Lead Product Owner

Simon Fraser University; Burnaby; Hybrid; CAD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pay in lieu of benefits

Vacation pay 8%

Health insurance

Professional development funds

Hybrid-work program

Job summary

SFU is seeking a Lead Product Owner to drive design and delivery of new modules within the Integrated Faculty Management System. You will own the backlog, lead discovery and roadmap planning, and translate needs into scalable solutions across academic and administrative units in an Agile environment.

The ideal candidate has deep product ownership experience and a strong background in enterprise systems for academic operations, with proven ability to align stakeholders and guide delivery teams

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, MIS, HR, CS or related field with advanced Product Owner certification (ACSPO) and eight years' related experience with academic enterprise applications.
• Deep understanding of policies governing academic operations, collective agreements, budgeting, and reporting.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise system development, IT project management, and system design.
• Proven experience with Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban) and software development processes.

Responsibilities

• Own the product backlog and prioritize work across cross-functional teams.
• Translate business needs into scalable system capabilities for SFU’s IFMS.

Skills

Product ownership

Backlog management

Agile methodologies

Stakeholder management

Enterprise systems

Education

Master’s degree

ACSPO certification

Tools

JIRA

Trello

Confluence

MS Teams

Job description

Who We Are

Simon Fraser University is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Our purpose – the essence of SFU – is to create and connect knowledge, learning and community for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. We are committed to fostering excellence, innovation, belonging and community in all that we do.

Academic Management Systems, part of IT Services at SFU, partners with Faculties and Faculty Relations to deliver systems that support academic operations. We are agile, cross-functional teams of analysts, developers, and QA specialists who thrive on collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Our focus is building user-centered IT solutions that simplify processes, improve efficiency, and enhance the SFU experience for faculty and staff.

SFU is embarking on a three-year digital transformation through the Integrated Faculty Management System (IFMS) program. This initiative will modernize and unify workflows across faculty and administrative domains, supporting long-term improvements in academic administration and advancing the university’s mission.

About the Role

The Lead Product Owner is responsible for driving the design and delivery of new modules within eTRACS as part of SFU’s Integrated Faculty Management System (IFMS) program. This role owns the product backlog, leads discovery and roadmap planning, and ensures business needs are translated into effective, scalable solutions. Working across academic and administrative units, the position plays a critical role in aligning user needs, technical delivery, and institutional priorities within a cross-functional Agile environment.

The ideal candidate combines deep product ownership experience with a strong understanding of complex systems design and academic operations. A background in delivering enterprise solutions—particularly those supporting administrative workflows—is essential. Success in this role requires the ability to translate business requirements into system capabilities, prioritize work across diverse stakeholders, and guide delivery teams toward high-impact outcomes that support long-term institutional goals.

Full Job Description

Qualifications

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Management Information Systems, Human Resources, Computer Science or a related discipline, including an advanced Product Owner certification (e.g., ACSPO) and eight years of related experience working with academic enterprise applications, preferably in post-secondary education or public domain, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

• In-depth understanding of policies governing academic and human relations, collective agreements, academic planning, reporting, budget management, research and teaching in order to lead academic systems development and data services.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise system development and management, business analysis, IT project management, and system design.
• Strong understanding of Agile principles and practices; experience working in Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban) and familiarity with software development processes, tools (e.g., JIRA, Trello, Confluence, MS Teams).
• Strong business analysis skills.
• Strong product ownership skills, with proven ability to successfully manage a backlog.

What We Offer

At SFU, our goal is to ensure our people are valued and supported by promoting a healthy work-life balance, professional growth and development, as well as a safe and respectful workplace. We offer temporary employees who belong in the Administrative & Professional Staff Association (APSA):

• An additional 7% pay in lieu of benefits & 8% vacation pay
• Employer paid extended health & dental plans
• Professional development funds (minimum contract period of 1 year)
• Hybrid-work program for eligible positions

Additional Information

The assignment end date is March 31, 2029.

SFU is an equity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the university.

We are committed to facilitating accessibility within our application and interview processes. If you require any assistance or accommodations, please contact [e-mail].