Product Owner, College Pads

About StarRez StarRez is the global leader in student housing software, providing innovative solutions for on and off-campus housing management, resident wellness and experience, and revenue generation. Trusted by 1,400+ clients across 25+ countries, StarRez supports more than 4 million beds annually with its user-friendly, all-in-one platform, delivering seamless experiences for students and administrators. With offices in the United States, Australia, the UK, and India, StarRez blends the robust capabilities of a global organization with the personalized care and service of a trusted partner. About College Pads College Pads is transforming the way students navigate the transition from on-campus to off-campus life. Our platform enables universities to support their students by streamlining the process of finding and securing off-campus housing. By working closely with higher education institutions, we offer a trusted tool for students to connect with property managers and rental listings, helping to foster a foundation for wellbeing and success. As of January 2025, College Pads is part of StarRez . The Role StarRez is seeking a Product Owner to join the College Pads rebuild team in the UK, helping lead a 0→1 product build through to market launch. This is not a typical PO role. You’ll be working on a greenfield product with ambitious timelines, high visibility, and real impact, partnering closely with a US-based Product Manager and cross-functional teams in the UK and India. You’ll play a critical role in translating product vision into execution, driving day-to-day delivery, ensuring the team ships high-quality product at speed and owning the backlog. You’ll operate in a fast-moving, AI-first environment, helping the team move quickly, stay aligned, and iterate toward product-market fit and launch readiness. Role Details - Work Location: Remote (UK) - Travel: 5% (The percentage of travel is an estimation and may vary based on business needs.) - Reporting Structure: This role reports to the Senior Director, Product Engineering. What You’ll Do - Own delivery from zero to one: Translate product vision into clear, actionable work, owning day-to-day execution, sprint planning, backlog, and launch readiness - Turn strategy into shipped product: Partner closely with the US-based Product Manager to break down priorities into deliverable increments that drive real progress toward launch - Prioritise ruthlessly: Make clear decisions about what matters most, balancing customer value, business impact, speed, scope, and risk - Drive outcomes, not just output: Ensure the team is focused on delivering features that impact acquisition, conversion, engagement, and business outcomes, not just completing tickets - Keep the team moving fast: Remove blockers, clarify requirements, and maintain momentum in a high-urgency environment - Work iteratively: Ship in small increments, gather feedback quickly, and continuously refine based on real usage - Partner with Engineering & Design: Align on scope, trade-offs, and sequencing to balance speed, quality, and impact and launch goals - Operate AI-first: Use AI tools to improve overall team efficiency, accelerate backlog creation and refinement, and streamline documentation - Maintain clarity in ambiguity: Bring structure to evolving priorities, ensuring the team always knows what matters most and why, and what can wait Required Qualifications - 5+ years of experience as a Product Owner, Product Analyst, or similar role - Strong experience in B2B2C or B2C products - Experience working on 0→1 or rebuild products in high ambiguity and fast iteration - Strong backlog management and prioritisation skills - Proven ability to drive delivery and make sound trade-off decisions in fast-paced, cross-functional teams - Experience translating high-level product direction into clear, actionable requirements - Strong collaboration with Engineering, Design, an