Senior Project Manager – IT Service Management / Product Owner

NAXCON GmbH, headquartered in Weil am Rhein with additional offices, including Stuttgart, is one of Germany's leading engineering and IT service providers.

Our experts possess extensive expertise in software and hardware development, modern electronics, and cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In addition to delivering high-quality engineering solutions for our customers, we are passionate about driving our own innovation projects as well as research and development activities. Renowned companies from a wide range of industries place their trust in our expertise, reflecting the outstanding knowledge, professionalism, and commitment of our engineers.

Position: Senior Project Manager – IT Service Management / Product Owner

Location: Bonn, Germany

Type: Full-time/40% Remote

Project Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager / Product Owner to lead a development team responsible for designing and implementing Deployment and Release Management processes as part of the establishment of a comprehensive IT Service Management (ITSM) platform.

The successful candidate will take responsibility for managing a dedicated project workstream, coordinating agile development activities, ensuring project objectives are achieved, and collaborating with stakeholders and other project teams.

The role combines technical project management, IT Service Management, agile product ownership, and process development within a complex IT environment.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate a development team in the role of Product Owner, using Scrum events, backlog management, and agile methodologies.
• Gather, analyze, clarify, and document business and technical requirements.
• Define and maintain Epics, User Stories, and corresponding Acceptance Criteria.
• Prioritize and manage the product backlog to ensure efficient development and delivery.
• Manage the development and implementation of ITSM processes related to Deployment and Release Management.
• Ensure the achievement of project milestones, budget targets, schedules, and quality objectives.
• Support the overall Project Manager with project planning, status reporting, and progress monitoring.
• Coordinate dependencies, risks, changes, and interfaces with other project workstreams.
• Manage stakeholder communication and ensure alignment between technical teams, business representatives, and project management.
• Monitor project costs, resource allocation, and financial performance.
• Prepare project status reports, presentations, progress assessments, and management documentation.
• Identify project risks and implement appropriate mitigation measures.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize collaboration, efficiency, and delivery quality within the development team.
• Ensure compliance with relevant project management standards, ITSM methodologies, and internal quality requirements.

Requirements

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Business Informatics, Information Technology, or a comparable relevant field.
• Alternatively, completed commercial vocational training or recognized IT vocational training with at least 10 years of relevant professional experience.
• Good knowledge of established project management standards and methodologies.
• IPMA Level D certification or an equivalent project management certification.
• ITIL Foundation certification (ITIL v3 or higher).
• Product Owner II certification or an equivalent qualification.
• Strong understanding of agile development methodologies, particularly Scrum.
• German language proficiency: C1 level (CEFR).
• English language proficiency: B1 level (CEFR).

Professional Experience

• At least 4 years of professional experience in ITSM projects, particularly in the implementation, development, or migration of IT Service Management platforms.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated ITSM experience in Deployment and Release Management.
• At least 6 years of relevant professional experience as a Product Owner.
• Experience managing development teams using Scrum methodologies, sprint planning, backlog refinement, and other agile ceremonies.
• Strong experience in requirements management, including the creation and refinement of Epics, User Stories, and Acceptance Criteria.
• Practical experience with ITSM processes, service delivery structures, and IT platform implementations.
• Experience with Jira or comparable project management tools.
• Good knowledge of Microsoft Office and experience with MS Project.
• Demonstrated ability to manage project schedules, costs, quality, risks, dependencies, and changes.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional project teams and managing multiple stakeholders.
• Experience preparing project documentation, management reports, and project performance assessments.
• Experience delivering ITSM projects for public-sector organizations is preferred.

Soft Skills

• Strong leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and stakeholder management abilities.
• Independent, structured, and solution-oriented working style.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to resolve conflicts and manage disruptions effectively.
• Customer-focused and service-oriented mindset.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to structure complex technical and organizational information.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex topics to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Assertiveness, professionalism, and a confident approach to stakeholder interactions.
• Ability to work under pressure while maintaining project quality and deadlines.
• Proactive approach to continuous improvement and team collaboration.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to travel for business purposes up to 20% of working time on average.
• Availability for hybrid work, with approximately 40% remote working.
• Willingness to undergo a potential SÜ2 security clearance if required.
• Compliance with applicable security-related regulations and travel restrictions.
• Candidate profiles must include nationality information where required for the security eligibility assessment.

Required Documentation

Candidates must provide appropriate evidence of their qualifications and professional experience, including:

• An up-to-date CV detailing relevant project management, ITSM, and Product Owner experience.
• Proof of a completed relevant degree or recognized vocational qualification.
• Valid IPMA Level D certification or an accepted equivalent.
• Valid ITIL Foundation certification (v3 or higher).
• Valid Product Owner II certification or an accepted equivalent.
• Evidence of German C1 and English B1 proficiency through certificates, educational records, or self-declaration, unless the relevant language is the candidate's native language.
• Project references or employment certificates demonstrating the required professional experience.
• Confirmation of willingness to travel and undergo a potential security clearance.

Professional Experience Verification

The required minimum experience periods must represent continuous, substantive professional activity in the relevant field during the period immediately preceding the offer submission, rather than occasional or isolated assignments.

Where project references are required, they must include:

• Industry or business sector
• Project title
• Brief project description
• Duration of the candidate's assignment
• Detailed description of the candidate's responsibilities and activities

Certification Requirements

Time-limited certifications must remain valid at the time of submission. Equivalent proof may be accepted under the specified conditions where a required certificate cannot be provided for reasons beyond the applicant's control and equivalence can be demonstrated.

What we offer:

• International Working Environment: Join a diverse and multicultural team where people from different backgrounds and cultures collaborate to achieve outstanding results.
• German Language Development: Whether you are a beginner or an advanced speaker, we provide a supportive environment to help you improve your German language skills.
• Dedicated Point of Contact: You will have a personal contact within the company who will support and guide you throughout your employment.
• Professional Growth: Our engineers have the opportunity to work on exciting projects across different industries, continuously expanding their expertise and developing new skills.
• Regular Team Events: We organize regular company events to strengthen team spirit, encourage collaboration, and create a positive working atmosphere.
• Competitive Compensation: We value our employees and offer an attractive compensation package that reflects your qualifications, experience, and performance.