Product Owner (Life Insurance industry)

Employment: Contractor / Full-Time Minimum experience: Experienced We are seeking an experienced  Product Owner to support the technical sustainability of current life insurance systems while advancing modernization solutions that eliminate reliance on legacy mainframe administration platforms. The role connects business objectives with technical execution through clear requirements, value-based backlog management and cross-functional collaboration.   Location:     LATAM 100% Remote . The preferred working hours are aligned to Central Time, roughly 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT. About Us : Abstra is a fast-growing, Nearshore Tech Talent services company, providing top Latin American tech talent to U.S. companies and beyond. Founded by U.S.-bred engineers with over 15 years of experience, Abstra specializes in sourcing skilled professionals across a wide range of technologies to meet our clients’ needs, driving innovation and efficiency. Responsibilities:   Partner with the Product Manager to define and communicate a product vision and roadmap aligned to business goals, technical sustainability and modernization outcomes.   Independently prioritize and manage the backlog , including features, user stories and acceptance criteria, balancing operational needs, technical debt, dependencies, constraints and business value.   Translate business needs into actionable requirements; partner with stakeholders, engineering and architecture to improve current-system supportability, address technology risks and align modernization scope, feasibility and outcomes.   Support life insurance conversion and modernization requirements, dependencies and acceptance criteria for transitions from legacy mainframes to current administration systems; coordinate validation, testing and operational readiness with attention to policy data, downstream impacts and service continuity.   Lead backlog refinement and requirements discussions; guide sprint planning and participate in Agile ceremonies to clarify priorities and support delivery.   Use data and success metrics to evaluate outcomes, communicate progress, identify gaps, escalate risks and adjust priorities.   Collaborate with UX/UI and engineering teams on usable, technically viable solutions; advocate for continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) principles to improve delivery and product quality.   Build strong partnerships , mentor team members, share knowledge and contribute to continuous team improvement.   Qualifications: Life insurance conversion experience moving policies from legacy mainframe platforms to current administration systems, including requirements, data mapping and reconciliation, testing, cutover and post-conversion stabilization.   Experience supporting technical sustainability, modernization and legacy system retirement while maintaining business continuity.   Financial services experience and knowledge of life insurance administration.   Experience in scaled Agile framework environments and with Azure DevOps or similar tools.   Technical background in mainframe technologies.  Experience with Scaled Agile (SAFe). Bachelor's degree in Information Systems , Business Administration or a related field; Product Owner certification.   What We Offer: Competitive compensation paid in USD. 20 days of paid time off (PTO) per year. Opportunities for professional growth and career development. Company-provided equipment. A collaborative, inclusive, and multicultural work environment. The opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects alongside a talented and supportive team. Pre-Employment Verification As part of our standard onboarding process, candidates who successfully complete the interview process and accept an employment offer will be required to complete an employment verification check, and background check. This process will confirm job titles and dates of employment with two previous employers and is a standard requirement for all new employees joining the company.