Product Owner – ESG Research Platform

Let’s be #BrilliantTogether

Position overview

This person will be a key member of the Research Platform Development team, focused on gathering and drafting requirements for our internal data collection platform E3 for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) research. They will work closely with research and development teams across the globe, mostly with colleagues in Sweden, the Philippines, India, and the US to ensure alignment between development and research priorities.
As a solution-oriented and creative project manager with experience in ESG research and/or responsible investments, this person will take great responsibility for both complex and simple tasks. They will also track and manage requirements that inform platform development and research strategies. As a member of a global team, they will develop and maintain productive working relationships across geographic regions, ensuring successful project execution and collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

User Support & Issue Management

▪ Function as the first line for answering user questions, investigating bugs, and ensuring timely resolution.
▪ Provide regular status updates.
Project Initiation & Management
▪ Initiate projects and ensure proper scoping of features in collaboration with the development team and other stakeholders.
▪ Work with dev team to assign Levels of Effort (LOEs) to upcoming projects and submit these to stakeholders.
▪ Follow up with stakeholders for clarifications and signoffs on key project milestones.
Collaboration with Research & Data Operations
▪ Work closely with the ESG Research Operations and Data Operations teams to coordinate efforts and assign tickets.
▪ Sync the E3 Azure DevOps Board with the Enhancement List (Data Operations), EDS Board (Data Operations) and E3R Board (ESG Research Operations) to ensure all enhancements are captured and attend relevant meetings.
Backlog & Sprint Management
▪ Formulate and add user stories to the backlog and ensure they align with the E3 Board and business goals.
▪ Allocate tickets to sprints, assign estimates in Azure DevOps, and communicate estimated timelines for the quarterly bucket.
▪ Plan sprints, prioritize tasks, and align priorities with the overall Roadmap call prioritizations.
Specifications & Testing
▪ Work with teams to define detailed specifications, ensuring no scenarios are left out.
▪ Sign-off on Business Requirement Documents, Test Plans, and stories before marking them as complete.
▪ Coordinate testing feedback to ensure sign-off from relevant teams before deployment.
Stakeholder Communication & Approvals
▪ Present internal projects to the PRB (Project Review Board) and coordinate with various stakeholders.

▪ Ensure all required sign-offs (internal and external) are collected before moving tickets through different stages (e.g., Ready to Test).
▪ Coordinate ad-hoc demos for new features with current users and teams using E3 for the first time.
E3 Board & Documentation
▪ Maintain the E3 Board, ensuring all tasks are captured, correctly prioritized, and tracked.
Update Epics, Features, Stories, and Tasks as necessary.
▪ Keep track of ongoing ad-hoc projects.
▪ Ensure project and ticket progress is reflected accurately on the board and communicated to stakeholders.
User Entitlements & Bulk Actions
▪ Manage user entitlements, adding new users, inactivating users, and updating roles as necessary.
▪ Assist users with bulk actions and create ad-hoc scripts to support their work on the E3 platform.
Reporting & Communication
▪ Email stakeholders with updates on ticket progress, ensuring smooth communication and transparent project timelines.
▪ Update the E3 RCMB Board and sync with the Data Strategy & ESG Operations team on project milestones and specifications.
Sprint Planning & Team Coordination
▪ Hold planning group meetings with the E3 development team to prioritize tasks and ensure the team understands the requirements.
▪ Follow up with stakeholders for clarifications and ensure external deadlines are met.

Desired Skills & Qualifications

▪ Proven experience as a Product Owner, ideally with platform-based projects or similar roles in ESG research, enterprise systems, or data operations.
▪ Strong project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple concurrent projects, deadlines, and stakeholder expectations.
▪ Excellent time-management, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with a creative approach to challenges.
▪ Highly motivated, proactive, and team-oriented, with strong leadership skills and initiative.
▪ Proficiency in tools like Azure DevOps, Jira, or other project management platforms.

▪ Exceptional communication and collaboration skills to coordinate with internal and external teams.
▪ Strong understanding of Agile methodologies, backlog management, user stories, and sprint planning.
▪ Strong analytical mindset and the ability to scope out detailed specifications and technical requirements.
▪ Flexibility in adapting to project needs, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English, both written and verbal.
▪ Minimum of five years’ related working experience and a relevant degree.

#LI-TG1 #MIDSENIOR

What you can expect from us

Our people are the moving force behind ISS STOXX. We are dedicated to hiring the best, most talented people in our industry and empowering them with the resources and support to enhance their career, health, financial and personal well-being. 

We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. We are invested in our people and are working every day to ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

Let’s empower, collaborate, and inspire one another. 

Let’s be #BrilliantTogether.

About ISS STOXX

ISS STOXX GmbH is a leading provider of research and technology solutions for the financial market. Established in 1985, we offer top-notch benchmark and custom indices globally, helping clients identify investment opportunities and manage portfolio risks. Our services cover corporate governance, sustainability, cyber risk, and fund intelligence. Majority-owned by Deutsche Börse Group, ISS STOXX has over 3,400 professionals in 33 locations worldwide, serving around 6,400 clients, including institutional investors and companies focused on ESG, cyber, and governance risk. Clients trust our expertise to make informed decisions for their stakeholders' benefit. 

The Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (SACO) is a politically independent central organization for 22 unions comprising university graduates in Sweden. You are welcome to contact the local representatives of SACO at ISS-Ethix on [email protected]. However, note that no applications sent to this e-mail address will be accepted.

Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. It is our policy to prohibit discrimination or harassment against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, sex, age, height, weight, citizenship status, national origin, social origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, pregnancy status, marital status, familial status, mental or physical disability, veteran status, military service or status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law (referred to as “protected status”). All activities including, but not limited to, recruiting and hiring, recruitment advertising, promotions, performance appraisals, training, job assignments, compensation, demotions, transfers, terminations (including layoffs), benefits, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, are and will be administered on a non-discriminatory basis, consistent with all applicable federal, state, and local requirements.