• Own and maintain a clean, prioritized, sprint-ready backlog • Write clear user stories with well-defined acceptance criteria • Enforce Definition of Ready and Definition of Done • Break large initiatives into manageable, testable work • Lead backlog refinement and support sprint planning • Clarify requirements in real time for engineers, QA, and UX • Protect sprint scope and minimize churn • Reduce rework by ensuring clarity before development begins • Validate that features meet requirements before acceptance • Translate stakeholder requests into actionable backlog items • Communicate tradeoffs, risks, and constraints clearly • Escalate ambiguity or conflicts when needed