Taking on the role of Business Strategist, Product Designer, Market Analyst, Customer Liaison, and Project Manager, Product Owners are essential to the success of software development in any technology department. We chatted to one of our po shining stars, Tanya Dzimbowski, to find out more of what product ownership in the Digi space looks like.
How did you come to join the Digi family?
At the time of applying I had never actually heard of Digi. I was working in a completely different industry and it wasn’t until a recruiter presented the opportunity to me that I heard about the company. When I first joined Digi in the technology space four years ago, I had come from a banking tech background and had been in the banking and financial services industry for nearly 10 years. My curiosity was piqued by the fact that the Cape Town market is quite small and yet I had never heard of this company which had so many vacancies advertised on their website. They seemed to be expanding at a rate of knots and I just had to know more!
What are some of the roles you have been in during your time with us?
I joined the Delivery team as a Senior Product Owner for Banking, Risk and Finance. Over the next two years, as our teams grew and the business changed, new PO positions were made available. I applied and was successful for the role of Product Manager for the Risk Services department. When I returned from maternity leave, I took on the role of Product Manager for SharePoint and from there I have extended my portfolio to include Customer Management (CSC, KAM and Bulk Communications).
Describe a day in the life of a Product Owner at Digi?
To steal a phrase that is popular in Thailand: “Same same, but different”. The wonderful thing about being a PO at Digi is that there are very rarely repetitive days. Each day presents new challenges and new successes. While the overall recipe remains the same – planning ceremonies, backlog grooming, team retrospectives and briefing sessions with our stakeholders – we also spend a lot of time working closely with both our tech teams and business partners to imagine and implement new and improved ways of doing business. Product Owners at Digi need to be adaptive and responsive to the ever-changing needs of the business. When something doesn’t go according to plan, we shake it off, go into problem-solving mode with our tech teams and update that backlog! Oh, we also have very full calendars…meetings, meetings, meetings!
What do you enjoy most about being a PO in the online gaming space?
I’ve mentioned it before, but I really do love how no day is ever really the same. Having worked in both retail and financial industries, I can definitely say that the one item that is completely different in the online gaming space is the pace! Digi is definitely focused on high performance and this means that we work at a pretty intense pace. It was certainly a shock to my system when I first started here, but now it’s a contributing factor to remaining here! The changing landscape and the pace at which we deliver and introduce change is addictive and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. We’re working in a very exciting and challenging industry. The dynamic nature of new markets, regulations and player behaviour really keeps all of us on our toes.
What advice would you give someone who is interested in pursuing a career as a Product Owner?
Fortune favours the brave. If you’re brave enough to embrace change, stare challenges in the face and smile and plan your way through them; if you’re able to communicate clearly, manage expectations and work with different teams to deliver a result, then being a Product Owner is for you. If you are interested in a career as a PO there are some great online courses on Udemy specifically targeted towards Agile Product Ownership. Internally, Digi also offers job shadowing and soft skills courses which can really help.
What is your favourite thing about #DigiLife?
I love that there is so much diversity at Digi. Not only do we have so many products doing vastly different things, we also have a rich pool of diversity when it comes to our people. It’s such a privilege to work with people from all over the world and from different walks of life. It keeps everything fresh and interesting.
We’re looking for dynamic Senior Product Owners with knowledge and experience of working with Agile Scrum delivery methods to join the team. Think you’ve got what it takes? APPLY NOW!
