Product Owner

Apply now: Product Owner, Hybrid - Charlotte, NC. Start date is ASAP for this 12-month Contract-to-Hire position.

Job Title: Product Owner

Location-Type: Hybrid - Charlotte, NC (Onsite Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

Start Date: ASAP

Duration: Contract-to-Hire, 12-month contract

Compensation Range: $40/hr - $48/hr

Benefits: Eligible for Health, Dental, Vision, and 401K

Visa Sponsorship: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Job Description:
The client is seeking a Product Owner to drive backlog ownership and agile delivery across route and territory optimization workstreams, translating complex operational needs into scalable product capabilities for field operations teams nationwide.

Job Summary
•Own and continuously refine the product backlog for route and territory optimization, prioritizing value and sequencing across multiple concurrent workstreams including territory planning, route execution, and electronic locks
•Translate operational and business requirements into clear, actionable product logic, workflows, acceptance criteria, and specifications such as process flows, data mappings, and API/interface definitions
•Serve as the primary liaison between engineering teams, operations stakeholders, third-party SaaS partners, and leadership, managing cross-team dependencies and communicating progress, risks, and decisions
•Collaborate with the Product Manager to shape product priorities, contribute to the roadmap, and ensure backlog work aligns with business outcomes such as route efficiency, mileage reduction, and operational performance
•Define and coordinate functional and integration testing, validate deliverables meet standards, and support production issue resolution and escalations
•Plan and coordinate releases across internal teams and external partners, aligning timelines, managing risks, and communicating tradeoffs throughout delivery
•Maintain visibility of team capacity across internal and contracted resources, aligning supply to departmental priorities and delivery commitments

Minimum Requirements:
•Minimum 3 years of experience in a Product Owner, Business Analyst, Technical Analyst, or similar role supporting custom application development, SaaS platforms, or enterprise business applications
•Demonstrated ability to lead requirements elicitation and translate business processes into scalable system capabilities and backlog items with clear acceptance criteria
•Knowledge of database management systems (e.g., SQL Server, PostgreSQL) and ability to write or interpret basic SQL queries (SELECT, JOIN, WHERE clauses) in a professional setting
•Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, business administration, or a related field
•Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to drive alignment across business and technical audiences

Preferred Qualifications:
•Experience with Agile methodologies, Scrum practices, and tools such as Azure DevOps for managing product backlogs, sprint planning, and delivery execution
•Exposure to route planning, territory optimization, scheduling, dispatch, field service workflows, logistics, or last-mile operations
•Experience with platforms such as Descartes Roadshow, DELMIA Quintiq, Appian, or similar route optimization, planning, workflow, or decision automation tools
•Familiarity with optimization concepts such as route balancing, service windows, territory design, capacity planning, and exception management
•Formal training or certification in Business Analysis, group facilitation, or project/product management