as a key communicator across business and technical teams, keeping stakeholders informed on product goals, progress, challenges, and key features
Work closely with stakeholders to identify key business challenges and opportunities where data‑driven solutions can create value
Translate business needs into clear, achievable product requirements and user stories
Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including data engineers, BI developers, and business users, to maintain alignment and foster effective communication
Act as Product Owner for the Scrum team, managing and prioritizing the product backlog based on business impact, feasibility, and strategic direction
Identify key performance indicators to measure product success and adoption
Use metrics to track user engagement, product effectiveness, and organizational impact
Continuously evaluate product performance and recommend optimizations or pivots as organizational needs evolve
Proactively identify and remove blockers that could hinder development progress
Ensure all data products adhere to relevant regulations, compliance requirements, and best practices for data protection