Product Owner II

As one of the leading writers of Federal Crop Insurance, AgriSompo North America combines industry experience, resources, capital and talent to deliver both traditional and innovative crop insurance and productivity tools to farmers, ranchers, insurers and agribusinesses in the United States. Our organization operates within a culture rooted in ethics, integrity and a belief that accountability, collaboration and agility are crucial to long-term success. AgriSompo North America is a part of AgriSompo, Sompo International’s global agriculture platform. This platform is an integrated underwriting, technology and distribution platform delivering innovate insurance and reinsurance solutions to agriculture partners worldwide.  Sompo International, AgriSompo’s parent company, is a global organization driven by its core values, a carrier that holds promise, trust and the commitment to protect.  Through operating subsidiaries, Sompo International writes agriculture, casualty and other specialty, professional lines, property, marine/energy and aviation lines of insurance and catastrophe, property, casualty, professional lines and specialty lines of reinsurance.As a leading provider of crop insurance and other agricultural risk management tools, we recognize that our success is derived directly from those whose contributions matter most: our people. AgriSompo North America has major offices in Lenexa, Kansas and Des Moines, Iowa as well as regional offices around the country.  A shared commitment to integrity, accountability, collaboration and agility define our culture, and we strive to create exceptional value for our clients and shareholders and maintain AgriSompo North America as a desirable place to work.

Job Description

AgriNet is a suite of proprietary software agents use in the deliverance of the Federal Crop Insurance Program.  The Product Owner plays a pivotal role in the development and sustainment of this software by:

·       Remaining in constant contact with upper management to be apprised of operational priorities

·       Evaluating programs & procedures which must be modified to achieve operational priorities

·       Serving as an operational liaison between subject-matter experts and programmers, providing guidance on how changes should be implemented

·       Providing operational expertise, materials, & support to users ensuring awareness of software changes

·       This position will work professionally and collaboratively with team members and other functional departments in support of system software and technology initiatives

Job Purpose:

To facilitate all aspects of the software development process so that it meets Operational objectives in the most efficient manner.

Duties:

• Remain informed of the current operational priorities through constant communications with management
• Remain informed as to the latest government regulations as they pertain to the deliverance of the Federal Crop Insurance Program
• Develop business requirements and documents for software development projects to ensure a consistent process for key projects
  • Research software enhancements and new software features
  • Ascertain needs of users and translate into business requirements specifications
  • Assist management in identifying complete scope of projects
  • Research and document scope and magnitude of potential projects
  • Identify and quantify potential impact of projects on related and non-related systems
• Provide developer teams with support and operational guidance during the development process
• Provide management information regarding developer utilization, backlog, & project progress
  • Track progress of development projects & report to management
  • Advise management by summarizing progress on key projects
  • Address concerns management has with the progress of projects
• Providing service to end users, when needed
  • Assist in testing software enhancements
  • Assist in providing user support
  • Assist in generating marketing materials
  • Assist in training end users
• Be informed if end-users are experiencing difficulty or if further enhancements are required
• Promote interest in business excellence by publicizing key project results
  • Inform company employees by communicating the completion of key projects through featured releases
  • Resource for training & marketing materials detailing new software enhancements and improvements
• Be the subject matter expert of the software their assigned business unit utilizes
• Perform other duties as assigned.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to conform to the following:

• Perform quality work within deadlines with minimal supervision
• Interact professionally with other employees and customers
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
• Must exhibit excellent oral and written communication skills
• Must be well organized and able to multitask
• Must demonstrate an understanding of technical and operational processes
• Must be able to problem solve
• Should be experienced and professional in interpersonal interactions

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree is preferred; however, candidates with agricultural experience, highly detailed, or experience in customer service-driven environments may qualify.
• Degree in Related Field Preferred
  • Management Information Systems
  • Business
  • Agriculture

Experience:

• Previous Business Analyst / Product Owner Experience Ideal
• Related experience in Agriculture/Business Ideal
• Proficiency in Issue / Project Tracking Software (JIRA, etc.) preferred
• Strong technical skills and experience within the Crop Insurance field strongly preferred
• Maintains a positive attitude and high level of enthusiasm
• Upholds the highest standards of conduct, personal honesty, and integrity
• Position requires a problem solver and attention to detail
• Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize workload with minimal supervision.
• Excellent oral, written, and verbal communication skills
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills including PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Demonstrated commitment to completion of projects in a timely manner.
• Motivated, upbeat, positive, outgoing, personable, and able to relate well with all levels of diverse customer population
• Flexibility to work an occasional evening and/or weekend, as needed

Salary Range: $75,000 – $100,000 Actual compensation for this role will depend on several factors including the cost of living associated with your work location, your qualifications, skills, competencies, and relevant experience.

At Sompo, we recognize that the talent, skills, and commitment of our employees drive our success. This is why we offer competitive, high-quality compensation and benefit programs to eligible employees.

Our compensation program is built on a foundation that promotes a pay-for-performance culture, resulting in higher incentive awards, on average, when the Company does well and lower incentive awards when the Company underperforms. The total compensation opportunity for all regular, full-time employees is a combination of base salary and incentives that gets adjusted upfront based on overall Company performance with final awards based on individual performance.

We continuously evaluate and update our benefit programs to ensure that our plans remain competitive and meet the needs of our employees and their dependents. Below is a summary of our current comprehensive U.S. benefit programs:

• Two medical plans to choose from, including a Traditional PPO & a Consumer Driven Health Plan with a Health Savings account providing a competitive employer contribution
• Pharmacy benefits with mail order options
• Dental benefits including orthodontia benefits for adults and children
• Vision benefits
• Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Company-paid Life & AD&D benefits, including the option to purchase Supplemental life coverage for employee, spouse & children
• Company-paid Disability benefits with very competitive salary continuation payments
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with competitive employer contributions
• Competitive paid-time-off programs, including company-paid holidays
• Competitive Parental Leave Benefits & Adoption Assistance program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tax-Free Commuter Benefit
• Tuition Reimbursement & Professional Qualification benefits

In today’s world, what do we stand for?

Ethics and integrity are the foundation of delivering on our commitment to you. We believe that core values drive success, and that when relationships are held in the highest regard, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. At Sompo, our ring is more than a logo, it is a symbol of our promise. Click here to learn more about life at Sompo.

Sompo is an equal opportunity employer and we intentionally value inclusion and diversity. Above all, we want you to work in an environment that respects everyone’s unique contributions – we are passionately committed to equal opportunities. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex orientation, national origin, or age.