Senior Product Owner - SME Channels (Mashreq Digital Bank Pakistan)

Job Purpose:

The Digital Product Lead holds end-to-end responsibility for the development, launch, and continuous improvement of Mashreq’s SME servicing platform. This role involves managing the full lifecycle of digital products and services — from ideation and design to delivery, optimization, and eventual phase-out — with a strong focus on enhancing the SME customer experience. Operating within Mashreq’s Digital Studio, the Product Lead works collaboratively in a cross-functional squad, bringing expertise in product strategy, digital channels, customer journeys, and process optimization. The role requires a deep understanding of SME needs and behaviors, as well as the ability to harmonize product features with business goals and regulatory requirements.

Key Result Areas:

• Applies deep knowledge of SME banking products and services to develop and maintain a compelling, compliant, and customer-centric value proposition.
• Leads the development, optimization, and eventual phase-out of SME servicing processes, ensuring seamless digital experiences across onboarding, servicing, payments, and cash flow management.
• Manages urgent incidents and identifies high-impact improvement opportunities to enhance platform performance and customer satisfaction.
• Proposes and implements structural enhancements to workflows based on feedback from SME clients and frontline teams.
• Actively contributes to all agile sprint ceremonies (planning, refinement, retrospectives, demos) using domain expertise to guide delivery.
• Monitors market trends, competitor offerings, regulatory changes, and technology advancements relevant to SME banking.
• Evaluates build vs. buy decisions for platform components, balancing innovation, cost, and time-to-market.
• Initiates and leverages customer research to inform product strategy and experience design.
• Designs and executes strategy across product features, digital channels, pricing, and service quality — aligned with Mashreq’s brand and SME customer needs.
• Translates strategic goals into actionable product, process, and channel policies, considering:
• SME product assortment strategy
• IT architecture and integration capabilities
• Regulatory and compliance requirements
• Process efficiency and cost optimization
• Oversees implementation of strategy, monitors squad progress, and adjusts priorities as needed in the role of Product Owner.
• Prioritizes the product backlog based on strategic goals, customer impact, and technical feasibility, in collaboration with the Digital Studio Lead.
• Manages sprint planning, budget alignment, and backlog execution to ensure timely delivery of SME platform features.
• Balances margin, volume, and market share considerations while keeping SME customer interests at the core.
• Designs and continuously improves SME customer journeys using CX insights, data analytics, and UX/IT landscape mapping.
• Applies digital marketing and communication strategies to optimize channel performance and customer engagement.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of SME business needs, application architecture, and enabling technologies. Translates business requirements into working software through close collaboration with engineering teams.
• Provides product-related insights and updates to internal and external stakeholders, including regulators, partners, and industry bodies.
• Leads, coaches, and develops squad members, fostering a high-performance culture and enabling future-ready capabilities.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in banking , SME-focused initiatives, or related digital product delivery, with a strong understanding of the SME segment and its unique needs.
• Proven experience in requirements gathering , translating business needs into user stories, and collaborating with engineering, data, or UX teams to deliver impactful solutions.
• Demonstrated success as a Product Owner or Product Manager in banking, fintech, or enterprise software environments.
• Background in engineering, technology, or UX is preferred, with the ability to bridge business and technical domains.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle and experience working in Agile/Scrum environments.
• Excellent negotiation, leadership, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and senior leadership.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills , with confidence in engaging senior stakeholders and external partners.
• Highly collaborative, with a strong sense of teamwork and individual accountability .
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills , with the ability to interpret data and translate insights into product decisions.
• Strategic thinker with a tactical mindset — able to balance long-term vision with short-term execution.
• Brings a high-energy, passionate outlook , and inspires teams with a “can-do” attitude.
• Builds trust and rapport across teams, fostering a productive and inclusive work environment.
• Passionate about innovation , customer-centric design, and delivering value to SME clients through digital transformation.