Ahmet Erk Önder
Product Owner
Istanbul,Beşiktaş
Summary
A highly motivated Product Owner with a 5-year track record of delivering successful Mobile and Web products in fast-paced, Agile environments. This individual's hybrid expertise blends strategic product ownership (vision, roadmap, backlog) with disciplined project management (scope, budget, timeline) to ensure end-to-end success. Possessing strong technical acumen, they are adept at collaborating closely with engineering teams, understanding technical constraints, and translating complex business needs into actionable development tasks. As a skilled leader, they excel at aligning cross-functional teams and executive stakeholders around a unified product vision to drive user engagement and meet ambitious business goals.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
4
4
Certifications
1
1
Language
Work History
Senior Project Manager
Param
Istanbul, Üsküdar
09.2025 - Current
- Manage the entire lifecycle of strategic, large-scale, and complex projects from initiation to successful closure.
- Communicate effectively with senior executives (C-Level, Directors) and key stakeholders, providing regular, transparent reports on project objectives, strategy, risks, and progress.
- Define project scope, timelines, and budgets; conduct resource planning and effectively manage costs and resources throughout the project lifecycle to meet financial targets.
- Lead and mentor cross-functional project teams, delegating tasks and maximizing team performance to achieve and exceed project goals.
- Proactively identify potential project risks, developing comprehensive risk mitigation and contingency plans, and closely monitoring them throughout the project.
- Implement and oversee quality management processes to ensure project deliverables meet the highest quality standards and are fully aligned with business objectives.
- Improve and standardize project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid) across the organization, evangelizing best practices and providing guidance to junior project managers.
- Manage relationships and contracts with vendors, business partners, and external resources to ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of expected outcomes.
Senior Product Owner
PortalGrup
Istanbul, Kağıthane
10.2022 - 08.2025
- Orchestrated the end-to-end product and project lifecycle for key Mobile (iOS/Android) and Web platforms, from initial vision and roadmap definition to final delivery, by defining project scope, objectives, and success metrics in alignment with strategic business goals.
- Owned and managed the product backlog, prioritizing user stories and features, while simultaneously developing and managing detailed project schedules, work plans, and resource allocation to ensure timely and efficient execution.
- Directed all project financial planning, from preparing detailed budgets based on scope and resource requirements to meticulously tracking costs, ensuring all projects were delivered within the approved budget.
- Served as the central point of communication, providing consistent and transparent updates to all stakeholders—including leadership, technical teams, and business units—on product strategy, project progress, adjustments, and milestone achievements.
- Drove project execution by implementing industry best practices in both Agile product ownership and project management, continuously monitoring progress against the plan and making strategic adjustments to mitigate risks and overcome impediments.
- Managed relationships with external vendors and suppliers, assigning tasks, defining contracts, and communicating expected deliverables to ensure seamless integration and contribution to project goals.
- Measured and analyzed project performance and product KPIs post-launch, using data-driven insights to identify areas for improvement and inform the roadmap for future product iterations and process enhancements.
Product Owner
Fenerbahçe SK
Istanbul, Kadıköy
02.2020 - 09.2022
- Defined and communicated the product vision, strategic roadmap, and prioritized backlog for a diverse portfolio of digital products, including Mobile (iOS/Android) applications, enterprise Web platforms, and internal CRM/ERP systems.
- Led the end-to-end product lifecycle in an Agile environment, acting as the primary liaison between business stakeholders, development teams, and end-users to ensure alignment and value delivery.
- Owned and managed the product backlog through continuous grooming, refinement, and prioritization. Authored detailed user stories with clear, testable acceptance criteria to guide development and QA efforts.
- Spearheaded the initiation of a key Robotic Process Automation (RPA) project by gathering stakeholder requirements, defining the project scope, and establishing the initial delivery schedule to drive operational efficiency.
- Collaborated closely with UX/UI design teams throughout the product development process, ensuring user-centric design principles were integrated into the backlog and development sprints for both Mobile and Web interfaces.
- Directed the content strategy and feature enhancements for the company's Web presence through effective Content Management System (CMS) administration and roadmap planning.
- Conducted post-launch analysis and monitored Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure product success, gather user feedback, and inform data-driven decisions for future iterations and the product roadmap.
Quality Assurance Specialist
Glamira
Istanbul, Sarıyer
12.2019 - 02.2020
- Prepared and managed Sprint plans in collaboration with the Scrum team.
- Determined User Acceptance Criteria (UAT) and planned the release for features that met the "Definition of Done" (DoD) criteria.
- Executed manual test cases and reported on outcomes to ensure software quality and user experience.
- Created and tracked website content entry plans in coordination with the content and product teams.
- Managed multi-language support for website content and ensured compliance with international standards.
- Continuously monitored the website's performance, accessibility, and overall system health, identifying areas for improvement.
Education
Master of Science - Information Technology in Sports
Marmara University
Istanbul, Turkey 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Computer Engineering
Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi
Manisa 04.2001 -
Skills
Product Vision & Strategy
Backlog Management & Prioritization
Product Roadmapping
User Story & Acceptance Criteria Definition
Scope, Schedule & Budget Management
Risk Assessment & Mitigation
Agile Methodologies: Scrum, Kanban, Lean
Leadership & Team Motivation
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
Time Management & Organization
Project Management Software: Jira, Monday, MS Project
Certification
CEA
HOBBIES
A 12-year veteran of licensed basketball, now a passionate enthusiast of the game.
I enjoy home cooking and preparing meals for my family.
Timeline
Senior Project Manager
Param
09.2025 - Current
Secure Code Development Training Certificate
02-2025
Senior Product Owner
PortalGrup
10.2022 - 08.2025
UiPath Robotic Process Automation-Business Analytics
12-2021
Agile Project Management, BTK Akademi
11-2021
Product Owner
Fenerbahçe SK
02.2020 - 09.2022
Quality Assurance Specialist
Glamira
12.2019 - 02.2020
CEA
06-2014
Master of Science - Information Technology in Sports
Marmara University
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Computer Engineering
Manisa Celal Bayar Üniversitesi
04.2001 -