Product Owner

Lesaka Technologies; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A growing tech organization in Cape Town seeks a Product Owner to bridge business goals with technical execution. You will translate product strategy into actionable plans and collaborate with cross-functional teams to manage the product backlog and deliver high-quality increments. The ideal candidate has over 4 years of experience in a product-related role and a strong understanding of Agile principles. This position promotes collaboration in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as a Product Owner, Business Analyst, or similar role.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycles.
• Proficiency in Jira, Confluence, and related delivery tools.

Responsibilities

• Translate product strategy into user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Own and maintain the product backlog.
• Participate actively in Agile ceremonies.

Skills

Agile/Scrum principles

Product backlog management

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Analytical skills

Tools

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Product Owner

Location: Cape Town
Department: Product Management
Reports to: Senior Product Manager

About the Role

We are looking for a Product Owner to join our growing product organisation and help translate product strategy into clear, actionable delivery plans. The Product Owner plays a critical role in bridging business goals with technical execution - ensuring that our development teams build the right features, in the right way, at the right time.

You’ll collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Designers, and Business Analysts to manage the product backlog, refine requirements, and deliver high-quality product increments that drive measurable impact for our customers and business.

Key Responsibilities

Product Delivery & Execution

• Translate product strategy and high-level requirements into detailed user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Own and maintain the product backlog - ensuring it is prioritized, groomed, and aligned with business objectives.
• Act as the primary liaison between product management and the development team to ensure clarity and alignment on requirements.
• Participate actively in Agile ceremonies - sprint planning, backlog refinement, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Ensure timely and quality delivery of product releases in collaboration with Engineering and QA.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Partner with Product Managers to understand the product vision, roadmap, and success metrics.
• Engage with business stakeholders to gather feedback, clarify priorities, and communicate delivery progress.
• Collaborate with UX/UI Designers and Business Analysts to ensure user stories and designs are well-defined and actionable.

Quality & Testing

• Validate developed features against acceptance criteria to ensure requirements are met.
• Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and coordinate bug triage and resolution with Engineering.
• Advocate for continuous improvement in product quality and user experience.

Operational Excellence

• Maintain up-to-date documentation of product artifacts (user stories, workflows, release notes).
• Monitor release performance, adoption, and user feedback post-launch to inform future improvements.
• Contribute to refining internal Agile and product delivery practices for greater efficiency.

What Success Looks Like

• Well-prioritized and managed backlog that aligns with strategic goals.
• Clear, concise, and testable user stories that lead to efficient development and high‑quality outputs.
• Strong cross‑functional collaboration and clear communication between product, design, and engineering.
• On‑time and high‑quality delivery of product increments with measurable business and customer impact.

Skills & Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience as a Product Owner, Business Analyst, or similar role within a technology or digital product environment.
• Strong understanding of Agile/Scrum principles and software development lifecycles.
• Experience managing product backlogs and writing detailed user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Proficiency in Jira, Confluence, and related delivery tools.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Technical aptitude to understand APIs, data flows, and system dependencies.
• Detail‑oriented with excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills.

You’ll Thrive in This Role If You…

• Are passionate about building products that create real customer and business value.
• Excel at balancing strategic priorities with day‑to‑day execution.
• Communicate effectively across technical and non‑technical teams.
• Thrive in a collaborative, fast‑paced, and evolving environment.

Are highly organized, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple workstreams simultaneously.