Job focus: Being a Product Owner by Nicolas Gron

The role of the Product Owner (PO) is, by essence, to maximize the value of a product and satisfy customer needs by directing and prioritizing the delivery of a high-quality product. At Whoz, this entails evolving our digital staffing solution. The objective is to provide clear visibility of their activities to IT service companies and consulting firms. With artificial intelligence disrupting the entire industry, Nicolas Gron, our Product Owner, explains the exciting challenges he contributes to addressing at Whoz.

Residing in the Paris region, Nicolas has been working as a Product Owner at Whoz for 4 years, an impressive longevity in the dynamic world of startups where talent retention is a real challenge. Drawing from his experience, Nicolas offers us his insightful perspective on the evolution of the profession and the industry.

Hello Nicolas, can you explain what your job at Whoz entails?

Nicolas Gron: “My role is to serve as a bridge between the technical team, the marketing team, and our clients. I coordinate a team of back-end and front-end developers to meet the demands and expectations of our clients. My tasks mainly focus on three axes:

• Designing different user journeys through mock-ups, prototypes, and user tests
• Collaborating with developers on feasibility and costs before they start the implementation phase
• Testing, validating, adjusting, and launching the product

The Whoz solution is a unique tool, so each improvement we make is made available to all our clients. In short, we must always think globally while ensuring quality is met.”

Can you talk about the organization within the team?

N.G.: “Each Product Owner manages a scope, or ‘backlog’, a kind of to-do list that helps prioritize the development of the product’s different features. The Product Owner enriches the product’s backlog by considering four factors: business value, realization effort, risk, and technical knowledge. At each stage or iteration, the backlog is evaluated, then presented to clients to ensure the final product meets their expectations. Within the team, we favor a horizontal structure. Our way of working is agile, with a Scrum Master ensuring the Scrum framework is respected. Our development cycles range from 2 weeks for the fastest to 2-3 months for the most substantial.”

What was your journey to this position?

N.G.: “I joined Whoz 4 years ago when we were just a small team. After a business school specializing in sports, I earned a Master’s degree in Finance. It was during this time that I met friends with whom I created an app, Five Goal, a kind of “sports booking.” That’s when I realized that my role in this entrepreneurial and digital adventure had a name: Product Owner. This is how I wanted to value my skills within a start-up like Whoz. 4 years ago, it was not necessary to have sharp technical skills. Today, it’s a considerable asset. It allows you to speak the developers’ language. In fact, it’s not uncommon today for developers to aspire to become Product Owners or vice versa.”

In your opinion, what are the key skills to practice this profession?

N.G.: “In my opinion, there are four:

• Thirst for learning: the consulting and IT services sector encompasses many business cases and different ways to use Whoz
• Rigor and organization
• A global vision of customer expectations to prioritize topics
• The ability to demystify his job and his needs to developers for efficient collaboration and vice versa.”

How do you see the future of your journey at Whoz?

N.G.: “Everything is accelerating and transforming! Whoz is growing and progressing, while the wave of artificial intelligence is revolutionizing our professions, with the adoption of technologies like ChatGPT or content generators. It is crucial to stay on top of these evolutions to always be one step ahead. Because this intelligent “casting engine” to assign the right talents to the right missions has been the heart of Whoz from the start.”

Everything you need to know about the Product Owner role at Whoz

Your Role
As a member of the Product team, you will be responsible for envisioning features that align with Whoz’s vision and customer needs, while ensuring adherence to the product roadmap.

Your Responsibilities
● Work in 15-day sprints following the Scrum methodology.
● Define the product vision, business indicators, associated value, and relevant process evolution.
● Own the Product Backlog and propose ways to maximize product value in terms of management control.
● Write and prioritize User Stories in the Product Backlog.
● Ensure that the development team considers the User Stories to the required level.
● Ensure the Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and clear to everyone.
● Provide acceptance criteria and validate developed User Stories.
● Involve end-users in the product development process.
● Provide change management elements to CSMs for users.

Your Profile
● Minimum 5 years of experience in a similar role.
● Strong communication skills.
● Proficiency in the Agile Scrum methodology.
● Good listening skills and ability to effectively gather key information.

Why Join Us?
Being part of the Whoz adventure means putting your skills and experience to work for an ambitious project. It also means being part of a collective where every voice matters and each individual contributes to the group’s success.

Interview Process

1. Initial discussion with our Talent Acquisition Manager.
2. Meeting with our Team Lead.
3. Meeting with our Head of Product.
4. Final conversation with our CEO.