Senior Product Manager Unsecured Business Lending (SME/Fintech/Lending)

Black Pen Recruitment; Johannesburg; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Fintech firm is looking for an experienced Product or Portfolio Manager based in Johannesburg. The successful candidate will own the Unsecured Lending Business Term Advance product and develop strategies for expanding SME lending solutions. This full-time role offers a hybrid working environment and the chance to work within a dynamic team committed to financial inclusion.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of experience in product development or product management.
• Strong understanding of Fintech, SME lending, or digital financial products preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily management of the Business Term Advance product for performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve growth targets.
• Lead execution and scaling of the Unsecured Business Lending Marketplace.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Education

3- or 4-year degree in Business or related field

Matric or equivalent

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen within an innovative Fintech team focused on serving the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector. This role is part of a broader financial services division committed to financial inclusion and the development of scalable lending solutions. Our client is seeking an experienced Product or Portfolio Manager to take full ownership of the Unsecured Lending Business Term Advance product, overseeing its performance across the value chain.

You will also be responsible for developing and executing the strategy for the Unsecured SME Lending product and marketplace under a well-established digital lending brand.

Job Type: Full-time | Hybrid

Location: Johannesburg

Requirements

• Matric or equivalent (essential)
• A relevant 3- or 4-year degree in Business or a related field (essential)
• Minimum 8 years of experience in product development or product management (essential)
• Strong understanding of Fintech, SME lending, or digital financial products (preferred)
• Proven track record of managing end-to-end product life cycles
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate insights into actionable plans
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-performance environment

Responsibilities

• Oversee the day-to-day management of the Business Term Advance product to ensure strong performance and profitability.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Marketing, Sales, IT, and Customer Experience to achieve annual growth targets.
• Lead the execution and scale-up of the Unsecured Business Lending Marketplace.
• Drive the creation of new features and enhancements to strengthen the business value proposition.
• Identify and manage third-party product partners; lead commercial negotiations and partnership integrations.
• Provide strategic insights on trends and innovations in the SME lending and Fintech space, and develop business cases for new initiatives.
• Deliver regular product performance reporting (daily, weekly, and monthly), and present findings to senior stakeholders when required.