Product Manager – State Program Administrator Principal

Job Description

**Job Details**
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**Working Title: Product Manager**

**Job Class: State Program Administrator Principal**

**Agency: Department of Employment and Economic Development**

* **Job ID**: 79034
* **Location**: St. Paul
* **Telework Eligible**: Yes, may be eligible to telework up to four (4) days per week
* **Full/Part Time**: Full-Time
* **Regular/Temporary**: Unlimited
* **Who May Apply**: This vacancy is open for bids and for all qualified job seekers simultaneously. Bidders will be considered through 8/9/2024
* **Date Posted**: 8/3/2024
* **Closing Date**: 8/16/2024
* **Hiring Agency/Seniority Unit**: Employ & Econ Development Dept / Employ & Economic Dev-MAPE
* **Division/Unit**: Paid Family & Medical Leave / PFML-Management
* **Work Shift/Work Hours**: Day Shift
* **Days of Work**: Monday – Friday
* **Travel Required**: No
* **Salary Range:** $31.92 – $47.05 / hourly; $66,648 – $98,240 / annually
* **Classified Status**: Classified
* **Bargaining Unit/Union**: 214 – MN Assoc of Professional Empl/MAPE
* **FLSA Status**: Exempt – Professional
* Designated in Connect 700 Program for Applicants with Disabilities: Yes

### **The work you’ll do is more than just a job.**

At the State of Minnesota, employees play a critical role in developing policies, providing essential services, and working to improve the well-being and quality of life for all Minnesotans. The State of Minnesota is committed to equity and inclusion, and invests in employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities.

**Job Summary**
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**About the Paid Leave Division:**

Paid Leave is a new program launching in 2026. The program will provide partial wage replacement to Minnesota workers who are out of work due to a qualifying condition, such as a severe health condition that prevents them from working, or when they need time to care for a family member or a new child.

We are building a program that will be easy for every Minnesotan to use. We are engaging the people who depend on us—workers, employers, caregivers, and insurers—to learn from them and build the program around their needs. We are using modern service delivery and product practices to deliver the program.

The Paid Leave team has high standards and an unrelenting commitment to serving Minnesotans. It is a start-up environment without legacy systems or preconceived ways of working, so we have a unique opportunity to create human-centric processes and systems to deliver this new benefit to Minnesotans.

**Position Purpose:**

We are looking for an energetic, self-motivated Product Manager who is excited to work through ambiguity and deliver exceptional user experiences & lasting value to Minnesotans.

The Product Manager will play a key role in helping us continue our innovative approach of building and delivering a modern, intuitive, easy-to-use Paid Leave Product and Program. You will collaborate closely with engineering teams, business stakeholders, and user experience design teams to develop the Paid Leave product. You will communicate and drive strategy as well as day-to-day decisions regarding product development and product releases.

**Key Responsibilities:**

* Lead the implementation of the product roadmap for your area. Socialize this roadmap with the engineers, designers, and business analysts to create alignment and focus within the team.
* Generate detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and supporting documentation required to translate business needs into product features.
* Lead prioritization for your backlog and regularly facilitate discussions with leadership around the “what, why, and how” of these decisions with supporting details.
* Collaborate with Design, Customer Engagement, Legal, and Policy teams to ensure the product is in-line with all relevant statutes, regulations, and rules while still meeting user and business needs.
* Anticipate product issues proactively and offer ideas and approaches to adoption of potential solutions.
* Define success metrics and consistently measure the impact of the team’s work.
* Work with Product Leadership, stakeholders, and architects to define product scope and prioritization and be flexible to iterate/change per latest developments to meet deadlines.
* Have a deep understanding of the “why” behind the work you and your team are doing and the impact it will make, regularly share and socialize this, generating energy and buy-in for the Paid Leave product.
* Communicate product updates and roadmap to stakeholders, leadership, and partners at a regular cadence.
* Participate in Agile ceremonies like sprint planning, daily scrums, product demos, test phases, retrospectives to ensure on time high quality delivery.

If you’re a leader passionate about customer experience, being part of a high-performing team, and making a difference in Minnesotan’s lives, we want to hear from you!

This posting may be used to fill multiple positions.

**Qualifications**
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### **Minimum Qualifications**

**To receive credit for your education and experience, your resume should clearly describe how you meet each minimum and/or preferred qualification listed, including dates of employment.**

Three (3) years* of experience in a Product Manager/Product Owner role, or a combination of years in a Product Manager/Product Owner role and a Business Analyst role focused on Product.

* Bachelor’s degree in Product Management, Public Policy, Business, Communications, or other closely related field as determined by the agency may substitute one (1) year of experience; master’s degree substitutes for eighteen (18) months of experience

Applicants that meet the above minimum qualification will be further evaluated on the following:

Experience determining and communicating the critical next steps needed to create and maintain momentum on a project.

Experience building strong, positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Experience working as a Product Manager or Business Analyst within an agile product team.

Experience writing clear, complete user stories with acceptance criteria and supporting documentation.

Ability to prioritize work and clearly communicate your prioritization strategy.

### **Preferred Qualifications**

Experience building a product from 0-1.

Experience influencing without authority to drive alignment and buy-in.

Our employees are dedicated to ensuring cultural responsiveness. Preferred candidates will have a variety of experiences working effectively with others from different backgrounds and cultures.

### **Additional Requirements**

This position requires successful completion of the following:

Resumes of all applicants to this posting will be evaluated against the Minimum Qualifications stated above. If your skills match the required skills for this position, the department may contact you. Employee reference checks will be conducted on all finalists. This may include a review of documentation related to job performance and education. It includes contact with the applicant’s current and/or former employers.

A Criminal Background Check will be conducted on all finalists for this position. A criminal conviction will not automatically remove you from consideration for employment.

When the position requires travel and the applicant drives a state owned or leased vehicle, a driver’s license record check will be conducted.

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

**Application Details**
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### **How to Apply**

Select “Apply for Job” at the top of this page. If you have questions about applying for jobs, contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us. For additional information about the application process, go to http://www.mn.gov/careers.

### **Contact**

If you have questions about this position, contact Tim High at tim.high@state.mn.us or 651-259-7660.

To receive consideration as a Connect 700 Program applicant, apply online, email the Job ID#, the Working Title and your valid Proof of Eligibility Certificate by the closing date to Talent Acquisition at talent.acquisition.deed@state.mn.us.

The Department of Employment and Economic Development is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, and veteran-friendly employer, and encourages all qualified candidates to apply for job opportunities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application and search tools, please contact Karen Lilledahl at Karen.Lilledahl@state.mn.us. Please indicate what assistance is needed.

#### **Working together to improve the state we love.**

What do Minnesota’s State employees have in common?

* A sense of purpose in their work
* Connection with their coworkers and communities
* Opportunities for personal and professional growth

#### **Benefits**

As an employee, you’ll have access to one of the most affordable health insurance plans in Minnesota, along with other benefits to help you and your family be well.

#### **Your benefits may include:**

* Paid vacation and sick leave
* 12 paid holidays each year
* Low-cost medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug plans
+ Fertility care, including IVF
+ Diabetes care
+ Dental and orthodontic care for adults and children
* 6 weeks paid leave for parents of newborn or newly adopted children
* Pension plan that provides income when you retire (after working at least three years)
* Employer paid life insurance to provide support for your family in the event of death
* Short-term and long-term disability insurance that can provide income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury
* Tax-free expense accounts for health, dental, and dependent care
* Resources that provide support and promote physical, emotional, social, and financial well-being

#### **Support to help you reach your career goals:**

* Training, classes, and professional development
* Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid website at studentaid.gov)

#### **Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for work/life support:**

* A voluntary confidential program that helps employees and their families with life challenges that may impact overall health, personal well-being, or job performance
* Common sources of stress can be addressed through the EAP: mental health, relationship challenges (personal and work), grief and loss, finances, and legal issues
* Daily Living/Convenience Services: Chore services, home repair, trip planning, child/elder care

**Programs, resources and benefits eligibility varies** based on type of employment, agency, funding availability, union/collective bargaining agreement, location, and length of service with the State of Minnesota.

**EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERS**

Minnesota state agencies are equal opportunity, affirmative action, and veteran-friendly employers. State agencies are committed to creating a workforce that reflects the diversity of the state and strongly encourages persons of color and Indigenous communities, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply. The varied experiences and perspectives of employees strengthen the work we do together and our ability to best serve Minnesotans.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and disabilities related to pregnancy or childbirth), gender identity, gender expression, marital status, familial status, age, sexual orientation, status regarding public assistance, disability, veteran status or activity in a local Human Rights Commission or any other characteristic protected by law.

**APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES**

Minnesota state agencies make reasonable accommodations to their employees and applicants with disabilities. If you have a disability and need assistance in searching or applying for jobs with the State of Minnesota, call the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us and let us know the support you need.

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