Director - Structured Finance Product Owner / Agile Product Lead

Fitch Group; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading credit ratings agency in Toronto is seeking an experienced Product Owner to guide agile delivery teams supporting Structured Finance credit analysts. The successful candidate will define product strategy, own the backlog, and enhance internal workflows to align with business goals. Strong leadership and communication skills are essential, and the role offers a hybrid work environment with competitive compensation ranging from $180,000 to $210,000 CAD annually.

Benefits

Hybrid Work Environment

Culture of Learning

Retirement planning

Healthcare offerings

Supportive Parenting Policies

Inclusive Work Environment

Volunteer opportunities

Qualifications

• 5+ years of product ownership experience.
• Proven track record of delivering workflow and data-driven solutions.
• Ability to translate requirements into technical solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead an agile delivery team supporting internal workflows.
• Define and communicate the overall strategy and direction of applications.
• Own the backlog and feature prioritization.
• Support the squad in identifying dependencies and risks.
• Analyze complex workflows for automation and standardization.

Skills

Product ownership experience

Agile practitioner capabilities

Interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Customer-focused mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Jira

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

Fitch Ratings Overview

As one of the world’s top three credit ratings agencies, Fitch Ratings plays a critical role in global capital markets providing supplementary credit analysis, ratings, research, and commentary to financial market participants.

For over 100 years, Fitch Ratings has created value through rigorous analysis and deep expertise resulting in market‑leading tools, methodologies, indices, research, and analytical products.

Fitch Ratings is part of Fitch Group, a global leader in financial information services with operations in more than 30 countries, including Fitch Solutions and Hearst. With dual headquarters in London and New York, Fitch Group offers a collaborative environment dedicated to innovation and client service.

About the Team

Ratings Workflow Solutions (RWS), part of the Ratings COO organization, is a cross‑functional, agile team responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing applications and workflows used by our Ratings staff. The team partners closely with analytical, business, and technology staff to support the needs of the Ratings organization and enable staff to work effectively.

How You’ll Make an Impact

We’re looking for an experienced and dynamic Product Owner to lead an agile delivery team supporting Fitch’s Structured Finance credit analysts and their internal workflows. You will lead the squad, collaborate with different groups to understand needs, solve problems, and ensure we build solutions advancing our business objectives. Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills are essential.

• Define overall strategy and direction of the applications based on understanding organizational goals and analytical groups’ needs.
• Own the backlog, feature prioritization, roadmap, and the MVP in support of business objectives.
• Communicate and align with stakeholders to prioritize features and ensure a shared vision of sprint goals and backlogs.
• Lead the Agile squad to define and align sprint goals, ensuring "ready" user stories and supporting the squad to deliver on sprint commitments. Supports squad in identifying dependencies and other execution risks.
• Work closely with the squad to provide timely feedback and answers to their questions; ultimately accept or reject the product increments of the sprint.
• Oversee the overall squad’s quarterly delivery, ensuring that the squad meets their goals and delivers business value.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and drive initiatives to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Ratings business.
• Enhance and automate processes to improve data quality, standardize workflows, and integrate key systems.
• Analyze and break down complex workflows and system processes for both current (As-Is) and future (To-Be) states in support of automation and standardization.
• Oversee and guide user training, rollout, and change management processes.

You May Be a Good Fit If

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of product ownership experience
• Agile practitioner capabilities & experience working with or in Agile teams.
• Proven track record of delivering workflow and data‑driven solutions with a customer‑first mindset.
• See the business as a customer and translate requirements into technical solutions.
• Ability to create and maintain a backlog and roadmap, and to prioritize that backlog based on business value and technical feasibility.
• Track record of delivering results in a high‑demand, matrixed organization.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills, demonstrating an ability to work well with teams and stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Jira, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word

What Would Make You Stand Out

• Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels
• Demonstrated ability to oversee complex projects and excel in a high‑demand, matrixed organization
• Prior experience in debt capital markets, financial services or consulting

Why Choose Fitch

• Hybrid Work Environment: 3 days a week in office required based on your line of business and location
• A Culture of Learning & Mobility: Dedicated trainings, leadership development and mentorship programs designed to ensure that your time at Fitch will be a continuous learning opportunity
• Investing in Your Future: Retirement planning and tuition reimbursement programs that empower you to achieve your short and long‑term goals
• Promoting Health & Wellbeing: Comprehensive healthcare offerings that enable physical, mental, financial, social, and occupational wellbeing
• Supportive Parenting Policies: Family‑friendly policies, including a generous global parental leave plan, designed to help you balance career and family life effectively
• Inclusive Work Environment: A collaborative workplace where all voices are valued, with Employee Resource Groups that unite and empower our colleagues around the globe
• Dedication to Giving Back: Paid volunteer days, matched funding for donations and ample opportunities to volunteer in your community

Fitch is committed to providing global securities markets with objective, timely, independent, and forward‑looking credit opinions. To protect Fitch’s credibility and reputation, employees must take every precaution to avoid conflicts of interest or any appearance of a conflict of interest. Should you be successful in the recruitment process at Fitch Ratings you will be asked to declare any securities holdings and other potential conflicts prior to commencing employment.

Fitch is a proud Equal Opportunity and affirmative action employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, and other statuses protected by law.

FOR TORONTO: Expected base pay rates for the role are between $180,000 CAD and $210,000 CAD per year. Actual salaries will be determined on an individual basis and may vary based on factors including education, training, experience, past performance, and other job‑related considerations.

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