IT Product Owner (UAEN)

About This Role

Our client is a global leader in premium aluminium, operating across the full value chain from bauxite mining to aluminium production and recycling. With a presence on 4 continents, we employ 7,000+ people, including 1,200+ UAE Nationals, and run smelters, a refinery, a bauxite mine, and export operations worldwide.

The Product Owner defines the product roadmap and strategic vision, aligned with overall business goals. They understand the market, engage key stakeholders, manage cross-team dependencies, and build strategic partnerships. They ensure user feedback and business value drive product development and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities:

• Define and communicate a clear, ambitious product vision to stakeholders, the team, and the wider unit, ensuring alignment with overall strategy.
• Drive end-to-end delivery of team output from concept to production, managing multiple concurrent projects, backlog items, and business change elements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to align digital products with team strategy and requirements, building strong relationships and employing structured engagement plans.
• Own product-specific KPIs post-production, track performance, and report progress to senior management through established channels.
• Translate market insights and user needs into user stories and acceptance criteria, maintaining a backlog 3-4 sprints ahead, and integrating usability research to enhance customer-driven design.
• Lead and coordinate change initiatives, manage project risks, issues, and dependencies, and ensure strategic delivery roadmaps are maintained.
• Manage resources and internal coordination, including planning with other departments and directing third-party providers (vendors, consultants) to deliver on time, quality, and budget.
• Facilitate Agile team activities, including daily collaboration, release planning, and weekly demos, ensuring momentum, scope, timeframe, and budget adherence.
• Apply governance proportionate to project scale, managing projects from idea through delivery and closure while maintaining accurate estimation and resource planning.
• Align outward-facing product requirements with stakeholder expectations, ensuring all initiatives meet business objectives and customer satisfaction.
• Operate within broadly defined policies and objectives, independently determining priorities, plans, and processes to achieve goals.
• Actions impacting other functional areas typically require approval, while day-to-day backlog management and delivery decisions are made autonomously.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or relevant business field.
• Certified in Project Management (PMP, PRINCE2, Agile Project Management, or equivalent).
• 7+ years overall, including 4+ years in metals, mining, or energy sectors.
• Proven experience leading Agile projects as Product Owner or Scrum Master, managing complex business change, data transformation, and diverse change portfolios.
• Experienced in full project delivery lifecycle, vendor/consultant management, and cross-functional collaboration with design, tech, and business teams.
• Exposure to advanced analytics, digital, automation, IT/control systems, and technology stacks such as Azure, Power BI, Python, R, SQL, Synapse, and Big Data is a plus.
• Proficient in Agile delivery: backlog grooming, user story creation, acceptance criteria, sprint planning, release planning, and facilitating ceremonies.
• Skilled in UX/UI collaboration to ensure user-centered design.
• Strong planning, prioritization, and risk management, able to anticipate challenges ahead.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication, influencing senior business and IT leaders.
• Flexible in balancing strategic discussions with hands-on team coaching and delivery.