Senior Product Owner (Contract)

As a Senior Product Owner (contract) at SH/FT, you will lead the development and delivery of large, technically complex software projects. Our Product Owners play a critical role in ensuring solutions meet or exceed client expectations while enabling internal teams to perform at their best.

In this contract role, you will own the end-to-end product lifecycle, from early client engagements and requirements definition through to translating those requirements into clear, actionable work for the delivery team. You will operate at both a strategic and tactical level, balancing big-picture thinking with attention to detail.

We are seeking an experienced Product Owner with a strong background in custom software development (e.g. websites, web applications, APIs, databases). You thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and bring structure and clarity to complex problems. Agency experience is a plus, but most importantly, you enjoy transforming evolving requirements into high-quality client deliverables.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead multiple client engagements and workstreams concurrently across all phases of the project lifecycle, including discovery, scoping, planning, requirements definition, execution, release, and post-release support
• Facilitate discovery sessions with clients and subject matter experts to define requirements, uncover gaps, and align on expectations
• Translate business and technical requirements into detailed functional specifications and well-defined user stories with clear acceptance criteria
• Own and manage the product backlog, including prioritization, refinement, and trade-off decisions to balance scope, timeline, and budget
• Partner with cross-functional teams (Engineering, Design, QA, etc.) to ensure solutions meet customer needs and are delivered on time and within budget
• Support resource planning by identifying required skillsets and collaborating with team leads to staff projects effectively
• Lead Agile ceremonies, including backlog refinement, sprint planning, daily standups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives
• Facilitate technical discussions to align stakeholders, remove blockers, and identify opportunities for process and tooling improvements
• Monitor team capacity and velocity to promote sustainable, predictable delivery
• Track and communicate project progress, including risks, dependencies, blockers, and key milestones
• Report on sprint and release health using metrics such as burndown and burnup charts
• Forecast delivery timelines and proactively identify potential bottlenecks or risks
• Develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans to ensure successful delivery within scope, timeline, and budget
• Communicate clearly and consistently with stakeholders, fostering transparency and trust
• Provide leadership and direction to project teams, ensuring accountability and high-quality execution
• Navigate ambiguity with confidence, proactively driving clarity and outcomes

Experience

• 4+ years of Product Owner experience in a technical environment, with hands-on involvement in custom software development projects (e.g. websites, web applications, APIs, databases) -- this experience is required; please ensure your resume clearly articulates the types of projects you have worked on
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex requirements into actionable deliverables for engineering teams
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, DevOps practices)
• Experience with Jira or comparable project management tools
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and see the big picture while maintaining attention to detail
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including experience working directly with clients
• CSPO or equivalent certification is a plus

Who You Are

• Clear and effective communicator who leads through collaboration and action
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• Ability to quickly integrate into cross-functional teams and drive projects to completion
• Confident in client-facing settings, with the ability to manage expectations and build trust
• Proactive problem solver with a continuous improvement mindset

About SH/FT

Shift Paradigm is a client services business that focuses on implementing and activating technology and data to make sales and marketing work. Our people bring combined experience across technology, data & analytics, business strategy and campaign operations to accelerate our clients' businesses. We keep pace with change in modern marketing and technology in order to create both effective, scalable and future-proof solutions for our clients that span both the Fortune 500 list and emerging industry leaders. We have also built strong relationships with the world's most influential martech platforms and are key partners to them and their clients.

Why SH/FT

Shift Paradigm is a consultancy built for transformation. We bridge the gap between marketing, data, and technology to unlock growth for some of the world’s most recognized brands. At SH/FT you’ll shape the future of how organizations connect with their customers through intelligent architecture, scalable systems, and the power of data-driven strategy.

This is a remote 1099 independent contract position, targeting 10-20 hours per week. The compensation range for this role is $60–$85 per hour, depending on experience.