Product Owner

We are seeking experienced Product Owners to join a major transformation programme shaping the future of a global Payments Operations function.

As part of a multi-year transformation, you will help replace a legacy payments platform with a new core payments engine while redefining operational ways of working across Payments Processing, Payment Investigations, and Sanctions & Name Screening.

This is not a traditional Scrum Product Owner role focused solely on backlog management. The role requires a consultative Product Owner who can challenge existing operating models, shape future capabilities, define strategic product roadmaps, and deliver meaningful operational improvements that support a broader Target Operating Model (TOM) transformation.

The Role

You will own one or more operational products supporting the Payments Operations estate and drive their strategic evolution.

Working closely with Operations, Technology, Architecture, and Change teams, you will define product direction, prioritize investment, and ensure solutions support immediate business needs and the long-term transformation agenda. You will collaborate with Business Analysts leading operating-model redesigns to keep product strategy and operational change aligned.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the product roadmap for operational payment capabilities.
• Define and communicate a clear product vision aligned to the wider transformation strategy.
• Partner with Operations, Technology, and Change teams to deliver business value.
• Challenge existing processes and identify opportunities to simplify and modernize operational workflows.
• Translate business priorities into product outcomes and delivery roadmaps.
• Prioritize features and capabilities based on customer, operational, and regulatory needs.
• Work closely with engineering teams delivering the new core payments platform.
• Ensure products support future Target Operating Models and operational readiness.
• Influence senior stakeholders across Product, Operations, and Technology.
• Drive adoption of automation, AI, and digital capabilities where appropriate.
• Balance strategic product development with ongoing BAU and regulatory priorities.

Candidate Profile

The strongest candidates will have experience acting as strategic partners to the business, shaping future operating models, and influencing how operational products evolve over time.

You will ideally have experience:

• Owning products within complex Payments or Financial Services environments.
• Defining product strategy and long-term roadmaps.
• Supporting large-scale operational transformation programmes.
• Working alongside Business Analysts delivering Target Operating Model (TOM) initiatives.
• Challenging existing ways of working and driving continuous improvement.
• Working closely with engineering teams delivering enterprise platforms.
• Managing senior stakeholder relationships across Operations, Technology, and Product.
• Making commercial and strategic prioritisation decisions.

Domain Experience

Payments Processing

• Experience supporting end-to-end payment processing operations.
• Understanding of payment lifecycles, operational workflows, Straight Through Processing (STP), automation, and the transition towards 24/7, follow-the-sun operating models.

Payment Investigations

• Experience working with products supporting payment investigations, exception handling, and operational case management.
• Ability to improve efficiency across complex operational workflows.

Sanctions & Name Screening

• Experience supporting Financial Crime products relating to sanctions screening, name screening, alert management, or operational compliance workflows.

Essential Experience

• Product Ownership within Financial Services.
• Strong Payments Operations knowledge.
• Experience working on enterprise transformation programmes.
• Product roadmap ownership.
• Agile product delivery.
• Operational process improvement.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams across Product, Technology, and Operations.

Desirable Experience

• Core payments platform transformation.
• Target Operating Model (TOM) programmes.
• AI or Intelligent Automation initiatives.
• Workflow redesign.
• Global operating models across the UK, India, and Eastern Europe.

Success is measured by operational outcomes rather than the number of features delivered. You will help build products that enable simpler, smarter, and more scalable ways of working while supporting delivery of a modern core payments platform.