🇩🇪 Berlin, Germany · 2w ago
Product Owner - VDC Manager (f/m/d)
Thinkproject
LinkedInmidEnglish-friendly
What do we do?Introducing Thinkproject PlatformThinkproject is the construction intelligence platform used by Europe's largest infrastructureprogrammes. We connect information, people, and processes across the full construction andinfrastructure project lifecycle — from design and tendering through execution and handover. Our platform is used by major contractors, owners, and BIM consultancies across the EU and beyond. VDC Manager (formerly known as Desite BIM) is our Windows desktop application for expert BIM workflows. It is not a viewer — it is a production tool for BIM Managers and VDC specialists running multi discipline model coordination, clash detection, IDS validation, 4D construction simulation, and 5D quantity take-off on large-scale infrastructure programmes. The users are technically sophisticated. The product is complex. The problems are real. We're a PE-backed company mid-way through an ambitious platform consolidation, with engineering hubs in Munich, London, Pune, and Barcelona. The product team operates with a high degree of ownership and direct access to users.What your day will look likeAbout The RoleYou'll own the VDC Manager product backlog end-to-end — the quality of what gets built starts with you.This is an execution role, not a strategy role: you work from a validated roadmap set by the VDC Product Manager and your job is to translate it into sprint-ready backlog items that Engineering can build and QA can verify without ambiguity.The users you serve are BIM Managers, BIM Coordinators, and VDC specialists on infrastructure programmes. They know more about their workflows than almost anyone. Your credibility with them — and with the Engineering team — depends on your ability to engage at a technical level. If you can't have a conversation about IFC structure, IDS validation, or what a clash tolerance setting actually does in practice, this role will be difficult.You report to the VDC Product Manager and work daily with Engineering Leads, QA, and UX within the VDC Product Squad.Key ResponsibilitiesBacklog ownershipOwn the VDC Manager product backlog: structure, prioritisation, and sprint readinessBreak features and epics into independently deliverable increments with clear scope boundariesMaintain visibility of cross-backlog dependencies, blockers, and risksUser story and acceptance criteriaWrite user stories with unambiguous, testable acceptance criteria — defined in Given/When/Then format, validated with QA before sprint startEnsure every story traces to a validated user need, not an assumed requirementWrite acceptance criteria for technically complex features including scripting APIs, automation workflows, and IFC schema interactionsSprint executionRun sprint planning, daily standups, reviews, and retrospectives as an active, not passive, participantNegotiate scope with Engineering when capacity is constrained — protect quality, not feature countValidate delivered work against acceptance criteria before stories are marked doneUser engagementRun regular interviews and feedback sessions with BIM expert users — monthly minimumTranslate raw user feedback into structured backlog items with traceabilityLead or co-lead UAT sessions with BIM specialist participants ahead of major releasesProduct Manager collaborationTranslate strategic roadmap direction from the VDC Product Manager into executable backlogSurface delivery risks, scope conflicts, and user signal that challenges roadmap assumptions earlyMaintain a shared understanding of priority rationale across the squadWhat Success Looks LikeIn 30 daysBacklog fully reviewed — items categorised, gaps identified, duplicates clearedFirst sprint cycle completed with AC quality rated acceptable by Engineering Lead and QAIntroductory calls completed with at least 5 active VDC Manager power usersIn 90 daysBacklog consistently sprint-ready two sprints aheadIndependent user interview cadence established (minimum monthly)AC rejection rate below 10% (tracked via Azure DevOps story reopen rate — Engineering raising stories back due to unclear criteria is the key metric)Cross-squad dependencies tracked and escalated proactivelyIn 12 monthsRecognised by Engineering and QA as the team's AC quality benchmarkUser interview programme running with a panel of at least 10 recurring BIM expert participantsDelivery cadence predictable — sprint velocity stable, fewer last-minute scope changesAt least one major release delivered end-to-end from backlog structuring through UAT sign-offWhat you need to fulfill the roleThe 3 must-haves 3+ years of BIM domain experience — you can hold a technical conversation with a BIM Managerabout IFC structure, IDS validation, Psets, or clash detection without needing it explained first Product Owner delivery experience — you have shipped product increments as a PO orequivalent in a B2B software environment; you know what a well-written user story looks likebecause you've seen the consequences of a bad one English and German, both working-level — users, partners, and stakeholders in the DACH market communicate in German; written and spoken fluency in both languages is required, not preferredRequired Skills2+ years as Product Owner or Business Analyst with backlog ownership in a B2B software delivery team3+ years working with BIM workflows: model coordination and federation, clash detection, IDS/IFC validation, Psets and classification systemsFamiliarity with AEC industry roles and the construction project lifecycle (design, tendering,execution, handover)Ability to engage with technical documentation — API references, scripting guides, data schemas— without needing translationNice-to-haveHands-on experience using VDC Manager (formerly Desite BIM), Navisworks, Solibri, or equivalent BIM coordination toolsExperience with 4D construction simulation or 5D quantity take-off workflowsFamiliarity with JavaScript scripting or REST API concepts (sufficient to write testable acceptance criteria for automation features)Familiarity with Azure DevOps and/or Aha! as backlog toolsKnowledge of Common Data Environments (CDEs) and ISO 19650 / BIM execution plans CSPO or equivalent agile product certificationWho This Role Is For — And Who It Isn'tYou'll thrive here ifYou find BIM coordination genuinely interesting — you don't need to be converted to care about model federation or IDS complianceYou are more comfortable in execution than in strategy — you want to ship working software, not own a roadmapYou're direct: you write acceptance criteria that remove ambiguity, not add itYou can navigate a technical conversation with an Engineering Lead and a field-level BIM Manager in the same morningThis is probably not the right role ifYou have fewer than 3 years of hands-on BIM experience — the domain fluency requirement is not optionalYou want to own product strategy — the VDC Product Manager owns the roadmap; this role executes itYou're not comfortable in German in a professional context — DACH customer interactions are in GermanYou expect a fully stable backlog to manage — this is a product in active development with evolving user requirementsWhat we offerThinkproject Academy learning programmes | Hybrid-first working | Structured career progression | Employee communities | Free English lessons | Regular team events | Volunteering activities | Open-door leadership access | Inclusive, multicultural team culture We're a passionate team that genuinely cares about the work we do and the people we work with. Joining Thinkproject means contributing to the digitisation of construction and infrastructure — an industry that shapes cities, transport systems, and public spaces for decades. We take feedback seriously, encourage open collaboration, and give our teams the support and tools they need to build well.Your ContactPreethika RamdassHow To ApplyWith your application, include a written response (max 300 words) to:A BIM Manager reports that the clash detection in VDC Manager is flagging too many falsepSourced from LinkedIn. Relocantly aggregates public job postings; apply on the original site.