Information Technology Specialist 4

State of Iowa - Executive Branch; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work environment

IPERS

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Generous vacation and paid holidays

Life and disability insurance

Retirement savings options (RIC)

Flexible Spending Accounts

Job summary

State of Iowa in Des Moines, IA, seeks an IT Product Owner to lead the development and lifecycle management of critical business applications. You will partner with business and IT stakeholders, vendors, and fusion teams to drive value, align with enterprise goals, and deliver high-quality product outcomes.

You will apply Agile practices, manage risk and budget, and ensure compliance with governance standards while coordinating with DoIT leadership and other product teams.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in IT or related field and two years of related IT work.
• Experience in IT product management and full product lifecycle oversight.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Serve as IT Product Owner for designated applications, liaising between business users and technical teams.
• Develop and manage product roadmaps aligned with enterprise strategy and goals.
• Prioritize backlogs to deliver high-value features and user functionality.
• Lead Agile ceremonies such as sprint planning and reviews.
• Define acceptance criteria and write user stories for development teams.
• Analyze feedback and metrics to improve product performance.
• Collaborate with executives, agency leaders, and other product teams to manage risk and delivery.

Skills

IT product management

Agile methodologies

Stakeholder collaboration

Budgeting

Vendor management

Risk management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT or related field

Job description

Job Description

The Department of Management (DOM), Division of Information Technology (DoIT) is seeking a strategic, solutions-oriented Information Technology Specialist 4 – IT Product Owner to lead the development and lifecycle management of one or more business-critical IT products.

The Department of Management (DOM), Division of Information Technology (DoIT) is seeking a strategic, solutions-oriented Information Technology Specialist 4 – IT Product Owner to lead the development and lifecycle management of one or more business-critical IT products. As the single point of accountability, you will play a vital role in ensuring our internal and external business applications deliver value, align with enterprise goals, and meet user needs. You will partner with business and IT stakeholders, vendors, and cross-functional Fusion Teams to drive efficiency, innovation, and quality in product delivery—applying Agile methodologies and managing risk, performance, and product financials throughout.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the IT Product Owner for designated business applications or services, acting as the primary liaison between business users and technical teams.
• Develop and manage product roadmaps aligned with enterprise strategy and agency goals.
• Prioritize and maintain product backlogs to deliver high-value features and user functionality.
• Lead Agile ceremonies such as sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Guide software development processes, including writing user stories and defining acceptance criteria.
• Analyze feedback and performance metrics to iterate and enhance product performance.
• Collaborate with Executive Technology Officers (ETOs), agency leadership, and other product teams to manage risk, optimize delivery, and identify enterprise service transitions.
• Allocate and manage technical resources in coordination with DoIT supervisors and ensure effective team performance.
• Monitor product financials including budgeting, resource planning, and cost control.
• Ensure compliance with state/federal regulations and IT governance frameworks.
• Maintain vendor and service provider relationships, managing service levels and issue resolution.

What We Are Seeking

• Experience in IT product management and full product lifecycle oversight.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills for stakeholder engagement and training.
• Expertise in budgeting, vendor management, and compliance with governance standards.
• Strategic mindset focused on continuous improvement and risk management.

What We Offer

• Flexible work environment
• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS)
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays
• Life and disability insurance
• Retirement savings options (RIC)
• Flexible Spending Accounts

Why Work with Us?

At the Iowa Department of Management (DOM), we help government agencies across the state perform at their best by managing financial resources, technology, and information. Our mission is rooted in service—we provide efficient, innovative, and strategic solutions that empower agencies to fulfill their goals.

We’re Guided By Four Core Values

• Integrity – We act with honesty and accountability.
• Teamwork – We collaborate to achieve shared success.
• Service – We are committed to excellence in public service.
• Partnership – We build strong relationships to drive results.

Working Arrangement

This position requires onsite work in Des Moines, IA each week. Employees meeting all expectations of their work responsibilities may request remote work and develop a hybrid/remote schedule collaboratively with their manager.

Please note, candidates for this position must reside in the state of Iowa at the time of starting the role.

Background Check Requirements

• After a conditional offer of employment has been made, and as the final step in the hiring process, candidates for this position will be subject to a background investigation, which may include but may not be limited to a verification of a candidate’s education, previous employment/work history, contact of personal references, motor vehicle records, and a criminal history check (including through Federal, State, or Local criminal justice agencies).
• Information gathered as part of such background investigation will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by Iowa Code section 22.7, 8B.4A, and other applicable laws, rules, and regulations; provided that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, such information shall be available to candidates upon request.

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to two years of full-time work in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in computer science, computer applications, software engineering, computer engineering, management information systems, business analytics, or cyber security, and experience equal to one year of full-time work in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing Information management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security.
• All of the following (a and b):
• Two years of full-time work experience in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security; and
• A total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
• All of the following (a and b):
• Four years of full-time work experience in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security; and
• Either of the following:
• Certification from an authorized educational institution/major computer or software producer in one or more of the specialty areas listed in part a; or
• Eighteen semester hours from an accredited college or university in one or more of the specialty areas listed in part a.

Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes experience equal to six months of full-time work as an Information Technology Specialist 3.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description .