PO
Product Owner IT skill profile
Also known as PO · Scrum Product Owner · Product Ownership
What recruiters should know
The Product Owner role is a core Agile position present in almost every Scrum team. Demand is tied to the broad adoption of Agile (66%+ of organisations use Scrum). The PO role is evolving in 2026: POs are increasingly expected to have data-driven roadmap prioritisation skills, AI tool literacy, and the ability to define AI-first product features. SAFe Product Owners who can align across ARTs are particularly sought in large enterprises. Salary: $90K-$145K US depending on industry and company size.
In plain terms
Agile role responsible for maximizing product value and managing backlog
Industry demand
Overall level
high
Trend
stable
Top hiring sectors
- Software & Technology
- Financial Services
- Healthcare IT
- E-commerce
- Enterprise Digital Products
Proficiency ladder
What each level looks like in the work — behavioural markers, not job titles.
At this level, a developer can…
- Backlog management
- User stories
- Sprint planning
- Stakeholder communication