Digital Product Owner
Advantage Learn · Johannesburg, South Africa ·
- Category
- Product
acceptance-criteriaagileanalyticsprocess-improvementrequirements-gatheringsaasuser-researchuser-stories
Digital Product Owner
Location: Johannesburg (Sandton), South Africa
Salary Range: Market-related (Depending on experience)
About the Role
We are seeking a Digital Product Owner to drive the vision, strategy, and continuous improvement of two crucial digital platforms:
- Internal Business Process Platform – enabling data-driven operations and organizational efficiency.
- Customer-Facing Entrepreneurship Strategic Management Platform – empowering clients with tools to effectively plan, execute, and measure their strategic initiatives.
In this role, you’ll work closely with cross-functional teams—including a Delivery Manager, Key Account Manager, and Business Analyst—to ensure smooth collaboration and product success. You will report directly to the CTO but operate with a high degree of autonomy, allowing the CTO to focus on broader technical leadership and innovation.
Key Responsibilities
Product Vision & Strategy
- Define, evolve, and communicate the long-term product vision, aligning with business objectives and market opportunities.
- Conduct market and user research, analyze trends, and track competitor offerings to inform strategic decisions.
- Define, evolve, and communicate the long-term product vision, aligning with business objectives and market opportunities.
Business Analysis & Requirements Gathering
- Engage stakeholders to identify and interpret business needs, translating them into clear product requirements and user stories.
- Collaborate with the Business Analyst (when applicable) or independently gather and document detailed workflows, data requirements, and system interactions to ensure precise, actionable specifications.
- Use insights from user feedback, operational metrics, and broader organizational objectives to refine product direction.
- Engage stakeholders to identify and interpret business needs, translating them into clear product requirements and user stories.
Roadmap & Backlog Management
- Create and maintain product roadmaps, breaking down high-level goals into prioritized features and epics.
- Continuously refine the backlog based on user feedback, market changes, and internal priorities, ensuring development efforts drive maximum value.
- Create and maintain product roadmaps, breaking down high-level goals into prioritized features and epics.
Stakeholder Collaboration
- Work closely with the Key Account Manager to understand major client requirements, gather feedback, and prioritize features that address the most pressing needs.
- Align with the Delivery Manager to plan sprints, manage resources, and ensure timely, high-quality releases.
- Work closely with the Key Account Manager to understand major client requirements, gather feedback, and prioritize features that address the most pressing needs.
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Lead or participate in Agile ceremonies (sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives) to ensure alignment and transparent communication with development and QA teams.
- Collaborate with design/UX experts to maintain a user-centric approach, ensuring the product is intuitive and meets user expectations.
- Lead or participate in Agile ceremonies (sprint planning, reviews, retrospectives) to ensure alignment and transparent communication with development and QA teams.
Product Delivery & Optimization
- Monitor product performance through key metrics (e.g., adoption, engagement, feedback, ROI) to drive data-informed decision-making.
- Continuously iterate on features and processes, championing improvements that increase product value and customer satisfaction.
- Monitor product performance through key metrics (e.g., adoption, engagement, feedback, ROI) to drive data-informed decision-making.
Leadership & Influence
- Act as the “voice of the customer,” ensuring user needs are at the forefront of product decisions.
- Provide clear, concise updates to the CTO and other stakeholders on product roadmap progress, potential risks, and opportunities.
- Mentor and guide team members in product thinking and best practices, helping foster a culture of innovation and ownership.
- Act as the “voice of the customer,” ensuring user needs are at the forefront of product decisions.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, or a related field.
- 3–5+ years of experience in Product Management or Product Ownership (preferably in a tech/digital context).
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Computer Science, or a related field.
Technical & Business Acumen
- Familiarity with software development processes, Agile frameworks, and ability to discuss technical topics at a conceptual level.
- Experience in B2B SaaS, business process platforms, or entrepreneurial/strategic management solutions is advantageous.
- Familiarity with software development processes, Agile frameworks, and ability to discuss technical topics at a conceptual level.
Analytical Skills
- Ability to analyze complex data and translate findings into clear, actionable insights.
- Comfortable using product analytics tools and methodologies to inform prioritization and measure success.
- Ability to analyze complex data and translate findings into clear, actionable insights.
Communication & Collaboration
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of influencing and aligning both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Track record of productive collaboration with roles such as Delivery Managers, Business Analysts, UX designers, developers, and client-facing teams.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, capable of influencing and aligning both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Strategic Mindset & Ownership
- Proven ability to take full ownership of the product lifecycle—from conceptualization to release and continuous improvement.
- Demonstrated skill in balancing immediate user needs with long-term strategic objectives.
- Proven ability to take full ownership of the product lifecycle—from conceptualization to release and continuous improvement.
How This Role Integrates with Existing Team Members
Delivery Manager
- You prioritize “what” gets built and when; the Delivery Manager focuses on “how” it’s delivered, managing resources, timelines, and overall execution.
- You prioritize “what” gets built and when; the Delivery Manager focuses on “how” it’s delivered, managing resources, timelines, and overall execution.
Key Account Manager
- You leverage key client insights and feedback; the KAM ensures strong client relationships and communicates any unique commercial or strategic needs.
- You leverage key client insights and feedback; the KAM ensures strong client relationships and communicates any unique commercial or strategic needs.
Business Analyst
- You outline the overarching product vision and strategy; the Business Analyst delves into deeper process flows and technical details—or you take on this deeper analysis when needed.
- You outline the overarching product vision and strategy; the Business Analyst delves into deeper process flows and technical details—or you take on this deeper analysis when needed.
What Success Looks Like
- Product Performance
- Measurable increases in user engagement, operational efficiency, and client satisfaction across both platforms.
- Measurable increases in user engagement, operational efficiency, and client satisfaction across both platforms.
- Stakeholder Alignment
- Positive feedback from clients, executives, and cross-functional teams regarding product direction and delivery.
- Positive feedback from clients, executives, and cross-functional teams regarding product direction and delivery.
- Quality & Timeliness
- Features launched on schedule, meeting acceptance criteria with minimal bugs.
- Features launched on schedule, meeting acceptance criteria with minimal bugs.
- Continuous Improvement
- Iterative product enhancements informed by robust data, user feedback, and shifting market conditions.
- Iterative product enhancements informed by robust data, user feedback, and shifting market conditions.
- Team Synergy
- Seamless collaboration with the Delivery Manager, Key Account Manager, Business Analyst, and development teams.
- Seamless collaboration with the Delivery Manager, Key Account Manager, Business Analyst, and development teams.
Why Join Us?
- High Impact: Shape digital platforms that drive operational efficiency and empower entrepreneurs with strategic management tools.
- Collaboration: Partner with skilled professionals (Delivery Manager, KAM, BA, engineering, UX) who bring diverse expertise and perspectives.
- Growth: Hone your product management craft in a role with significant autonomy and visibility, working directly with the CTO.
- Innovation: Join a forward-thinking environment where new ideas are encouraged, and experimentation is part of the culture.
Ready to Apply?
If you’re a driven Product Manager / Owner with strong analytical skills, a passion for user-centric solutions, and the ability to coordinate across multiple teams, we’d love to hear from you.
In the application process we will ask the following points in 1–2 paragraphs each (So you can prepare):
- Product Experience: Highlight a product or project you’ve led, the challenges you faced, and the outcomes achieved.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Discuss how you leverage analytics to inform product roadmaps. Provide a brief example.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Share a story of working with diverse teams, how you managed priorities, and your communication approach.
- Interest in Our Domain: Outline any previous experience (or strong interest) in business process improvement or entrepreneurship-focused solutions.
- Cultural Fit: Tell us why you’re excited to join us in Johannesburg and how you see yourself contributing to our vision.
- Availability & Expectations: Include your earliest start date and confirm that our salary range aligns with your expectations.