Manager, Payments and Innovations, Job in Kenya

Manager, Payments and Innovations

Key accountabilities & Time split
Product Development – Time split 40%

Lead in-country API product development. This includes defining and developing a compelling value proposition within the Open Banking space by understanding customers’ needs, pains, and gains.
Champion and drive flows that deliver superior customer journeys for open banking
Design and drive the Banking-as-a-Service strategy and implementation
Design, document, and implement the Fintech and other Tech Enabled Businesses Strategy
Understand the regulatory, legal, and financial landscape for Tech-enabled Businesses
Periodically review existing products based on customer feedback and market trends to ensure continuous product utilization.
Effectively manage the API product lifecycle
Continuous engagement with FinTechs, startups, and partners to ensure adequate product and process support to drive revenues growth
Continuous propagation of process innovation to maximize competitive advantage.
Develop and implement product development processes and standards that ensure a consistently superior product proposition to customers.
Ensure quality assurance procedures are in place to continually evaluate the quality of the customer experience to enhance performance and productivity.
Share best practices and market intelligence to ensure we deliver a competitive solution.
Identify, develop, and support the execution of acquisition marketing campaigns.
Anticipate global trends and identify probable impacts on the business and provide direction and solutions
Design, Create and Own Value-Added Ecosystems
Track Channel KPIs to increase the utilization and overall performance
Develop detailed, crisp business requirements and user stories that can be used to create product specifications and architecture for each product and application and model price and value propositions
Work closely with the Business Units, Technology, Marketing, Project Management, and Operations teams to deliver products from ideation to market.

Business Development – Time split 30%

Develop and implement API product strategies to monetize and grow the bank’s market share, revenue, and profitability in line with the Bank’s transformation strategy.
Develop and manage Go to Market initiatives for API solutions
Identify and develop product performance metrics to ensure the attainment of business case objectives.
Build capacity within cross-functional teams to ensure fulfillment of the sales and service functions
Establish partnerships with FinTech aggregators and third-party developers on innovation, strategies, programs, initiatives, research, and projects.
Drive product adoption and penetration by liaising with CX and Marketing in coordinating CVMs, activations, product uptakes, and promotions and to resolve pain points across channels, customers, and partners
Monitor new venture businesses and start-ups.
Focus on building new areas of the ecosystem & scale new partners

Stakeholder Engagement – Time split 20%

Identify and manage internal stakeholders and external partnerships including technology and service vendors, commercial partners, and internal support teams to deliver on project deliverables.
Secure and maintain business commitment /involvement from stakeholders and obtain feedback at all stages of the project.
Analyze feedback from stakeholders and determine the way forward.
Monitor and manage Project progress, project scope, and control change.
Identify strategic and cross-functional issues.
Establish and manage appropriate project Risk, Opportunities, Change, and Issue management procedures.
Forecast and ensure delivery of likely business benefits.
Manage compliance with Absa project practices and methodologies.
Ensure the business is prepared for the change, including agreement of acceptance criteria and sign-off.
Determine the readiness of service and obtain sanction to proceed to roll-out
Review the pilot and assess the quality of deliverables and controls.
Ensure the impact of the project on the operational and IT infrastructure is accessed and communicated.
Ensure the project deliverables are presented to the business within timescales contained in the Project plan and within budgets agreed on inception.
Prepare project reports within specified standards and timescales.
Manage Project Interdependencies.
Thought leadership in the industry

People Management – Time split 10%

Foster a positive, prideful work environment with open communications and timely resolution of conflicts.
Cascade information to the project team, and give briefs on assignments and technical explanations.
Review and assess the performance of project team members against plans.
Discuss and finalize performance development plans and ratings for your direct reports.

Role/person specification

Preferred Education

A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related fields

Preferred Experience

At least 6 years of experience in product development in a financial services environment
At least 2-3 years of specific experience in:

Open Banking
API product development
Digital Product development.
E-commerce
Project Management

A postgraduate qualification in a business-related field is an added advantage
In-depth understanding of Financial Technology (Fintech).
In-depth understanding of Fintech’s, start-ups, and developer community landscape
In-depth knowledge of competitors and local market activity
In-depth knowledge of payment gateway flows and integrations

Knowledge And Skills

Certification Digital Product Development/ Project Management/ AGILE Methodologies and Practice

Technical Competencies

Knowledge and experience in developing and implementing innovative product offerings.
Knowledge and experience in the implementation of digital platforms and solutions end to end
Strong commercial/ entrepreneurial acumen
Strong networking skills at a high level
Highly developed analytical and perceptive skills
Ability to develop, plan, execute, and implement according to corporate and project plan strategies
Change management
Team working – building and developing high performance
Proven people, leadership, and negotiation skills.
A result-driven ‘team player’, personality with a willingness and ability to work in a dynamic working environment.
Innovative, with prior experience in product development.
Strong communication skills both in person and in writing with excellent presentation skills.
Strong organizational skills
Enthusiastic attitude and focus on results.
A high aptitude and comfort level with technical environments and the ability to work in a highly demanding environment and able to meet aggressive deadlines.