Overview:

Manages and leads a group of agile product teams for an assigned program (or set of products) by representing the voice of the customer and stakeholders to set a comprehensive vision of multiple products or program, while aligning with the business strategy.   The Senior Product Owner communicates strategic intent to their team to ensure alignment with a broader domain or line of business and help with prioritization, while also working to eliminate blockers to enable the team success.  In addition, the Senior Product Owner plays a key role in the company’s strategic direction, defining and articulating new opportunities, and working in close concert with key stakeholders, including senior leadership and their dedicated agile teams.  

Primary Responsibilities:

• Build and own the product/program vision for assigned agile product teams that aligns with the overall strategic intent and communicate them with the teams and their stakeholders.
• Prioritize a feature backlog, in partnership with other Product Owners.
• Make autonomous decisions, quickly and thoughtfully, to move delivery forward in alignment with overall product vision and strategy; ensure assigned Product Owners adhere to this.
• Manage and lead a group of Product Owners all working toward the same strategic intent.
• Manage and remove blockers and help with prioritization of team backlogs.
• Manage and lead the analysis of feasibility, cost, or other aspects of planned or potential programs.
• Work directly with the program Product Owners to create appropriate information radiators and other communication tools for internal team and stakeholder use.
• Participate in all appropriate team activities and ceremonies.
• Use a matrixed influencing approach to work with essential business partners throughout the organization often at a senior level and irrespective of hierarchy or divisions, advocating for the benefit of the customer.
• Understand and engage with customers.
• Focus on outcomes over outputs, incorporating design thinking methods and analytics to inform product design.
• Collaborate across teams and with other Product Owners to align the customer journey and dependent backlogs.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the business environment and needs within the area of responsibility. Understand technical, business and operational impacts of a project or problem.
• Exercise usual authority of a manager concerning staffing, performance appraisals, promotions, salary recommendations, performance management and terminations.
• Understand and adhere to the Company’s risk and regulatory standards, policies and controls in accordance with the Company’s Risk Appetite.  Design, implement, maintain and enhance internal controls to mitigate risk on an ongoing basis.  Identify risk-related issues needing escalation to management.
• Promote an environment that supports diversity and reflects the M&T Bank brand.
• Maintain M&T internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators as applicable
• Complete other related duties as assigned

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities:

The Senior Product Owner manages a team of Product Owners, including people, budget and planning, and manages activities through influence, accountability and ownership, functioning in an agile environment.

Education and Experience Required:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 10 years’ business, analytical, technical and/or product experience, or in lieu of a degree, a combined minimum of 14 years’ higher education and/or work experience, including a minimum of 10 years’ business, analytical, technical and/or product experience
• Proven business expertise with experience in setting clear priorities, understanding business value impacts and independent decision-making
• Prior experience prioritizing across competing priorities and quickly-changing landscape
• Prior experience actively seeking out multiple opinions, yet making independent decisions and influencing positive outcomes

Education and Experience Preferred:

-Experience in the Mortgage Servicing or Mortgage Default Servicing

-Knowledge of mortgage industry software solutions and terminology

-Prior experience as a product owner

-Prior Supervisory experience

• Understanding of Design Thinking principles
• Knowledge of product design and development best practices
• Knowledge of Agile and Lean principles and practices
• Experience working in partnership with user experience teams on product design
• Experience developing/managing digital capabilities
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Specific subject matter expertise as required by assigned product

M&T Bank is committed to fair, competitive, and market-informed pay for our employees. The pay range for this position is $136,787.30 - $227,978.83 Annual (USD). The successful candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, and experience will inform their specific compensation.

Location

Buffalo, New York, United States of America