Starr Insurance Companies is a leading insurance and investment organization, providing commercial property and casualty insurance, including travel and accident coverage, to almost every imaginable business and industry in virtually every part of the world.
Cornelius Vander Starr established his first insurance company in Shanghai, China in 1919. Today, we are one of the world’s fastest growing insurance organizations, capable of writing in 128 countries on 6 continents.
Starr Companies is a globally recognized insurance and investment organization with a rich history dating back to 1919. Our commitment to innovation drives us to continuously improve our tools and technologies. We're looking for an IT Product Owner to play a pivotal role in reshaping our software for underwriters and staff. If you're passionate about creating durable, industry-leading solutions and want to work with a team of dedicated developers, your expertise is needed here.
Why Join Starr Companies?
At Starr Companies, our software development team pride ourselves on fostering a culture of excellence where merit, innovation, and collaboration are at the forefront. We believe in empowering our employees to grow professionally and contribute to the success of our global mission. Here's what you can expect working with us:
- Merit-Based Environment: We are committed to recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance, ensuring that the best ideas and contributions are always given the opportunity to shine.
- Innovative Spirit: Continuous improvement is part of our DNA. We encourage creative problem-solving and the exploration of new technologies to stay ahead in our industry.
- Collaborative Teamwork: Our team is our greatest asset. We work together in a supportive atmosphere that values open communication and perspectives.
- Professional Growth: We invest in our employees through professional development opportunities, training programs, and a culture that promotes career advancement.
Job Summary:
The Product Owner / IT Director is a strategic leader responsible for maximizing the value of technology products and platforms that support core insurance operations. Acting as the bridge between business stakeholders and the IT delivery team, this role defines product vision, prioritizes features, and ensures solutions align with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and customer needs. The Director will assume full accountability for assigned product environments and related projects, serving as the singular point of responsibility for their overall success.
Key Responsibilities
Product Vision & Strategy
- Develop and communicate a clear product vision and roadmap aligned with business strategy, regulatory requirements, and market trends.
- Inform product strategy and feature prioritization.
- Collaborate with executives and business stakeholders (Underwriting, Claims, Policy Administration, Actuarial, etc.) to gather requirements and translate them into actionable user stories and product plans.
Backlog & Roadmap Management
- Own, prioritize, and maintain the product backlog, ensuring it is visible, transparent, and clear to all stakeholders.
- Refine and prioritize backlog items based on business value, risk, technical dependencies, and customer needs.
- Build and maintain project plans that anticipate blockers, manage dependencies, and keep momentum going.
Agile Delivery & Execution
- Serve as the primary point of contact for Agile development teams, providing clear guidance on feature prioritization and acceptance criteria.
- Participate in Agile ceremonies (Sprint Planning, Daily Stand-ups, Sprint Reviews, Retrospectives).
- Work closely with Scrum Masters, architects, engineers, and other product owners to plan and execute sprints, ensuring timely delivery of product features.
- Review and accept completed work, ensuring it meets business needs, acceptance criteria, and quality standards.
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
- Act as the voice of the customer, ensuring solutions meet user needs and deliver business value.
- Facilitate communication between business units, IT, vendors, and other stakeholders.
- Hold regular meetings with executive steering committees and key stakeholders to collaborate on strategies and key business objectives.
- Communicate progress, timelines, and changes to stakeholders at all levels.
Team Leadership & Management
- Manage and mentor a team of developers, analysts, and support personnel.
- Provide technical guidance, career development, and motivation to team members.
- Maintain high morale and foster a collaborative, high-performing team environment.
Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement
- Define and accept user stories and features, ensuring delivered solutions meet acceptance criteria andquality standards.
- Support user acceptance testing (UAT) and production rollout activities.
Job Requirements & Specifications
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or related field required.
- Advanced degree or relevant certifications (e.g., PO/PM, Scrum Master) preferred.
Experience:
- 5+ years of experience as a Product Owner or similar role in IT, preferably within the insurance industry.
- Proven track record of delivering digital products from concept to launch.
- Experience working with Agile/Scrum methodologies.
- Familiarity with property and casualty insurance processes and systems.
Technical Skills:
- Proficiency with product management and project management tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps, Confluence, Rally).
- Advanced proficiency in computer applications: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio.
- Understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC) and ability to translate business requirements into technical specifications.
- Technical proficiency and the ability to understand complex IT systems and architecture.
Soft Skills:
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Self-directed, proactive, and able to work independently as well as collaboratively.
For individuals assigned and/or hired to work in New York, Starr Insurance Companies is required by law to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets: experience and training: licensure and certifications: and other business and organizational needs. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $150,000 - $175,000.
Starr is an equal opportunity employer, which means we'll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We offer first class training and development opportunities to all employees. Our aim is to grow our own talent and bring out the best in people.
