Senior Product Owner (Contract)

Shift Paradigm•Austin, TX

22h•$60 - $85•Remote

About The Position

As a Senior Product Owner (contract) at SH/FT, you will lead the development and delivery of large, technically complex software projects. Our Product Owners play a critical role in ensuring solutions meet or exceed client expectations while enabling internal teams to perform at their best. In this contract role, you will own the end-to-end product lifecycle, from early client engagements and requirements definition through to translating those requirements into clear, actionable work for the delivery team. You will operate at both a strategic and tactical level, balancing big-picture thinking with attention to detail. We are seeking an experienced Product Owner with a strong background in custom software development (e.g. websites, web applications, APIs, databases). You thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and bring structure and clarity to complex problems. Agency experience is a plus, but most importantly, you enjoy transforming evolving requirements into high-quality client deliverables.

Requirements

4+ years of Product Owner experience in a technical environment, with hands-on involvement in custom software development projects (e.g. websites, web applications, APIs, databases)
Demonstrated ability to translate complex requirements into actionable deliverables for engineering teams
Strong understanding of Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, DevOps practices)
Experience with Jira or comparable project management tools
Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and see the big picture while maintaining attention to detail
Strong stakeholder management skills, including experience working directly with clients

Nice To Haves

Agency experience is a plus
CSPO or equivalent certification is a plus

Responsibilities

Lead multiple client engagements and workstreams concurrently across all phases of the project lifecycle, including discovery, scoping, planning, requirements definition, execution, release, and post-release support
Facilitate discovery sessions with clients and subject matter experts to define requirements, uncover gaps, and align on expectations
Translate business and technical requirements into detailed functional specifications and well-defined user stories with clear acceptance criteria
Own and manage the product backlog, including prioritization, refinement, and trade-off decisions to balance scope, timeline, and budget
Partner with cross-functional teams (Engineering, Design, QA, etc.) to ensure solutions meet customer needs and are delivered on time and within budget
Support resource planning by identifying required skillsets and collaborating with team leads to staff projects effectively
Lead Agile ceremonies, including backlog refinement, sprint planning, daily standups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives
Facilitate technical discussions to align stakeholders, remove blockers, and identify opportunities for process and tooling improvements
Monitor team capacity and velocity to promote sustainable, predictable delivery
Track and communicate project progress, including risks, dependencies, blockers, and key milestones
Report on sprint and release health using metrics such as burndown and burnup charts
Forecast delivery timelines and proactively identify potential bottlenecks or risks
Develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans to ensure successful delivery within scope, timeline, and budget
Communicate clearly and consistently with stakeholders, fostering transparency and trust
Provide leadership and direction to project teams, ensuring accountability and high-quality execution
Navigate ambiguity with confidence, proactively driving clarity and outcomes