Product Owner I - AskHR

Description

This role leads product direction for AskHR, the company's ServiceNow-based HR help desk application, and works to make colleagues' access to HR support simpler and more seamless.

You will combine business insight, product strategy, and platform capability to shape how colleagues get HR help. The work is with business partners and technology teams, building roadmaps, setting priorities, and delivering improvements, including ones that use AI.

The company is a global financial institution with more than 95,000 colleagues. Interviews are scheduled with candidates of interest, and outcomes are shared with applicants by email or phone.

Responsibilities

• Set product plans and priorities for AskHR.
• Work with stakeholders to learn what they need and turn it into a clear product direction.
• Build and maintain a roadmap that improves the colleague experience and supports business goals.
• Review how the platform is used and keep looking for ways to improve it.
• Research new capabilities, including AI, that can make service and user experience better.
• Make sure the application gives colleagues practical value and runs in a way that can scale and be sustained.
• Measure impact and change the product based on feedback, data, and shifting needs.
• Work with management on the product vision and keep the roadmap aligned with senior leadership, including minimum marketable features or minimum viable products and release cadence.
• Create and maintain a value-focused backlog, keep re-ranking user stories, and make sure enough stories are scoped and prioritized.
• Review performance analytics and push for changes that improve the experience for customers and end users.
• Take part in Scrum or Kanban events such as stand-ups and retrospectives, and bring ideas for better product value or delivery.
• Engage business process partners early so customers and end users are ready for changes and Day 2 processes are set up.
• Oversee user story design, development, and completion by accepting or rejecting stories against the agreed Definition of Done and Acceptance Criteria.
• Manage delivery initiatives and oversee the backlogs of development pods.
• Flag issues that slow delivery of customer-focused increments.
• Manage defects, including how they are prioritized.
• Act as the single point of escalation for the development team, giving guidance and making decisions as needed.
• Make product delivery decisions, escalating to senior management when needed.
• Facilitate discussions among stakeholders with competing priorities and use their feedback in backlog decisions.
• Understand the internal business and technical environment and work with relevant stakeholders, shared services control groups, or the platform team.
• Lead the Quarterly Business Review submission and discussion for the product.
• Get timely input from business stakeholders needed for development.
• Watch regulatory changes and work with senior management on any product strategy changes they require.
• Coordinate and take part in risk, quality, and business testing.
• Communicate product changes and backlog priorities to business, technology, and senior management.
• Compile performance metrics and share them with relevant stakeholders.
• Define OKRs with stakeholders across the organization.
• Identify and manage risks, and escalate high-risk or non-standard activities.
• Track emerging issues, trends, and regulatory requirements, and assess their potential impact.
• Support a culture of risk management and control in line with risk appetite.
• Contribute fully to the team, help keep the work environment positive, and raise issues and key updates on time.
• Share subject matter knowledge and industry insight within the team and business unit.
• Keep up with trends and grow your knowledge of the business and its tools and methods.
• Take part in your own performance and development plans, including cross training within your team.
• Keep others informed about project status and other useful information.
• Help grow team skills by mentoring others and sharing knowledge and best practices.
• Build productive working relationships with internal and external business partners and stakeholders.
• Help maintain a fair, positive, and equitable workplace that supports diversity.
• Represent your business area and the bank internally and externally.
• Act as a key subject matter expert, applying deep knowledge of a complex field and related areas.
• Lead product development support using sound product expertise and knowledge of Agile and Scrum.
• Bring the business line's overall strategy into solutions that span several functions.
• Interpret business and industry challenges and recommend improvements to products, processes, or services.
• Lead cross-function work in your specialty or in projects with significant resource needs, risk, or complexity.
• Solve complex problems yourself or lead others to do so, and build new solutions with partners.
• Use careful analysis to make judgements and find solutions.
• Help your area reach its objectives.
• Explain complex ideas in clear business terms and gain agreement from increasingly senior stakeholders.
• Work independently as a lead and guide others in your area of expertise.
• Typically report to a Product Group Owner.

Requirements

• An undergraduate degree and/or a product certificate.
• 7+ years of relevant experience.
• 3+ years of experience as a Product Owner or in Agile-related delivery.
• Proven experience with ServiceNow, ideally in HR Service Delivery (HRSD) or similar service management environments.
• A solid grasp of ServiceNow features, including case management, knowledge management, service catalog, workflows, and self-service.
• Experience with platform integrations, APIs, and workflow automation that support end-to-end service delivery.
• Proven ability to deliver AI-enabled solutions, or a strong interest in doing so, including virtual agents, generative AI use cases such as case summaries and content generation, and intelligent automation.
• Experience acting as a Product Owner or in a similar role, covering backlog management, roadmap development, and delivering outcomes in Agile.
• Strong stakeholder collaboration skills and the ability to turn business needs into technical solutions.
• An analytical, strategic approach focused on colleague experience, automation, and digital service delivery.
• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification and project management experience are an asset.
• Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certifications or experience in scaled agile delivery are an asset.
• Familiarity with conversational AI, natural language processing (NLP), and AI-assisted workflows in enterprise platforms is an asset.
• Experience in HR systems, shared services, or help desk environments is an asset.

Conditions

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Hours: 5.

Line of business: Enterprise Enabling Functions.

Base salary range: $96,900 - $136,800 CAD.

Pay within the range depends on skills, experience, job knowledge, location, and business needs. Salaries rise through the range as you progress in the role.

Ask your recruiter about compensation at any point.

This role is subject to provincial employment regulation, and each province or territory in Canada may have its own rules.

The company is committed to a respectful, equal workplace where diverse perspectives are valued.

Benefits

• A Total Rewards package that includes base salary, variable pay, health and well-being benefits, savings and retirement plans, paid time off, banking benefits and discounts, career development, and recognition programs.
• Regular career, development, and performance conversations with your manager.
• Access to an online learning platform and mentoring programs.
• Training and onboarding sessions to prepare you for the role.