Country Product Owner - Payments (Mashreq Digital Bank Pakistan)

Job Purpose

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.

Key result Areas

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.).

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

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.