Product Owner – Open Finance

Role: Proxy Product Owner – Open Finance (UAE & Bahrain)

Location: UAE (with engagement across Bahrain market)

Overview

As a Proxy Product Owner for Open Finance focusing on UAE and Bahrain, you will lead the charge in conceptualizing, defining, and delivering Open Finance products that align with evolving regulatory frameworks and customer needs. You’ll act as the bridge between business stakeholders, regulators, fintech partners, and internal delivery teams, ensuring user-centric and compliant products across both markets.

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Key Responsibilities

• Translate regulatory mandates and market developments into a clear and actionable product roadmap for Open Finance offerings in UAE and Bahrain.
• Lead the product lifecycle—from backlog creation and prioritization to delivery—ensuring alignment with strategic goals, regulatory timelines, and stakeholder needs.
• Be the subject-matter expert: Stay current on the evolving Open Finance landscape in the region, including UAE’s Open Finance platform, Trust Framework, API Hub, and Service Initiation initiatives
• Collaborate closely with compliance, legal, and security teams to embed regulatory requirements such as consent handling, API standards, sandbox testing, digital certificates, and dispute resolution mechanisms openbankproject.com.
• Engage with banks, fintechs, insurers, and infrastructure providers to gather insights, define use cases (e.g., account aggregation, payments, embedded finance), and shape seamless user journeys.
• Craft clear product documentation: user stories, epics, acceptance criteria, wireframes, and flow diagrams, adapted to market-specific needs.
• Drive MVPs with a data-driven mindset; define KPIs, measure adoption, and iterate to optimize customer and partner experiences.
• Act as a proxy for stakeholders—ensuring product decisions reflect both business priorities and ground-level realities.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of product management experience within financial services, with specialization in Open Banking or Open Finance, especially in the GCC region (UAE and/or Bahrain).
• Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks in the UAE and Bahrain:
• UAE: Central Bank’s Open Finance Regulation (issued June 2024), phased implementation via the Open Finance platform, consent management, API Hub, Trust Framework.
• Bahrain: Central Bank’s Open Banking Sandbox (since 2017), Open Banking Framework (2020), and platform pioneers like Tarabut
• Deep familiarity with technical APIs, developer portals, regulatory sandboxes, consent flows, and digital identity (e KYC, digital certificates).
• Proven ability to lead multifunctional teams, working with technical engineers, compliance/legal advisors, UX designers, and external fintech partners.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management—able to align regulators, partner institutions, and internal teams.
• Experience defining KPIs, gathering insights, and adapting roadmaps based on customer and market feedback.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Computer Science, or related disciplines; MBA or Master’s in Fintech/Innovation preferred.
• Previous collaboration with or within UAE Open Finance, AlTareq, or similar regulatory bodies in the UAE.
• Certifications in Agile (e.g., PSM I / CSPO) and UX design methods.
• Strategic and technical rigor to navigate complex regulatory landscapes.
• Strong product leadership skills, with a user-first mindset.
• Drive Open Finance adoption across banking, insurance, and fintech ecosystems.
• Contribute to shaping user-centric, secure, and interoperable financial services in the region.