Country Product Owner - Payments.Payments MBP.Retail Banking Group-MBPKLTD

The Country Product Owner –Payments will lead the design, development, and management of innovative payment solutions for consumers and small & medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. This role will focus on enabling seamless domestic and cross-border payment experiences through digital channels, APIs, and integrations with third party systems. The Product Owner will act as the local business lead — defining the vision, managing the product backlog, and working closely with Group Product, Technology, Compliance, and external partners to deliver differentiated, compliant, and scalable payment propositions.

Product Strategy & Vision

• Define and own the Consumer/ SME Payments product roadmap for Pakistan, aligned with Mashreq’s digital and regional payments strategy
• Identify market opportunities and emerging payment needs across domestic transfers, bill payments, bulk payments, payroll, and cross-border transactions.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory guidelines and evolving SBP frameworks on digital payments and SME enablement.

Product Development & Delivery

• Translate customer and business needs into user stories, requirements, and clear acceptance criteria.
• Prioritize and manage the local product backlog in collaboration with the Group Product Owner and agile squads.
• Drive delivery of new payment capabilities, APIs, and platform enhancements through continuous collaboration with Tech, Operations, and Risk teams.

Customer Experience & Commercialization

• Champion customer needs to ensure intuitive, frictionless payment journeys across channels.
• Partner with the Business Banking team to drive adoption, usage, and revenue growth.
• Support pricing, go-to-market plans, and promotional activities to position Mashreq as a preferred SME payments partner.

Risk, Compliance & Governance

• Ensure adherence to SBP regulations, AML/CFT standards, and data protection controls for all payment solutions.
• Maintain a risk register and ensure appropriate controls and monitoring mechanisms are in place.
• Liaise with internal audit, compliance, and control functions for continuous assurance.

Partnerships & Ecosystem

• Identify and manage relationships with fintechs, payment gateways, and solution providers to build integrations and value-added propositions.
• Explore opportunities to participate in national payment infrastructure initiatives (e.g., Raast, PayPak, etc.).

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Computer Science, or Finance; MBA preferred.
• 7–10 years of relevant experience in digital payments, cash management, or product development, ideally with exposure to SME or commercial banking.
• Proven track record in digital product ownership, preferably within agile frameworks.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Strong understanding of local and cross-border payment systems, APIs, and digital transaction flows.
• Payment messages and Protocols understanding ISO
• Familiarity with SBP regulatory frameworks for payments, open banking, and digital banking.
• Experience in SME Banking and payment solutions 
• Strong analytical, prioritization, and stakeholder management skills.
• Comfortable working in cross-functional, fast-paced agile environments.

Personal Attributes

• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong commercial acumen.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and problem-solving skills.
• Customer-centric, data-driven, and results-oriented approach.
• Ability to work across group and local teams to drive execution and innovation.