Product Owner - VEBA

GEHA (Government Employees Health Association, Inc., pronounced G.E.H.A.) is a nonprofit member association that provides medical and dental benefits to more than two million federal employees and retirees, military retirees and their families. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

GEHA has one mission: To empower federal workers to be healthy and well.

Offering one of the largest medical and dental benefit provider networks available to federal employees in the United States, GEHA empowers health and wellness by meeting its members where they are, when they need care. We serve our members with products they value and a personalized customer experience, sustained by a nimble and efficient organization. 

The Product Owner, VEBA is a dynamic role, essential for articulating the value propositions of GEHA’s product offers. This individual serves as the primary advocate GEHA’s FEHB/PSHB/FEDVIP/VEBA (depending on role) product, balancing the needs of customers, business stakeholders, and the development team. They are responsible for defining the product roadmap and guiding the product development lifecycle from conception to launch and beyond. This is a NON-IT focused product role.

The Product Owner, VEBA is a key role within our healthcare payer organization, responsible for overseeing the performance, strategic positioning, and lifecycle of healthcare products. This role demands a blend of analytical prowess and creative thinking to assess product performance across various metrics, navigate competitive landscapes, and drive product development from ideation through execution. Reporting to the Director of Product, this position works closely with cross-functional teams to ensure products meet market needs and organizational goals.

SKILLS

 Key Responsibilities

• Develop and promote value propositions for GEHA's FEHB/PSHB/FEDVIP/VEBA (depending on role) plans, ensuring alignment with the needs and expectations of federal employees, and annuitants, and retired uniformed service members. This includes managing product performance through comprehensive analysis of key metrics.

• Engage with customers and gather feedback for continuous product improvement and differentiation, supporting market expansion efforts.

• Communicate effectively with internal and external senior management to align on customer needs, thereby driving product adoption and growth. This includes preparing presentations to demonstrate initiative performance and facilitating cross-functional teamwork to contribute to product roadmaps and strategic planning.

• Lead product ideation, design, development, and the annual benefits change process, establishing strategic advisory relationships to enhance product value.

• Collaborate with Operations, Actuarial, Finance, Sales, and Marketing teams to ensure successful product launch, marketing, and performance, streamlining workflow between cross-functional teams to achieve timely completion of initiatives.

• Support continuous market exploration to differentiate GEHA's offerings, leveraging market feedback and trends analysis to guide product improvement.

• Mentor Product team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning and adherence to best practices to drive effective product and business strategies.

Requirements: Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Healthcare Administration, or a closely related field, providing a solid foundation for understanding healthcare product dynamics. Additional years of related work experience maybe considered in lieu of formal education.

• At least 5 years of direct experience in product development (NON-IT focused) within a collaborative, matrixed team setting, highlighting the ability to navigate complex team dynamics effectively.

• Strategic Influence: Proven capability to collaborate with business leaders to facilitate strategy execution, demonstrating a blend of leadership and partnership skills.

• Analytical Proficiency: Exceptional analytical abilities with a proven history of leveraging complex data insights to drive strategic decisions.

• Communication Excellence: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including experience delivering high-impact presentations to executive audiences, highlighting the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and persuasively.

• Decision-Making: Demonstrated competence in prioritizing among competing demands to make decisions that are data-driven and outcome-focused.

• Innovative Thinking: A strategic mindset with a documented history of enhancing product-market fit and performance through innovative strategies.

• Autonomy: The capacity to operate independently, managing projects and initiatives with minimal supervision.

• Visual Communication Skills: Proficiency in visually representing business concepts and workflows, utilizing tools like Visio and PowerPoint, to facilitate clear understanding among stakeholders.

• Data-Driven Judgment: Evidence of making sound business decisions based on a combination of data analytics, consumer research, and innovative thinking when data is limited.

• People Skills: Exceptional verbal, written, and relational skills, coupled with analytical and logical reasoning abilities, to navigate complex business challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with healthcare and Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association (VEBA) regulations, familiarity with payer industry trends, providing a competitive edge in strategic planning.

• Proven success in the full spectrum of product management – product lifecycle expertise - from ideation and design to successful market launch, ideally within the healthcare payer sector.

• Demonstrated proficiency in (NON-IT focused) product development processes and benefit plan design.

• Direct involvement in bringing products from concept to market readiness, highlighting a comprehensive understanding of the product lifecycle.

• Experience with contracting and contract oversight, including negotiating vendor agreements, managing third-party administrators, and ensuring compliance with service level agreements (SLAs).

Work-at-home requirements

• Must have the ability to provide a non-cellular High Speed Internet Service such as Fiber, DSL, or cable Modems for a home office.
• A minimum standard speed for optimal performance of 30x5 (30mpbs download x 5mpbs upload) is required.
• Latency (ping) response time lower than 80 ms
• Hotspots, satellite and wireless internet service is NOT allowed for this role.
• A dedicated space lacking ongoing interruptions to protect member PHI / HIPAA information

How we value you

• Competitive pay/salary ranges
• Incentive plan
• Health/Vision/Dental benefits effective day one
• 401(k) retirement plan:  company match – dollar for dollar up to 4% employee contribution (pretax or Roth options) plus a 6% annual company contribution   
• Robust employee well-being program
• Paid Time Off
• Personal Community Enrichment Time
• Company-provided Basic Life and AD&D
• Company-provided Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Tuition Assistance Program

Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only.  GEHA considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as, market and business considerations when extending an offer.

The annual base salary range for this position is $109,909 - $154,931 USD.

GEHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, which means we will not discriminate against any individual based on sex, race, color, national origin, disability, religion, age, military status, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy, marital status, gender identity, and sexual orientation, as well as all other characteristics and qualities protected by federal, state, or local law. GEHA will not discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their compensation or the compensation of another employee or applicant. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Our diversity drives innovation deepens connections and strengthens our organization.

GEHA is headquartered in Lee's Summit, Missouri, in the Kansas City area. We recognize the importance of balance and flexibility and offer hybrid and work-from-home options for many of our roles.