> I don't know why the job postings make the backlog the focus of what they're looking for. I can only imagine that hiring managers and recruiters have a very poor understanding of product management, reducing it to the mere management of open issues in the backlog.

It's not just hiring managers and recruiters. A large number of senior leaders in organizations have a very poor understanding of product management as far as I can tell.

Feature factories are much easier to implement/understand and fit more neatly into traditional structures.