Job Description
**Purpose of the Role & Team Profile **
The Product Owner will be the bridge connecting customer needs, business strategy, and technology capabilities. In this role, you will ensure that the product(s) in your remit are being developed and supported in line with the vision and goals of Informa. You’ll help to drive a customer-centric delivery model, thinking in ‘products’ not ‘projects’ and always focused on delivering incremental chunks of business and customer value.
For roughly the first six months you will focus specifically on optimizing the relationship, backlog, and operation of a third party exhibitor management solution before expanding your remit to either multiple related solutions or solutions in other event capability areas.
Key interactions
Events Technology Operations Team
Reporting to Senior Product Owner in CTech’s Events Technology Operations team
Shared process development, learning, and problem solving with the growing product operations team
Supporting Technology Teams
Partnering with CTech Content & Media and Marketing Technology practices to design exceptional customer experiences
Delivering high quality solution design and shippable software with CTech Solutions Architecture and Engineering centres of excellence
Steering contract negotiations with Procurement partners
Designing and implementing ITSM plans with Service Management teams
Internal Event Teams
Collaborating with event brand and operations teams to prioritize backlogs and refine user stories
Driving lasting change with Technology Business Partners
Suppliers and Vendors
Influencing supplier roadmaps
Ensuring on time and on spec delivery
Key Areas of Responsibility/Accountability
Supplier Management:
Develop and maintain strong relationships with suppliers to ensure seamless event technology delivery, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
Communicate prioritized roadmap to vendor, ensuring alignment between Informa’s ambitions and the platform vision.
Monitor and assess supplier performance, proactively addressing any issues or escalations.
Identify, evaluate, and contract with technology suppliers/vendors specializing in event technology solutions.
Facilitate the collaboration and communication between suppliers/vendors, ensuring resources and responsibilities are clearly stated and objectives met.
Backlog Management:
Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to prioritize technology projects and initiatives that enhance event experiences.
Develop and maintain a technology backlog that aligns with the unique needs of our events and conferences.
Define clear project requirements and timelines, tracking progress to ensure on-time delivery for each event.
Continuously monitor progress and adjust roadmaps as needed to accommodate changing event priorities or circumstances.
Regularly report progress and results to senior leadership and stakeholders, highlighting areas of success and opportunities for improvement.
Delivery Management
Develop and maintain platform resources and engagement documentation, ensuring those are made available to the necessary business partners
Be fluent in the platforms’ roadmap and Informa’s role in it.
Ensure the integrity and compliance of data collected through the technologies in your remit and data flows through the technology stack.
Collaborate and support product managers in identifying alternative solutions if requirements cannot be met through enhancement of an existing approved solution.
Maintain visibility of the external technology partners’ progress against plan to deliver change on scope, on time, and on cost.
Act as advisor and SME to additional areas of the Informa business who engage with the digital event platform.
IT Service Management:
Establish and maintain IT service management processes and best practices tailored to event technology in partnership with Informa’s ITSM department.
Ensure the availability, performance, and security of event technology systems and services.
Rapidly respond to and resolve IT service incidents and requests to guarantee a smooth event experience.
Implement continuous improvement initiatives to elevate the quality of event technology services.
Key Outputs and Outcomes
Informa continually increases its return on technology investment
Supplier value is maximized through increased utility and responsible expenditures
A minimum number of suppliers are in play to deliver common needs
Time to market is minimized through intelligent integration, planning, and delivery
Suppliers’ roadmaps are supportive of Informa’s event technology vision
Suppliers are well versed in Informa’s event technology vision and their roll in it
Suppliers are delivering enhancements aligned with that vision
When alignment is not possible, alternative solutions are actively sought out
Internal stakeholders are informed, educated, and confident in their event technology
Event leaders have an up-to-date view of anticipated deliverables for the upcoming twelve months (0-6 months details, 6-12 months thematic)
Enhancement demands are following a prescribed process for qualification, planning, and delivery/rejection
Event team members have sufficient lines of support and training on new and existing capabilities
Event teams members are confident that the technology is secure and operational risk is minimised through a multi-layered service management plan
Measures of Success
Technology adoption
% of events are using provided solutions
% of events implementing new features
Process adherence
Issue management
Mean time to issue resolution
Frequency and outcomes of ITSM plan testing
Qualifications
Collaborative and communicative
Effective and demonstrable interpersonal and collaboration skills.
Strong verbal and written English language communication skills with the ability to articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and summarize and report information.
Excellent facilitation, communication, and presentation skills with the ability to simplify and clearly communicate complex requirements.
Ability to work as part of matrix and virtual teams that include senior stakeholders, business and technology subject matter experts, and external partners.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally <10%
Ability to work out of normal hours in support of international teams 10-20%
Organized and driven
Being methodical, detail-oriented and capable of delivering a high level of accuracy.
Delivery and outcomes oriented, ensure delivery to deadlines.
Ability to multitask and prioritize a large volume of work effectively.
Ability to think ahead and anticipate problems, issues, and solutions.
Influential
Ability to influence, engage and motivate teams, developing a sense of teamwork and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Flexible ‘can do’ approach to business challenges.
High integrity - able to deal with highly confidential and market sensitive information.
Experienced in Technology Management
Demonstrable experience as a digital technologist, project manager or product owner.
Experience in managing a product backlog, prioritizing, and grooming it as necessary to maximize business outcomes, preferably in the event management, SaaS, or technology industry
Experience working within global organizations across time zones and in virtual teams, with the flexibility to adjust working hours when necessary.
A general understanding of software integration approaches.
Proficiency in common project management tools a plus
Educated to degree level (or qualified by experience).
This posting will automatically expire on April 1, 2024
Additional Information
Why work at Informa
Employee experience is very important to us at Informa. On top of joining a supportive, diverse and ambitious team that welcomes all types of candidates. We are also flexible with different working patterns and prioritizes promotions internally. Our benefits include:
We know that sometimes the 'perfect candidate' doesn't exist, and that people can be put off applying for a job if they don't fit all the requirements. If you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need! We believe strongly in the value of diversity and creating supportive, inclusive environments where our colleagues can succeed. As such, Informa is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other protected characteristics under federal, state or local law.
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