Product Owner

Commercial Bank of Dubai; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 300,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading bank in the UAE seeks a dynamic Product Owner to drive the development of innovative banking products. This role involves strategic leadership, managing digital channels, and ensuring alignment with business objectives to enhance customer experience and satisfaction.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in Digital Banking or similar role.
• Experience in delivering digital products and services.

Responsibilities

• Define product vision and roadmap aligned with business strategy.
• Prioritize and manage product backlog reflecting user needs.
• Monitor product performance and drive continuous optimization.

Skills

Digital Banking

Digital Transformation

FinTech

Problem Solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business

MBA

Tools

JIRA

Azure DevOps

Job description

Operating in the UAE for over 50 years, CBD manages the financial requirements of some of the largest corporates and businesses operating in the country, driving the UAE economy. Over the years, CBD has transformed into a progressive and modern banking institution winning multiple awards for its digital initiatives, credit cards, bank accounts, mobile app features, and services.

CBD has been recognized as the number one bank in the UAE on the Forbes list of The World's Best Banks 2022.

As we continue to build upon our successes, we are looking for ambitious individuals who are passionate about the banking and finance industry and the markets in which CBD operates. Just as important to us is your ability to demonstrate a talent for dealing with people - your colleagues and our customers - and delivering service that really goes the extra mile.

Job Purpose

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Product Owner to join our team at CBD. As a key player in digital channels, you will be responsible for driving the development and implementation of innovative banking products and services that meet our customers' needs and business objectives.

This role reports directly to the Head of Digital Channels.

We need a strategic thinker and senior digital banking professional who has a delivery entrepreneurial mindset for distilling business value and goals into roadmaps and refined product backlogs; someone who can lead squads to realize objectives and benefits.

A Product Owner will provide strategic leadership, ensuring that the digital channels align with the bank's overall strategic direction and business priorities. They will be responsible for delivering a highly differentiated customer experience across the digital channels, which is crucial for customer satisfaction and retention. The role involves accountability for delivering digital capabilities and managing the performance of digital channels. They will liaise with internal business stakeholders to work towards achieving the bank's vision for Digital Channels, with objectives of generating revenue, maximizing profitability, and meeting customer satisfaction goals.

Responsibilities

The Product Owner will have accountability across the Agile Product Lifecycle and ultimate responsibility for delivery of products and services to retail customers.

• Product Strategy and Roadmap: Define product vision, roadmap and growth opportunities. Develop and maintain a clear and actionable product strategy and roadmap that aligns with the overall business strategy and objectives of the bank. Own the product requirements and roadmap, prioritize and manage the product backlog, ensuring that it reflects user needs, business priorities, and aligns with the overall bank strategy.
• Value creation: Assess value, develop cases, and prioritize stories, epics and themes to ensure the bank focuses on those with maximum value / ROI and optimum customer experience.
• Requirement Gathering: Collaborate closely with stakeholders, including customers, internal teams (such as products, contact centre, IT engineering and technology, compliance, operations and governance), and external partners, to gather and prioritize requirements.
• Backlog Management: Prioritize and maintain the product backlog, ensuring that it reflects the priorities and needs of various stakeholders and is groomed and refined regularly.
• Feature Definition: Define clear and concise user stories and acceptance criteria based on business requirements and user feedback, ensuring that the development team understands the scope and goals of the product features.
• Release Planning and Coordination: Plan and coordinate product releases, including defining release goals, coordinating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring timely delivery of features and enhancements.
• Product Development Oversight: Act as the primary point of contact for the development team, providing guidance, clarification, and support throughout the development lifecycle to ensure successful delivery of product features.
• Market and Competitive Analysis: Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify opportunities for product innovation and differentiation, staying informed about industry trends and best practices.
• User Experience and Quality Assurance: Collaborate with UX/UI designers and QA analysts to ensure that the product meets high standards of usability, accessibility, and quality.
• Performance Monitoring and Optimization: Monitor product performance and KPIs, conduct data analysis to identify areas for improvement, and drive continuous optimization and iteration of products based on user feedback and data insights.
• Stakeholder Management and Communication: Work closely with stakeholders, customers, and development teams to define and communicate detailed product requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria. Lead and manage squads, assigning tasks, providing guidance, and ensuring effective communication within the team.
• Communicate product updates, progress, and strategy effectively to stakeholders at all levels of the organization, including senior leadership.

Requirements

Qualifications And Experience

• Proven experience (15+ years) in Digital Banking, Digital Transformation, FinTech, Mobile and Online Banking, Financial Services as a Product Owner or similar role in a Financial Services environment, with a track record of successfully delivering digital products and services.
• Minimum of Bachelor's degree in Business, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field; MBA or relevant certifications preferred.
• Highly Proficient with mobile banking apps, online banking platforms, payments systems, or other fintech solutions.
• Proven experience in services delivery on digital channels.
• Proven experience in delivering wealth, liabilities, and investment-related products and services.
• Solid understanding of banking concepts, products, procedures, and operations.
• Solid understanding of agile methodologies, including Scrum or Kanban, and experience with agile tools such as JIRA or Azure DevOps.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory landscape, requirements, and compliance standards in the financial services industry in UAE.
• Highly effective change agent who engages with senior stakeholders to deliver the programs across organizations.
• Strong relationships with vendors and external stakeholders to ensure effective delivery of digital technologies/systems.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.