A day in the life of a Product Owner at Compass

Meet Zainab Bilal - Zainab is one of our amazing Product Owners, working within our Mobile Applications team!

Tell us more about your team and what kind of projects you work on day to day.

I am the Product Owner for the Mobile Application team, we have two apps: the Android and the iOS app. The app supports parents, staff, and students at our schools and allows them to perform quick and easy updates on the go, rather than jumping onto a desktop to do more admin-heavy tasks. Recently we have been focusing heavily on improving the User Experience, to provide quick access to parents so they can add an attendance note or make a canteen order for their child. We recently spent time improving some parts of the app to reduce crashes so that when our customers are using the app they have a smooth experience.

What made you decide to pursue a career as a Product Owner?

I’ve always loved solving problems. When I started my career, I thought software development was the way to do it. Then I felt I needed more customer and people interaction, and I felt product ownership was the right space to do so because I could be the customers’ voice and their advocate to make sure we are delivering value to them.

I always knew I wanted to be in product - one of my mentors told me that “if you have an understanding of how software development works it would aid you,” and I really thank him for that. In Product Ownership, I could also keep nurturing my problem-solving skills but also do the other things I like, such as talking to people and getting to know them and what they do.

What does a typical day in your role look like?

Every day is really, really different and that’s one of the parts I love about Product Ownership, no day is the same. Typically, I would log in (with a coffee in my hand), and jot down tasks in my to-do list, as I feel that helps me structure my day and prioritise my tasks. We would then, as a team, have a daily standup, these meetings are something I really like and especially since Covid, I love getting face-to-face time with my team in the morning. We will go through what is working well, what they are working on for the day, and if there are any blockers I can help with, which is one of the main parts of my role, to make sure everyone has everything they need to succeed.

The rest of my day consists of a mix of various things, including roadmap setup & prioritisation, stakeholder management, and meeting up with colleagues from support, marketing, customer success and other product owners to make sure we aren’t clashing on things. Lots of variety!

What is your favourite part of your day/role?

My favourite part of my role is providing customer value and meeting with customers, it’s very rewarding when I meet with them. I’ve been on some school visits recently and it’s been really amazing to see the little things that we do, can make so much difference to them - that’s definitely the best part of my role.

What is something new you have learned since you started in your role at Compass?

Being a parent of a grade 3 student, I thought I understood and appreciated what teachers and staff do day-to-day and the role they have in a child’s development, but since I’ve joined Compass that appreciation has evolved into deep admiration. The administration side of things is something that you don’t see from a parent’s point of view and I was amazed at the number of extra admin tasks schools have to do on top of “teaching”, things like attendance, behaviour, reports, and much more.

I’m really proud to get the chance to work in a company where I can help teachers and staff complete their work faster and easier and be a source of change that can help in little ways day to day. Compass has nurtured the customer empath in me and it has made me more dedicated and passionate in my role.

Employees like Zainab play an essential role in making the Compass product what it is today. If you’re interested in shaping the future of education with us - please reach out to our People & Talent team at [email protected].