The Growing Importance of SAFe POPM in Agile Enterprises

The SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) role is gaining prominence as enterprises scale Agile to deliver greater customer value. In today’s digital economy, business agility is not optional—it’s a survival skill, and SAFe POPM professionals are at the heart of this transformation.

At its core, the POPM role bridges strategy and execution. Product Managers set the vision and prioritize features, while Product Owners ensure teams deliver the right stories at the right time. Together, they maximize value delivery and customer satisfaction.

One reason for the growing importance of POPM is the shift toward customer-centric enterprises. Modern businesses must respond to rapidly changing customer needs, and POPMs enable quick adaptation by ensuring backlogs remain aligned with business priorities.

The POPM role also drives collaboration between business and technology. By engaging stakeholders, customers, and Agile teams, POPMs ensure transparency and alignment, which accelerates value streams and reduces waste.