Product Owner

Confidential; Fort Lee (NJ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits package

Generous PTO policy

Professional development opportunities

Free breakfast and lunches

Job summary

Confidential is seeking a Product Owner in Fort Lee, NJ, to drive product execution aligned with business objectives. The role requires 5-7 years in a related field and proficiency in user story creation, backlog management, and Agile methodologies. Applicants should have experience in regulated industries and strong analytical skills. Offering a competitive salary and benefits including medical insurance, 401K, PTO, and opportunities for professional development, this position fosters collaboration and innovation.

Qualifications

• 5 - 7 years of experience in a Product Owner or related role.
• Experience with consumer-facing mobile or digital applications.
• Familiarity with regulated industries like iGaming or fintech.
• Ability to clarify and elaborate on business requirements.

Responsibilities

• Own and prioritize the Product Backlog.
• Translate business needs into technical specifications.
• Participate in Scrum ceremonies and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Define acceptance criteria and collaborate with engineering teams.

Skills

Product backlog prioritization

User story creation

Agile/Scrum methodologies

Analytical skills

API integration knowledge

Tools

Google Analytics

Power BI

BigQuery

Job description

Smart State is a rapidly growing technology company, bringing together expertise in software engineering, analytics, and product management to deliver reliable and innovative digital solutions.

Smart State is a place where talents from different niches can make real changes across the industry. We create an environment to let smart ideas act boldly.

Position Overview

As a Product Owner, you aren't just managing a list of tasks—you are the engine driving our product execution. You will be the driving force connecting business objectives to development execution, ensuring that every feature, improvement, and release delivers real value to our users and aligns with the company’s vision. You will be deeply involved in the entire product lifecycle, from requirement gathering to release validation and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Own and prioritize the Product Backlog, ensuring every sprint aligns with our business goals and KPIs.
• Translate complex business needs into clear, actionable technical specifications, user stories, and edge-case scenarios.
• Participate in and run Scrum ceremonies, joining daily stand-ups and supporting sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Act as the primary point of contact for leadership and stakeholders to manage expectations, secure approvals, and provide data-driven updates.
• Define acceptance criteria, establishing clear conditions to verify that tasks are completed properly and meet quality standards.
• Collaborate with the engineering team to refine tasks, clarify architectural dependencies, and improve requirements before they hit development.
• Create and support user stories, use cases, and edge cases.
• Manage and prioritize change requests and operational updates to ensure the product evolves based on real-world feedback.

Requirements

• 5 - 7 years of hands-on experience in a Product Owner or closely related product role, preferably with consumer-facing mobile or digital applications.
• Proven experience in regulated industries such as iGaming, sports betting, or fintech working on large-scale and complex projects involving backend and frontend development.
• Solid experience using data tools (Google Analytics, BigQuery, Power BI, or similar).
• Strong understanding of the full requirements lifecycle and backlog management, with hands‑on experience writing user stories, use cases, acceptance criteria, and task definitions.
• Ability to independently clarify and elaborate requirements, turning business ideas into clear and actionable development tasks.
• Solid knowledge of API integrations, product architecture, and core technical concepts.
• Strong analytical and decision‑making skills, with the ability to solve complex problems and drive outcomes.
• Experience creating and interpreting UML and BPMN diagrams.
• Strong background in Agile/Scrum, backlog ownership, and stakeholder management.

Preferred Experience

• Experience launching digital products in multiple regulated US states.
• Prior experience working closely with or supporting Product Managers and cross-functional delivery teams.
• Deep knowledge of monetization strategies and engagement‑boosting features like CRM and gamification.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401K plan, and more.
• Generous PTO policy.
• A dynamic and collaborative international work environment.
• Breakfasts and lunches in the office (partially paid by the company).
• Birthdays, milestones and employee anniversaries celebrations.
• Opportunities for professional development and growth.

Compensation

Final salary will be determined based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Smart State Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that different perspectives make us stronger and provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants regardless of race, color, identity, religion, or any other protected status. If you have the drive and the skills, we want to hear from you.