**"Pois é" is an interjection** and its translation depends pretty much on context.  Basically it expresses **confirmation** or **resignation**, or both simultaneously. Sometimes it's just a filler.  In pt-BR you're likely to find it in sentences such as:

> 1. (a) "Não se pode mais fazer bater nos filhos?"  (b) "**Pois é**, agora as coisas mudaram."  (**That's it, that's true, yes, you're right**) 
> 2. (a) "Vamos ou não vamos ter um aumento salarial?"  (b) "**Pois é**, conforme eu havia dito na reunião anterior, a situação financeira da empresa está indefinida no momento e..." ("pois é" here sounds more like a **filler**, something like "veja só" or "olha" . It may be translated as **you see, look here, well. * 
> 3. (a) "Que droga de tempo.  Chuva o tempo todo." (b) **"Pois é"**. (**agreed, , I agree, exactly**, said with regret)
> 4. (a) "Você está dizendo que ele morreu?"  (b) **"Pois é**, morreu ontem". (**exactly, yes,**)

As I've said before, "pois é" is an interjection that **expresses confirmation or resignation**. More frequently it can be translated into English as **"yes", "agreed", "exactly", "it's true", "you're right"**.  Remember that interjections are unique in that more often than not you can hardly find a perfect translation.   

NB

> 1. When in Portugal, beware of "pois", "pois é", "ora pois", "ora pois pois". These are used much more frequently in pt-PT than in pt-BR, sometimes as a filler, and with different meanings.
2. Don't confuse "pois é" (interjection) with "pois é" (two words meaning "porque é).  Example: O empreendedorismo é essencial nas sociedades, **pois é** através dele que as empresas buscam a inovação.