Product Owner - Finance & Accounting Systems

Job Title: Product Owner - Finance & Accounting Systems

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Department: Information Technology / Business Systems

Employment Type: Full-time, on-site

FLSA Status: Exempt (salaried)

Be the technology partner behind the finance team of a growing, family-owned Inc. 5000 company, and help lead Silco through an ERP replacement that will shape how we work for years to come.

Why Silco

• Unlimited access to training at our James A. Fraser Training Center in Columbus, plus company-paid certifications.
• Eight-time Top Workplaces winner and an Inc. 5000 fastest-growing private company.
• Family-owned since 1931, with approachable leadership and real advancement across branches and departments.
• Veteran-friendly: about 30% of our team has served in the military.

About Silco

Silco Fire & Security protects lives and property for more than 45,000 businesses across Ohio, Kentucky and surrounding states. We design, install, inspect, service and monitor fire protection and security systems, from fire alarms, sprinklers and kitchen suppression to video surveillance and access control.

Founded in 1931 and still family-owned and operated, Silco has more than 500 team members across seven branches: Cincinnati (headquarters), Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Louisville.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Product Owner with a blend of Product Owner and Business Systems Analyst experience to serve as the primary technology partner to our Finance and Accounting teams, reporting to the Chief Information Officer.

You will act as an internal consultant: learning how the business works, turning needs into a prioritized backlog, and presenting practical good/better/best options grounded in what our systems can realistically support. You will understand the technology well enough to spot risks, constraints and opportunities, and you will do your own analysis to guide business decisions.

You will also own the backlog for Finance and Accounting reports and dashboards and play a key role in our upcoming ERP replacement.

What You'll Do (Essential Functions)

• Partner with Finance and Accounting leadership to define and communicate a roadmap for the systems, reports and dashboards that support their teams, aligned with business goals.
• Turn opportunities and pain points into well-defined initiatives that balance near-term needs with longer-term objectives.
• Gather and document requirements through interviews, workshops and direct observation of how work gets done.
• Map current-state and future-state business processes, identifying gaps, inefficiencies, control risks and improvement opportunities.
• Write requirements, business rules and data mappings clear enough for developers and testers to act on.
• Own and prioritize the Finance and Accounting backlog based on business value, risk, effort and technical feasibility; write user stories and acceptance criteria and keep the backlog ready for sprint planning.
• Plan and coordinate user acceptance testing with business users before release.
• Analyze and validate data to support requirements, troubleshoot issues and quantify business impact.
• Own the backlog for Finance and Accounting reports and dashboards so they are accurate, trusted and aligned to how the business makes decisions; consolidate or retire redundant reports.
• Understand the technical architecture and data well enough to assess options, identify risks and dependencies, and weigh configuration, customization, integration and process-change trade-offs.
• Work closely with internal and external teams; take an active role in sprint planning, review and retrospective meetings.
• Serve as an internal consultant to Finance and Accounting, presenting good/better/best options with clear trade-offs in cost, effort, risk and value, and explaining technical constraints in business terms.
• Build trusted relationships with business users and leadership; communicate updates, progress and priorities clearly.
• Represent Finance and Accounting in the ERP replacement: requirements definition, vendor evaluation, fit-gap analysis, data migration and reconciliation, testing, cutover planning and change management.
• Help the business use the ERP transition to simplify processes and reporting rather than carry forward workarounds.
• Monitor process and system performance, identify opportunities for improvement and automation, and iterate on delivered solutions based on user feedback.

What You Bring

Required

• 5+ years of combined experience as a Product Owner, Business Analyst or Business Systems Analyst, with a track record of delivering successful solutions.
• Experience delivering in agile and hybrid environments, with a solid understanding of agile principles and practices.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and facilitation skills, including explaining technical concepts to non-technical audiences and influencing decisions.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; able to balance competing priorities and make data-driven decisions.
• Proficiency in data analysis and validation.
• Working knowledge of core finance and accounting processes such as purchasing, payroll, month-end close and reconciliations.
• Solid understanding of system integrations, data structures and how changes in one system affect others.
• Experience with Jira, Confluence or equivalent tools.

Preferred

• Experience on one or more ERP implementations or replacements, ideally from the business or requirements side.
• Experience supporting financial reporting and dashboards with BI tools such as Power BI.
• Experience querying data with SQL or similar tools.
• Familiarity with internal controls, SOX or audit requirements as they relate to system changes.
• Experience defining, testing and refining solutions in Salesforce, including basic Salesforce administration.
• Product Owner (CSPO or PSPO) or Business Analysis (CBAP or CCBA) certification.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working at a computer.
• Frequent use of hands and fingers to type, use a mouse, handle paperwork, and operate standard office equipment.
• Ability to read a computer screen and printed documents for extended periods.
• Ability to communicate clearly by phone, email, video call, and in person, including leading requirements workshops, sprint ceremonies and presentations to business users and leadership.
• Occasional standing, walking, bending, and reaching to file documents and move around the office.
• Able to occasionally lift and carry up to 20 pounds, such as files, supplies, or boxes of paper.
• Ability to remain alert and focused while performing detailed or repetitive tasks.
• Work is performed primarily in an office environment with moderate noise levels, with occasional travel to branch locations to observe how work gets done and support system rollouts.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision insurance; accident and illness insurance; Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid holidays and generous paid time off.
• Tuition reimbursement and company-paid training and certifications.
• Up to 8 paid volunteer hours per year, plus dollar-for-dollar matching of your charitable gifts.
• Company events and recognition programs that celebrate success.

Equal Opportunity

Silco Fire & Security is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, military status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Reasonable accommodation

Silco provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and to applicants and employees with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions. If you need an accommodation to apply or interview, contact Human Resources at (513) 733-5655 or aschmitz@silcofs.com.

Offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screen, conducted in accordance with applicable law, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Positions that drive for work also require a motor vehicle record review. Criminal history is evaluated individually in light of the position's duties.

This description outlines the essential functions, qualifications and physical demands of the position. It is not an exhaustive list of duties; other duties may be assigned. It does not create a contract of employment.

Employment with Silco is at will.