From tester to translator: how Sven bridges the gap between customer and developer as a product owner

Sven Roelandt works as a product owner at PHPro. A role he describes himself as "the translator" between what a client wants and what developers build. We spoke to him about his job, his working week and why PHPro is the ideal place for him to grow.

"I often explain it as: I am the bridge between a company that wants a web shop and the team that builds it," Sven says. "I gather what the customer needs and convert that into something developers can work with. I'm a translator, not an executor. It's more than that, of course, but often that explanation is enough."

That role as product owner fits his background perfectly. Sven started as a tester, with no IT training, and grew through a position as a web analyst to product owner. "Testing in itself is a rather lonely job, and the social aspect is important to me. Here I got the chance to become an analyst and that combined best of both worlds: making analyses and having social contact. It was a combination of everything I like to do."

As a product owner, you work closely with your project team, the team lead, project manager, and other colleagues. But the most important thing? The weekly alignments with the client.

"That's the most important meeting: what are we working on, what are we going to do, is it in line with expectations? You quickly sense whether the client is on board with what you're doing. Transparency is the most important thing."

That transparency also applies internally. "If there are conflicting interests between development and the client, we align internally first. We communicate as one team towards the client. And if it's not in line with what the client expects? Then we set up a call and discuss it openly. Together we come to a solution."

It's precisely that openness that makes the difference for Sven. "You feel that you're making a difference on two levels. Internally: when the tickets in development go smoothly because everything has been well prepared and aligned. Externally: when the relationship with the client is good, when you stay involved, communicate, and feel the trust growing."

"The informal atmosphere and culture we have," Sven says without hesitation. "As a company, we're very close-knit. We get along well with each other, both professionally and beyond. It transcends the job. We have a flat structure, everyone is very accessible."

That accessibility creates a unique dynamic. "Everyone has their own knowledge and expertise, spread widely across PHPro. But you can approach anyone. Everyone shares their knowledge or feedback."

PHPro's core values are also strongly present within the team. "Responsibility is clearly there. Everyone takes on their part and is willing to step up. That also helps with the team atmosphere."

Sven has worked on various projects over the years, but one clearly stands out: the go-live of e5 Mode. "That was the most notable one. Worked on it for a year and a half, a complete redesign of their IT landscape, and everything went live in one go. PIM integrated, point of sale, order system... A major change. It's live and that definitely stays with you, especially after 4.5 years of service at PHPro."

In addition, he also worked on Marello projects like Babylux and Cairox. "Nice to gain that knowledge and share it across projects through cross-pollination. And Cairox was set up completely from scratch for the first time, which was very exciting and challenging."

Where does Sven still want to grow? "Stakeholder management can sometimes be delicate. The more stakeholders, the harder it is to align schedules. That's perhaps more PM work, but as a PO you need to be able to handle that as well."

And if there's one thing he wouldn't change about how product owners are viewed? "At PHPro, PO is a separate job, while in other companies it's often the same function as PM. With us, the tasks are fairly clearly defined. A PM focuses more on budgets, a PO mainly on the content. It's useful that this is split up. You can dive deeper, focus on specific things. And you have three people to align and find solutions: the PO (product owner), the TL (technical lead), and the PM (project manager). That division should remain."

Are you looking for product owner jobs in Belgium where you can truly make a difference? At PHPro, you work on challenging e-commerce projects for top clients, with a team that supports you and provides room to grow. Whether you have a background as a functional analyst, web analyst, or tester, we look at your potential and your drive.

Check out our open product owner vacancies or contact us directly for an informal conversation. We'd be happy to tell you more about how you as a product owner in Belgium can give your career a boost.