What Does the Brazilian Industry Expect from Product Owners? An Analysis of Soft Skills in Job Postings

Abstract

The Product Owner (PO) plays a central role in agile software development by connecting stakeholders and development teams. This study identifies and analyzes the soft skills required of POs in the Brazilian software industry by analyzing 202 job postings published between July and October 2025 on LinkedIn, Gupy, and Glassdoor. The results indicate a predominance of skills related to communication, analytical abilities, collaboration, and negotiation. Notably, communication appears in 54% of the analyzed postings, making it the most frequently mentioned soft skill. The findings contribute to understanding the competencies valued by the industry and may support the development of professional resumes and academic curricula for PO training.