Product Owner

Public Policy Institute; West Covina (CA); On-site; USD 82,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellness perks

Kanban training

Flexible hours

Job summary

Public Policy Institute in West Covina, CA seeks a freelance Product Owner with 5+ years of PM translating into a mid-level seat you steer at the organization.

The role emphasizes forecasting, strategic planning, and cross-team collaboration to drive expansion in West Covina while maintaining margins and delivering clear decisions.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Competitive Analysis; willingness to learn Project Management.
• Comfortable presenting ideas to stakeholders at all levels.
• Customer-focused with strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent critical thinking and independent judgment.
• Humility to revise opinions when data argues back.

Responsibilities

• Forecast review process to influence decisions.
• Keep West Covina expansion on schedule amid weekly changes.
• Model scenarios using competitive analysis to inform decisions.
• Lead pricing analysis and protect margins.
• Drive strategic planning and quarterly goal-setting across Public Policy Institute business units.
• Flag critical assumptions in the plan.
• Facilitate cross-department projects from kickoff to delivery.
• Manage vendor relationships and negotiate contracts on behalf of Public Policy Institute.

Skills

Competitive Analysis

Project Management

Stakeholder Presentation

Interpersonal Skills

Critical Thinking

Self-motivation

Job description

The right Product Owner for this freelance role reads a P&L the way a coach reads game film, looking for the next move. Picture $82,000 - $115,000, a freelance cadence, and 5 years of Project Management translating into a mid-level seat you actually steer at Public Policy Institute.

Key Responsibilities

• Hold a forecast review where people actually change their minds
• Keep West Covina expansion on schedule when half the plan changes weekly
• Apply Competitive Analysis expertise to model scenarios and inform key decisions
• Lead pricing analysis and recommend adjustments that protect margins
• Drive strategic planning and quarterly goal-setting across Public Policy Institute business units
• Flag the assumption in the plan that everything else quietly rests on
• Facilitate cross-departmental projects from kickoff through delivery
• Manage vendor relationships and negotiate contracts on behalf of Public Policy Institute

What You'll Bring

• Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal oversight
• Real proficiency with Competitive Analysis, plus willingness to learn Project Management fast
• Comfortable presenting ideas to stakeholders at every level
• Customer-focused outlook with strong interpersonal skills
• Critical thinking skills and sound, independent judgment
• The humility to revise strong opinions when the data argues back

We are a craft-obsessed business company, and Public Policy Institute calls West Covina, CA home. Giving and receiving direct feedback is a skill we practice openly across every level.

Money matters, so we lead with $82,000 - $115,000; then come the wellness perks, the Kanban training, and hours you actually control.

The Public Policy Institute team is scaling in West Covina, CA, and we are hiring for it now.