Product Owner for CKAN Services
Location: Home based, with minimal CET working hours overlap
Type of contract: Part-time Self Employment Contract (16 hrs per week)
Duration: Eight weeks starting immediately
Compensation: $300 per day, depending on experience
Reports to: Technical Lead & CEO
Open Knowledge Foundation
Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) is a global non-profit organisation focused on realising open data’s value to society by helping civil society groups access and use data to take action on social problems. Through teaching, creating and campaigning, it works for a fair, sustainable and open future for all. The wide range of projects we work on aim to give people access to data, the knowledge to understand it, and the power to use it in our everyday lives.
Desired Profile
We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Product Owner to spearhead the development of a CKAN instance for an international organisation. This pivotal project aims to establish a centralised platform for sharing geospatial and GIS data critical to disaster management. As the Product Owner, you will be the essential link between stakeholders and the development team, ensuring the platform aligns with the client-specific needs while meeting project timelines and budgetary constraints.
The initial goal is to deliver a functional product with light customisations tailored to the type of disaster management data shared by the end of April or the beginning of May.
In this role, you will drive the product lifecycle from requirements gathering to long-term evolution. Your immediate focus will be collaborating with stakeholders to define and prioritise features for the minimum viable product (MVP), ensuring a timely launch, and laying the groundwork for ongoing development over the next 1-2 years. This will involve managing the product backlog, facilitating agile development processes, and incorporating additional features and customisations post-launch as needs evolve.
The ideal candidate brings experience with CKAN or comparable data management platforms, a deep understanding of geospatial data and GIS systems, and a proven track record in agile methodologies. Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills are vital as you navigate complex interactions with government agencies, international organisations, and technical teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Requirements Gathering and Prioritization: Collaborate with the relevant stakeholders to identify their needs, translate these into actionable development tasks, and prioritise features for the MVP and future iterations.
- Agile Project Management: Leverage agile methodologies to oversee the product backlog, plan sprints, and ensure the development team delivers value efficiently and iteratively.
- Stakeholder Communication: Foster clear, consistent dialogue with all stakeholders, aligning expectations and maintaining consensus on project goals, timelines, and deliverables.
- Technical Oversight: Apply a working knowledge of CKAN, geospatial data, and GIS systems to guide development decisions effectively, even if not directly coding, ensuring the platform meets its intended purpose.
- Long-term Vision: Craft and maintain a strategic roadmap for the platform’s growth, anticipating future requirements and ensuring scalability and adaptability over the 1-2 year engagement.
Consultants need to have good connectivity and conduct the activities with their own equipment, including video conferencing equipment.
Closing date: March 15th 2025
How to apply
If you’d like to apply, please send your CV, your availability and a short cover note highlighting your interest in the role and outlining your suitability to jobs@okfn.org. The position will be filled on a rolling basis, so you might be contacted before the application deadline.
At Open Knowledge Foundation we are committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace and aim to cultivate and sustain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team. We value and encourage diversity because a range of experiences and perspectives enriches our work and strengthens our ability to address complex challenges. Applicants from communities that are under-represented in our workplace - ethnic minorities, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTI+ individuals are encouraged to apply.
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