Technical Product Owner

The Technical Product Owner, Platform Solutions, is a technical lead and strategic decision-maker for enterprise technology products, ensuring solutions meet business objectives and maintain operational excellence. This role combines product ownership with technical expertise, translating business requirements into actionable strategies and prioritizing work for maximum value. Acting as the link between stakeholders and development teams, the Technical Product Owner makes informed decisions on architecture, functionality, and implementation to ensure reliability, security, and performance. Strong communication and problem-solving skills are essential for managing priorities, engaging stakeholders, and supporting Strathcona County's transformation into a client-focused, reliable and cost-effective organization.

This important role will help shape the future of Jira in Strathcona County as we roll out our new IT service management platform. You will lead the setup and onboarding of different departments, making it easier for staff to access services in one place. You'll provide guidance on key architecture decisions and work closely with our business analysts and developers to ensure business needs are accurately translated into actionable development tasks.

If you're excited about using technology to improve how we work, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure continuous operation, security, and performance of software applications and platforms
• Provide guidance and direction to support the collaboration with ITS resources, business clients, and IT vendors to ensure client priorities and issues are addressed promptly and effectively
• Lead initiatives to transform traditional forms into interactive, adaptive solutions by leveraging enterprise platforms such as Microsoft Dynamics, Microsoft Forms, SharePoint, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Jira
• Guide agile teams through core ceremonies including sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives while driving alignment and continuous improvement
• While this position does not include direct supervisory responsibilities, you will oversee the allocation of development team resources by assigning tasks, setting priorities, and coordinating workloads to ensure optimal use of team capacity and alignment with project objectives
• Continuously monitor technological trends and implement evolving best practices to improve service delivery and align operations with industry standards
• Ensure clients receive technical support for ITS services by developing procedures, creating reporting mechanisms, and collaborating with application and data custodians as well as departmental representatives to enhance information systems and promote end-user self-sufficiency
• Provide architecture leadership to assess, design, and implement technology solutions to support various departments across the County. Leverage expert technology skills to consult on the design, enhancement, and support of County platforms
• Clearly communicate opportunities, changes, and service impacts relevant to staff and departments. Work closely with their supervisor to prepare communications and presentations, delivering clear messaging for multi-level audiences 
• Define and communicate product vision and roadmap aligned with organizational priorities
• Translate business requirements into actionable user stories, prioritizing product backlogs to maximize value
• Develop a deep understanding of system architecture, integration points, and infrastructure components to ensure scalability, security, and compliance with corporate standards

Qualifications and Skills:

• Degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or another related discipline with a minimum of 6 years of experience in an IT environment or a Diploma in Computer Science, Business Administration, or another related discipline with a minimum of 7 years of directly related IT experience
• Proven experience managing enterprise platforms and guiding development teams in an agile environment
• Proven experience in Jira Service Management (JSM) development, including configuration and customization to support ITIL-based service management processes (e.g., Incident, Problem, Change, and Request Management)
• Experience in resolving application-related incidents and identifying root causes for reoccurring issues
• Experience in planning and executing application upgrades, patches, and migrations with minimal downtime
• Proven ability to work closely with clients to understand their needs and provide tailored solutions
• Experience collaborating with development, infrastructure, and business teams to ensure seamless application support
• Strong background in creating and maintaining technical documentation, including user guides and troubleshooting manuals
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, along with strong presentation and customer service skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with audiences ranging from non-technical to expert
• Advanced relationship-building and collaboration skills in multi-stakeholder environments
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with systems thinking and strategic management capabilities
• Ability to manage competing priorities and thrive in a continually changing environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools
• Overtime as required and on-call as required
• Assets:
  • Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or equivalent
  • ITIL Foundations certification
  • Agile or SAFe certification
  • Technical certifications related to platforms or cloud services (e.g., Microsoft, AWS, Azure)

Conditions of Employment:

• Submission of a Satisfactory Criminal Record Check 

Who We Are:

Strathcona County is a specialized municipality located in the heart of Alberta.  Our vision is to become Canada's most livable community, where our workplace culture and identity are supported by our people plan and values of integrity, respect, safety, fairness, and cooperation.  

Why Join Strathcona County: (depending on position)

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, which includes:
  • Extended health and dental coverage    
  • Health and wellness spending account    
  • Life and disability insurance  
  • Retirement and pension programs  
  • Paid and unpaid leave programs  
  • Earned day off program
  • Employee and family assistance program
• Commitment to employee development, through internal and external training and development opportunities
• Well-being programs and a safety culture focused on physical and psychological health in the workplace

Equivalencies of education and experience may be considered.  This role may be eligible to participate in our hybrid work program.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies for similar positions within the next 6 months.  

Strathcona County is committed to an inclusive, respectful, and equitable workplace that represents the community we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds who can contribute diverse perspectives and experiences.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.