Product Owner

  • Full-time

Company Description

Poplar Studio (https://poplar.studio) is on a mission to democratise the creation of augmented reality content. Through our community of 1700+ AR creators, our platform has enabled the production of amazing augmented reality experiences for major brands including Universal Music, Sony Music, Fox, Disney, L’Oréal, King, and Speedo amongst many others (see http://poplar.studio/showcase).

Poplar just raised $2.6m ($3.5m to date - see https://poplar.studio/blog/poplar-raises-2-1m-to-address-growing-appetite-for-augmented-reality-during-lockdown/) and was recently named one of the top 100 fast-growth new UK businesses launched in the last five years (The Startups 100 2020 - https://startups.co.uk/startups-100/2020/startups-100-2020/).

This is a great opportunity to join a small but ambitious team in a fast-moving industry with an experienced founding team, strong backing (Fuel Ventures, Founders Factory, Haatch Ventures, Ascension Ventures, Super Ventures) and an array of exciting clients.

Job Description

What we are looking for:

We are recruiting for a product owner to gather requirements, devise solutions and write specifications for our web-based and augmented reality products. We’re looking for someone who is detail-oriented, a rapid learner and a clear communicator, with a collaborative mindset.

Location: UK
Role Type: Permanent
Reporting to: CTO
Salary: £35-45k (depending on experience) + bonus + equity

Pre-screening application questions:

Please send answers to the following questions along with your application:

  1. What are the most important things to you when you are looking for a new position - either from the position itself, or from the company?

  2. What are your preferred tools for keeping yourself organised?

  3. Given you need to write up a task for a developer to work on, what basic information would you include in it?

Qualifications

The right person will:

  • be a rapid learner
  • be able to translate requirements into clear and concise specifications
  • have 2 or more years’ experience working in a tech role (not necessarily product) 
  • be able to understand and communicate technical concepts simply
  • have a delivery-focused approach with a focus on shipping regularly
  • be able to build trust and rapport with other team members
  • have an interest in Augmented Reality
  • be able to anticipate risk and mitigate accordingly

You should also have experience with:

  • Agile methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban
  • ​​​​​​​Project management tools such as JIRA, Clubhouse and Trello
  • Writing specifications in easily understandable formats such as user stories
  • Running sprint ceremonies such as retrospectives, estimation and planning sessions
  • User research and analysis through both qualitative and quantitative methods
  • Applying best practices in user experience and design
  • Carrying out QA of software to ensure deliverables meet the specification
  • Prioritisation and roadmapping

In this role you will have the opportunity to:

  • Learn about the world of augmented reality, including designing immersive experiences and associated technologies
  • ​​​​​​​Work closely with a small cross-functional team of talented people
  • Work across multiple products and with innovative 
  • Contribute to the company’s overall direction and culture

Additional Information

What we offer:

  • Flexible working hours: we care about getting the job done more than the exact hours you’re at your desk.
  • Flexible working conditions: we are all currently working remotely, but hope to return to a central London office location when it is safe to do so. When we do so, working remotely will still be an option, though we’d also like to meet you in person (TBD, depending on location). We also offer a £500 allowance to make your home working space comfortable and suitable for work.
  • Equity - we believe employees should share in the success of the business.
  • Fun and supportive culture - we firmly believe in fostering a positive work environment, which means having fun as a team (https://poplar.studio/about-poplar/) while challenging ourselves. We have weekly happy hours to chat and enjoy some games and activities together.
  • Support for community projects - we believe volunteering and community activities shouldn’t come out of your 25 days’ holiday allowance. For example, our CEO is a Trustee of Save the Children UK and our CTO runs a music project that raises funds for charities.
  • Inspiring surroundings - our previous office was filled with green life, but we also take the time to run offsites elsewhere in London and abroad.
  • Opportunity to learn rapidly - you’ll be working with experienced media tech pioneers in a fast-paced company and industry. You’ll have access to a training budget and our regular company show and tells which have covered everything from cognitive biases to black history studies. We also hold regular innovation days for the whole product team as part of our process.
  • Dog-friendly environment - just ask our office dog, Indiya. (People with allergies will be catered for as well)

Our Values:

  • We are futurists. Simply put, we believe that AR will transform the world.
  • We are learners. Learning is at the core of everything we do and we are passionate about educating people about AR.
  • We are nimble. We empower people by making AR creation simple, quick and affordable.
  • We are playful. We have a lot of fun trying the latest immersive technologies and we want to share that fun with everyone.
  • We are diverse. Diversity is not only core to our team, but also a core strength of our entire ecosystem: developers, partners, and platforms.

We are committed to building a diverse culture and are eager to receive applications from all backgrounds. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, or age.