Agile Product Owner Senior Manager - Express Scripts - Hybrid

The Senior Manager - Business Product Owner (BPO) of Clinical Tools within the Pharmacy Benefit Services (PBS) will be responsible for collaboration with internal BPO team members along with key business and technology partners across the enterprise to deliver custom technology projects for our stakeholders and/or clients that enable company growth, reduced operating costs, and improved customer satisfaction.  This role has direct alignment with key organizational strategies to deliver affordable, predictable, and simple solutions to both our external and internal customers.

The Senior Manager will lead and support the following:

• A team of clinical Business Product Owners responsible for driving new and enhanced software development for clinical, formulary and drug coverage platforms.

• BPO team leadership responsibilities including staff training and development, coaching and growing the team.

• Foster a positive team environment while maintaining a high degree of accountability and service delivery.

• Talent decisions & ongoing team performance consisting of quarterly check-ins and mid-year/annual performance feedback.

• Provide regular updates to Director and key cross-functional stakeholders via appropriate metrics, high-level product overviews, dashboard updates, product roadmaps, project management updates, etc.

• Collaborate with the Director to define team goals, continuous improvement opportunities, and strategic plans for continued evolution.

• Drive improved automation and ensure AI adoption across the team.

• Hold the team accountable to meet all department expectations, support the overall BPO process and ensure successful delivery of all approved work.

• Support team process development & improvement opportunities.

• Drive standard documentation methodologies across the agile development process and for product tool releases and user support.

• Mitigate escalations/concerns/issues on behalf of direct team, identifying accountability and alternate strategies to deliver timely solutions and successful outcomes to the business.

Knowledge and Abilities: 

• Strong leadership, project management, strategic thinking and organizational skills.

• Solid understanding of clinical, pharmaceutical and regulatory business to drive the technology requirements for new and enhanced clinical tools.

• Highly self-driven, requiring no direction and proactively takes initiative to solve complex challenges with minimal guidance or day-to-day direction.

• Strong sense of accountability to ensure the team delivers prioritized and optimal technology solutions for the organization.

• Skilled at agile delivery techniques and leading BPO team through competing priorities, multiple timelines and deadlines, removing roadblocks, driving a sense of urgency when needed, mitigating issues/risks and adjusting to ensure forward progress.

• Experience prioritizing backlogs, maintaining product roadmaps and facilitating PI planning events

• Successfully drives innovative solutions with a strategic and enterprise-wide mindset, approaching problems creatively and effectively.

• Builds networks and embraces stakeholder alignment with technology and business teams to drive strong collaboration and accountability across teams.

• Ability to resolve stakeholder conflicts via prioritization of work based on value and criticality to the organization.

• Exhibits exceptional analytical skills, deeply questioning assumptions and exploring all possible outcomes.

• Proactively anticipates future challenges and opportunities, developing and implementing preventative measures or innovative solutions well in advance to drive team efficiencies and improve outcomes.

• Readily adapts to uncertainty, changing priorities and demands with a positive attitude and minimal disruption to the team, demonstrating agility and situational adaptability in dynamic environments.

• Strategically delegates and directs work on their team to maximize department performance and development. Anticipates the broader team needs and proactively aligns assignments with individual strengths and growth opportunities.

• Sets clear expectations for the team, monitors progress and removes barriers to success. Empowers team members to take ownership.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills across various levels of the organization.

• Ability to perform advanced data analysis to support proposals of potential solutions preferred. Advanced Excel skills a plus.

• Advanced ability to create polished and professional PowerPoint presentations and present these across large audiences and to leadership; Conveys ideas in a well-structured manner.

• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to build and maintain relationships, work well in a team, and influence others.

• Maintain knowledge on new technology trends, AI solutions and techniques and protocols. Proactively pursues a range of development options showing enthusiasm for learning and self-development.

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma required.

• BA/BS degree required preferably in Technology, Pharma or related field.

• PharmD certification or clinical experience strongly preferred.

• 7+ years of experience in an Agile Product Ownership role, preferably in the PBM or Pharmacy industry.

• 2+ years of people leadership with strong coaching and mentoring skills.

• Ability to operate within a fast-paced work environment with frequently changing priorities.

• Quality and execution focused to deliver timely and successful outcomes.

• Excellent organizational skills with a strong passion for challenging the status quo.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills required.

• Advanced Microsoft skills in as Excel, PowerPoint and Word.