Product Owner

Product Owner
0.8 to 1.0 FTE
Hybrid
Location: Nijkerk / Barendrecht
Immediate start

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We have ambitious software goals. We are building our own platform, further developing our ERP landscape, and increasingly automating the steps between design and print-ready files, with AI playing an ever-growing role. There is no shortage of ideas and no shortage of work.

We are looking for someone to help determine which problems we should solve first, why they are important, and what we need to build to address them.

As a Product Owner, you are the bridge between users, the organization, and development. You gather requirements from colleagues and customers, identify the underlying problems, and translate them into clear functional definitions, user stories, and acceptance criteria. You don't just accept requests at face value: you determine what is in and out of scope and prioritize the backlog based on value.

You interact daily with DTP specialists, account managers, planners, management, developers, and customers, all of whom speak their own professional language. You translate real-world problems into something the development team can act on.

In the coming period, the focus will be on our ERP project and the further development of our platform.

Product and development: distinct responsibilities

You will work closely with our Lead Developer. You determine what we build based on user value and business priorities; the Lead Developer determines the technical approach and capacity. You are not responsible for the technical management of the team. Within the agreed-upon product goals, you are responsible for the backlog—and you aren't afraid to say no.

AI as part of the product

For us, AI is not a separate experiment: think of automatic verification of texts and specifications, detecting differences between artwork versions, and smarter use of customer and production data. Together with users and stakeholders, you determine which applications take priority; the technical implementation lies with development and our AI specialists.

Your key responsibilities

• You gather requirements from colleagues and customers, map out work processes, and validate them with the people who actually perform the work.
• You translate problems and needs into clear functional definitions, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
• You manage and prioritize the backlog across multiple projects and development tracks, and justify those choices to management, the organization, and the development team.
• You oversee the scope and content of refinement, planning, and review sessions, working alongside the Lead Developer who manages the technical approach.
• You test and validate delivered features, guide implementations for colleagues and clients, and ensure that the problem has actually been solved after delivery.

What you bring to the table

• Bachelor's or Master's level of professional ability, with at least 3 to 5 years of experience as a Product Owner, business analyst, or functional administrator in a software environment.
• You turn vague requests into sharp functional definitions and justify why one item is prioritized over another on the backlog. "The business asked for it" is not an argument for you.
• You can explain a technical choice or limitation to someone without a software background, avoiding jargon without oversimplifying to the point of inaccuracy.
• You are comfortable saying no and can maintain an overview of multiple development tracks simultaneously.
• You have experience with agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban, and with tools like Jira, GitHub, or Azure DevOps.
• You have a realistic view of what AI can and cannot do, the drive to experiment with it yourself, and strong communication skills in both Dutch and English.

Technical knowledge is a major plus

You don't need to be able to program here, but a solid technical foundation helps you collaborate effectively with developers. Think of:

• Basic knowledge of relational databases and the distinction between frontend and backend.
• Basic knowledge of REST APIs and system integrations.

Experience that comes in handy

It is a plus if you have experience with one or more of the following:

• An ERP implementation or another company-wide system project.
• A software product used both internally and by external clients, where interests do not always align.
• Collaborating with external development partners alongside an internal team in an environment with complex business and production processes. Experience in guiding users through a system transition is also a plus.

Our domain

Affinity with packaging, print, or design is a plus, but not a requirement; you will learn our domain during your onboarding. What we do expect: curiosity about why a DTP specialist, account manager, or client does things a certain way.

What we offer you

• A role with real influence and a clear mandate: you largely determine which problems we solve and prioritize the backlog within the agreed-upon framework.
• Direct collaboration with our Lead Developer and short lines of communication with management. We are a 100-year-old family business, not a corporation with six layers of management.
• Direct contact with colleagues and clients, and collaboration with leading organizations such as Jumbo, Intergamma, FrieslandCampina, Riedel, and Bonduelle.
• A growing team, a hybrid work environment from Nijkerk or Barendrecht, and space and budget for the latest AI tools.
• Plenty of opportunities for training and personal development.
• €4,500 - €5,500 gross per month and excellent secondary employment benefits.

That's me!

Send your CV and cover letter to sollicitatie@volkers.nl and tell us about a project where you translated a user or organizational problem into working software. We are especially curious about how you arrived at the right solution and priorities.

Questions about the role? Call Dennis Jongejans, ICT Manager, at 033 247 29 72.

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