Product and Business Relationship Manager

Position Overview :

Join us in our mission to provide exceptional IT service to a diverse customer base at the University of Minnesota. University Services Information Technology currently offers an opportunity to collaborate with our business partners to define and prioritize technology needs that will inform and advance their business strategies.

We seek a dedicated professional to maintain accountability for identifying, defining, and prioritizing the IT needs of our partners, ensuring that delivered IT services meet business requirements.

A successful candidate will have a passion for technology and customer service, along with strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, and interpersonal skills.

Find out if this opportunity is a good fit by reading all of the information that follows below.

This position reports to the IT Director for University Services and works closely with the wider leadership team to ensure the business's current and future needs are met.

Please note, this position is not eligible for H-1B or Green Card sponsorship.

The University of Minnesota is committed to fostering local talent through employment opportunities. While this position utilizes a hybrid work modality, prospective applicants must be located either in the state of Minnesota or near the Wisconsin border or otherwise open to relocation.

We Offer :

• University paid contribution (10% of your salary) to your retirement account - vested immediately.
• 22 paid vacation days per year, in addition to sick leave and 11 paid holidays.
• Reduced tuition opportunities covering 75% - 100% of eligible tuition.
• Excellent and affordable health care benefits.
• Wellness program with the opportunity to earn lower health care rates.
• Free disability insurance.
• Annual merit increase program.

Business Alignment Job Duties :

• Stakeholder Engagement : Interact with stakeholders to understand the business, its needs, and priorities.
• Needs Translation : Translate business needs into IT priorities, defining the work, acceptance criteria, and priority.
• Roadmapping : Lead the annual roadmapping process for IT services and quarterly refinement and work prioritization efforts.
• Primary Contact : Serve as the IT team's primary contact for business information, work prioritization, and related decision-making for evolving IT services.
• Expectation Management : Clarify business expectations for existing services and ensure effective communication between business and IT, and the performance of those services.
• Gap Analysis : Ensure IT understands and addresses gaps experienced by business partners.
• Coordination : Coordinate with other IT partners to align plans and schedules across IT delivery teams.

Agile Team Leadership Duties :

• Quarterly Workplan Execution : Develop and lead the team in executing the quarterly workplan, ensuring alignment with business needs and priorities.
• Team Leadership : Provide clear leadership and direction to the team, ensuring they are focused on delivering the prioritized work.
• Support and Guidance : Offer support and guidance to team members, helping them overcome obstacles and achieve team goals.

Refer knowledge and performance gaps to staff managers for further support and guidance.

• Performance Monitoring : Monitor the team's performance against the quarterly workplan, making adjustments as needed to stay on track.
• Communication : Facilitate regular communication with the team to ensure everyone is informed and aligned with the goals and priorities.
• Continuous Improvement : Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, seeking ways to enhance processes and workflows.

Other Duties :

• IT Leadership Team Participation : Actively participate in the IT leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making and the overall direction of IT services.
• Scaled Agile Principles : Guide and promote the use of scaled agile principles within the team in a way that makes sense for our organization to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Please document qualifications on resume

Compensation : $110,000 - $122,000 (depending on experience)

Required Qualifications :

• Bachelor's degree plus four years of related experience, or master's degree and 2 years of related experience.
• Previous experience working with SAFe, Lean, or Agile methodologies.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Previous experience in a Product Owner, Product Manager, or Business Relationship Manager role.
• Experience in supporting a broad base of users, systems, and technologies.
• Strong customer service background.
• Experience with formal work planning or project management frameworks.
• Strong commitment to supporting the University’s goal of creating a positive and inclusive campus climate by advancing equity and diversity.

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