Freelance Product Owner - German Speaking - €65/hr.

Company Overview: We are a prominent German government agency located in Berlin, specializing in building out governemnt IT systems. We are currently seeking an experienced and highly skilled Product Owner to join our team for a 6-month contract. This position offers the flexibility of 100% remote work from within Germany, allowing you to work from the comfort of your home while contributing to meaningful government projects.

Job Responsibilities:

1. Product Ownership: Take full ownership of the product vision, strategy, and roadmap, ensuring alignment with the agency's goals and objectives.
2. Agile Development: Facilitate the agile development process, working closely with cross-functional teams to define and prioritize product features and user stories.
3. Requirements Gathering: Collaborate with stakeholders, including government officials, subject matter experts, and end-users, to identify and document product requirements accurately.
4. Backlog Management: Maintain and prioritize the product backlog, ensuring that it is well-defined, up-to-date, and reflects the agency's priorities.
5. Scrum Master Role: Act as a scrum master, fostering an agile culture and facilitating sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
6. Communication and Collaboration: Effectively communicate with all stakeholders, providing regular updates on project progress, risks, and dependencies.
7. User-Centric Approach: Champion user-centric design principles, conducting user research, gathering feedback, and incorporating insights into product development.
8. Quality Assurance: Collaborate with QA teams to ensure high-quality deliverables that meet the agency's standards and requirements.
9. Continuous Improvement: Proactively identify process improvements and implement changes to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of product development.

Qualifications:

1. Experience: Minimum of 3 years of experience in product ownership, preferably in a government or public sector environment.
2. Language Skills: Fluent in German (native or near-native proficiency) and English, both written and spoken.
3. Agile Expertise: Strong understanding and practical experience in agile methodologies, such as Scrum, Kanban, or Lean.
4. Scrum Master Certification: Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) and Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certifications are highly desirable.
5. Technical Background: Solid technical understanding to effectively collaborate with development teams and make informed decisions.
6. Stakeholder Management: Demonstrated ability to engage and manage relationships with various stakeholders, including government officials, team members, and end-users.
7. Analytical Skills: Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to gather and analyze complex requirements.
8. Communication Skills: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex concepts in a clear and concise manner.
9. Adaptability: Proven track record of working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with changing priorities and deadlines.
10. Remote Work Experience: Prior experience working remotely and independently, demonstrating self-motivation and discipline.

Remuneration: This is a contract position offering a competitive hourly rate ranging from €65 to €75 per hour, commensurate with experience and qualifications.