Product Owner, Guest AI Experiences
ULTA Beauty, Bolingbrook, IL, United States
OVERVIEW
Live the experience. From professional empowerment to continual learning opportunities. From ongoing investment in new and emerging technologies to a career of self‑determination. At Ulta Beauty, our tech team is critical to our scalability—and is recognized that way. We’ve been defined as a “mature start‑up.” A place where interdepartmental exposure, open doors, and genuine collaboration is ubiquitous. Where challenges come fast and furious, requiring agility, mental dexterity, and creativity. Where our passion for better solutions drives us and is core to who we are.
We’re engineering for the future of retail, and it’s no‑holds‑barred. But for those motivated by continual change and ambiguity, by superior leadership, by whip smart colleagues who will press you daily for your very best, you’ll find that virtually nothing’s impossible at Ulta Beauty.
THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE
Ulta Beauty is building best‑in‑class Data & AI capabilities with the goal of creating enterprise value through AI, making a significant impact on the company's already rapid growth. The company wants to ensure innovation and rigor building out Data & AI driven decisioning capabilities across the enterprise. We are seeking an AI Product Owner to lead the development of our AI‑driven products.
The Product Owner is a core member of the Agile Scrum team and is responsible for the execution and delivery of the product roadmap and its initiatives. The Product Owner is responsible for driving the day‑to‑day direction of product development and partners closely together with the Product Manager to define the product roadmap supporting the strategic vision for their team. They are responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Product Backlog including its content, availability, and prioritization.
The Product Owner will create and refine user stories and set priorities for sprint planning to ensure the correct acceptance criteria is defined for the product features. They will collaborate with our Agentic Commerce Business Team, Marketing, Guest Services, Digital Product, and Data partners to identify value‑add guest AI solutions, unlock digital assets, and solve complex guest experience challenges.
The Product Owner has a deep understanding of the target market/industry and builds close relationships with key stakeholders to ensure that the team’s effort is aligned with overall strategy. They will manage dependencies with other team’s functions through identifying, building, and managing strategic partnerships across the different teams while acting as a liaison between the delivery team and business, ensuring clear communication, and alignment.
YOU’LL ACCOMPLISH THIS BY
Set & communicate a clear guest experience forward product vision to team members & relevant stakeholders
Lead business & technical development teams through the agile development lifecycle
Accountable for tracking & communication of in‑production digital product KPIs
Participate in Quarterly Program Increment Planning sessions to align on objectives, prioritize initiatives, and ensure successful execution of product strategies
Facilitate release planning with stakeholders as well as lead required product demos
Utilize knowledge of guest insights & stakeholder needs to create epics & user stories and acceptance criteria for their team, while maintaining a groomed product backlog
Advocate for business stakeholders by providing timely actionable insights
Develop Agile best practices and engage in the spirit of continuous improvement
Re‑prioritize and update user stories based on shifting priorities, timelines, & feedback
Collaborate with guest experience and digital teams to support AI‑enabled experiences and experimentation
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Partner with the Tech & Design Leads to plan the development of assigned digital products, including experiential designs & solution architecture
Champion the adoption of agile and product development practices focused on delivering value by partnering with business stakeholders and mentoring other teams
Acts as the voice of the guest in order to advocate for guest & business needs
Partner with third party AI and platform vendors where required to ensure successful delivery and adoption
ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESS
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field required
4+ years relevant work experience with at least 2+ years in a product owner role and experience operating in an agile (scrum) environment, focus on AI or technology‑driven products preferred
Strong understanding of AI technologies including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and data analytics
Experiencing using tools, such as Jira, Confluence, Figma, and SharePoint
Experience leading teams in an agile setting such as facilitating ceremonies, managing a backlog, developing a release plan, and writing user stories.
Domain‑specific expertise to support backlog development and blocker resolution
Advanced analytical skills to assess complex business operations and backend technology integrations
Strong collaborator with cross‑functional teams across design, product, & technology
Strong communication skills with ability to influence stakeholders, communicate complex concepts, and align the organization on required decisions
Strong problem solver with the ability to manage and lead the team to a solution
Experimental mindset to drive innovation, empower others to fail, learn, and grow
The pay range for this position is $88,200.00 - $125,000.00 / Year with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company’s bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full‑time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part‑time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. For additional information concerning our benefits, visit our Benefits and Career Development page: https://learn.bswift.com/ulta
We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Live the experience. From professional empowerment to continual learning opportunities. From ongoing investment in new and emerging technologies to a career of self‑determination. At Ulta Beauty, our tech team is critical to our scalability—and is recognized that way. We’ve been defined as a “mature start‑up.” A place where interdepartmental exposure, open doors, and genuine collaboration is ubiquitous. Where challenges come fast and furious, requiring agility, mental dexterity, and creativity. Where our passion for better solutions drives us and is core to who we are.
We’re engineering for the future of retail, and it’s no‑holds‑barred. But for those motivated by continual change and ambiguity, by superior leadership, by whip smart colleagues who will press you daily for your very best, you’ll find that virtually nothing’s impossible at Ulta Beauty.
THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE
Ulta Beauty is building best‑in‑class Data & AI capabilities with the goal of creating enterprise value through AI, making a significant impact on the company's already rapid growth. The company wants to ensure innovation and rigor building out Data & AI driven decisioning capabilities across the enterprise. We are seeking an AI Product Owner to lead the development of our AI‑driven products.
The Product Owner is a core member of the Agile Scrum team and is responsible for the execution and delivery of the product roadmap and its initiatives. The Product Owner is responsible for driving the day‑to‑day direction of product development and partners closely together with the Product Manager to define the product roadmap supporting the strategic vision for their team. They are responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Product Backlog including its content, availability, and prioritization.
The Product Owner will create and refine user stories and set priorities for sprint planning to ensure the correct acceptance criteria is defined for the product features. They will collaborate with our Agentic Commerce Business Team, Marketing, Guest Services, Digital Product, and Data partners to identify value‑add guest AI solutions, unlock digital assets, and solve complex guest experience challenges.
The Product Owner has a deep understanding of the target market/industry and builds close relationships with key stakeholders to ensure that the team’s effort is aligned with overall strategy. They will manage dependencies with other team’s functions through identifying, building, and managing strategic partnerships across the different teams while acting as a liaison between the delivery team and business, ensuring clear communication, and alignment.
YOU’LL ACCOMPLISH THIS BY
Set & communicate a clear guest experience forward product vision to team members & relevant stakeholders
Lead business & technical development teams through the agile development lifecycle
Accountable for tracking & communication of in‑production digital product KPIs
Participate in Quarterly Program Increment Planning sessions to align on objectives, prioritize initiatives, and ensure successful execution of product strategies
Facilitate release planning with stakeholders as well as lead required product demos
Utilize knowledge of guest insights & stakeholder needs to create epics & user stories and acceptance criteria for their team, while maintaining a groomed product backlog
Advocate for business stakeholders by providing timely actionable insights
Develop Agile best practices and engage in the spirit of continuous improvement
Re‑prioritize and update user stories based on shifting priorities, timelines, & feedback
Collaborate with guest experience and digital teams to support AI‑enabled experiences and experimentation
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Partner with the Tech & Design Leads to plan the development of assigned digital products, including experiential designs & solution architecture
Champion the adoption of agile and product development practices focused on delivering value by partnering with business stakeholders and mentoring other teams
Acts as the voice of the guest in order to advocate for guest & business needs
Partner with third party AI and platform vendors where required to ensure successful delivery and adoption
ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESS
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field required
4+ years relevant work experience with at least 2+ years in a product owner role and experience operating in an agile (scrum) environment, focus on AI or technology‑driven products preferred
Strong understanding of AI technologies including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and data analytics
Experiencing using tools, such as Jira, Confluence, Figma, and SharePoint
Experience leading teams in an agile setting such as facilitating ceremonies, managing a backlog, developing a release plan, and writing user stories.
Domain‑specific expertise to support backlog development and blocker resolution
Advanced analytical skills to assess complex business operations and backend technology integrations
Strong collaborator with cross‑functional teams across design, product, & technology
Strong communication skills with ability to influence stakeholders, communicate complex concepts, and align the organization on required decisions
Strong problem solver with the ability to manage and lead the team to a solution
Experimental mindset to drive innovation, empower others to fail, learn, and grow
The pay range for this position is $88,200.00 - $125,000.00 / Year with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company’s bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full‑time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part‑time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. For additional information concerning our benefits, visit our Benefits and Career Development page: https://learn.bswift.com/ulta
We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.
#J-18808-Ljbffr