Product Owner

The SouthState story is one of steady growth, deep community roots, and an unwavering commitment to helping our customers move forward. Since our beginnings in the 1930s to becoming a trusted financial partner across the South and beyond - we are known for combining personal relationships with forward-thinking solutions.

We are committed to helping our team members find their success while maintaining the integrity of our values: building trust, fostering lasting relationships and pursuing excellence. At SouthState, individual contributions are recognized, potential is cultivated and team members are inspired to achieve their greater purpose. Your future begins here!

Summary

The Product Owner is responsible for owning and managing the product backlog for assigned Commercial nCino product areas. This role partners closely with the Lead Product Owner, business stakeholders, and technology teams to translate business needs into clear, actionable backlog items that align with product strategy, business capabilities, and platform standards.

Operating within an agile product model, the Product Owner focuses on execution‑level prioritization, stakeholder engagement, and delivery readiness to ensure high‑quality outcomes.

Duties & Responsibilities

Product Backlog Ownership

• Own and manage the product backlog for assigned nCino product areas

• Translate business needs into well‑defined backlog items, user stories, and acceptance criteria

• Prioritize backlog items based on business value, risk, dependencies, and capacity

• Ensure backlog items are refined, ready, and sequenced appropriately for delivery

Product Execution & Delivery Support

• Partner with delivery teams to support sprint and release execution

• Clarify scope, intent, and acceptance criteria throughout delivery

• Participate in refinement, planning, reviews, and retrospectives as needed

• Identify and surface risks, dependencies, and delivery challenges early

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as the primary product contact for business stakeholders at the execution level

• Gather input, feedback, and validation to inform backlog priorities

• Communicate progress, changes, and tradeoffs clearly and consistently

• Escalate delivery or priority conflicts through the Lead Product Owner as needed

Solution Alignment & Readiness

• Partner with Architecture, Data, and Engineering teams during solution shaping

• Ensure backlog items and solutions align to defined business capabilities and platform standards

• Support testing and validation activities by clarifying expected outcomes

• Contribute to release readiness, documentation, and change communication

Agile & Operating Model Adherence

• Operate within the established product and agile operating model

• Follow standard intake, prioritization, and refinement practices

• Continuously improve backlog quality and execution effectiveness

• Support consistent application of product practices across teams

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage workload across competing priorities and deliverables

• Communicate effectively with business and technology partners

• Participate in knowledge sharing and continuous improvement activities

• Represent the product organization in a professional and collaborative manner

• Product Backlog Ownership & Refinement

• Sprint & Delivery Execution Support

• Stakeholder Engagement (Execution Level)

• Solution Alignment & Readiness

• Agile & Operating Model Alignment

• Administrative & Professional Responsibilities

• It is the responsibility of this role to take ownership of all tasks and challenges that they encounter in the operation of their assigned position.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Qualifications

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Minimum Experience

• 4+ years of experience in FinTech or other software delivery environment

• 4+ years of experience in a Product Owner, Business Analyst, or similar role

• Experience working in agile delivery environments required

• Experience in financial services or regulated industries preferred

• Experience with nCino LOS

• Strong background in Commercial Lending (loan origination, underwriting, credit, lending operations)

• Experience in financial services or regulated environments

• Proven experience supporting transformational initiatives with lending or credit practices

• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with Business, Technology, Operations, and Risk partners

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and requirement gathering skills

• Experience writing user stories, defining acceptance criteria, and managing technology delivery in an agile environment

• Excellent communication skills and ability to translate complex workflows into clear, actionable requirements

Licenses & Certifications (Preferred, Not Required)

• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) or equivalent

• Salesforce Platform - Administrator

• nCino – Commercial lending

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Understanding of agile product ownership and delivery practices

• Knowledge of backlog management and prioritization techniques

• Familiarity with solution design concepts and business capability alignment

• Awareness of SDLC, risk, and compliance requirements in regulated environments

• Knowledge of commercial banking processes and platforms preferred

• Strong backlog grooming and requirements definition skills

• Ability to facilitate conversations around scope, priorities, and tradeoffs

• Effective stakeholder communication and collaboration skills

• Strong organizational and analytical skills

• Ability to work effectively within cross‑functional delivery teams

• Ability to translate business needs into actionable backlog items

• Ability to ensure solutions align to business capabilities and platform standards

• Ability to operate effectively in fast‑paced, iterative environments

• Ability to identify risks and escalate appropriately

• Ability to balance competing stakeholder needs within delivery constraints

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Physical Demands

• Ability to communicate in person, on the phone, and through electronic channels

• Ability to use a computer on a frequent basis, including typing and sustained attention to a monitor

• Ability to sit, walk, and/or stand for extended periods of time

• Ability to bend and reach

Work Environment

• Office: This position reports to a physical Company location, and the setting will be a typical office environment.

• Remote or hybrid: For remote or hybrid positions, a secure and distraction-free setting is required, with a reliable internet connection (cable or fiber preferred, mobile hotspots not acceptable).  Hybrid positions will report to a physical Company location, as directed by the manager, and that setting will be a typical office environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disabled/veterans.