Payments Product Owner

At Liberty, we strive to maximize our impact and exceed goals by investing in our teammates to deepen our relationships in the workplace and communities we serve. We take pride in promoting a socially responsible and sustainable future through initiatives and investment.

SUMMARY OF THE JOB:

The Payments Product Owner is responsible for owning and delivering the vision and execution of Liberty's payment capabilities. The role partners closely with product managers, technology, design, operations, and compliance teams to ensure payment products meet customer needs, regulatory requirements, and strategic objectives. This includes managing project requirements, translating strategic goals into detailed functional specifications, and ensuring on-time, high-quality delivery of functionality and user experiences. The Payments Product Owner serves as the voice of the customer, balancing business, technology, and design priorities to drive adoption, satisfaction, and growth.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Product Vision and Strategy: Communicate and drive the product vision and strategy for payment product (and related payment rails) in alignment with Liberty's strategic priorities. Collaborate with product managers and stakeholders to define product objectives, desired outcomes, and key performance indicators, ensuring that customer needs are clearly captured in business requirements and project documentation.
• Requirements Management & Delivery: Maintain and refine the product requirements documentation, converting high-level business needs into detailed functional requirements and specifications. Lead prioritization to ensure the highest-value features are included in project plans. Collaborate during requirements phases, design reviews, and stage-gate meetings to ensure shared understanding of scope and progress. Provide final approval of completed deliverables, ensuring they meet defined requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Execution & Cross-Functional Leadership: Guide technology and implementation teams through the project lifecycle, serving as the subject matter expert and central point of clarification. Align closely with design, technology, and operations partners to deliver compelling customer experiences. Coordinate with release management to ensure operational readiness, documentation completion, and proper go/no-go approvals at each phase.
• Customer Focus & Continuous Improvement: Serve as the voice of the end user by gathering and interpreting customer feedback, market research, and data analytics to inform enhancements and future initiatives. Develop and track objectives and key results (OKRs) to measure outcomes and drive improvements. Conduct post-implementation reviews and incorporate lessons learned into future planning and processes.
• Risk Management & Compliance: Ensure all product lifecycle, risk, security, and compliance requirements are followed throughout the project phases. Coordinate with compliance and legal partners to maintain adherence to network rules, payment regulations, and internal controls.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the central point of contact for internal stakeholders, executive leaders, and external partners. Communicate project plans, timelines, scope decisions, and trade-offs; align cross-functional teams on dependencies and milestones; and provide regular status updates to leadership.
• Mentoring & Team Development: Support and mentor other product owners and team members on waterfall project management principles, requirements development, and delivery best practices.

Minimum knowledge/skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Technology, Finance, or related field; or equivalent work experience.
• At least 2-3years of product management or product ownership experience within financial services or similar regulated industries.
• Strong understanding of payment systems and real-time rails, including Zelle, RTP/FedNow, ACH, and ISO 20022 standards preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional initiatives in structured, phase-based delivery environments without formal authority.
• Proven ability to develop requirements documentation, prioritize complex needs, and deliver solutions in collaboration with design and technology teams.
• Excellent analytical skills to interpret data and trends, diagnose problems, and recommend solutions.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and negotiation skills with the ability to communicate vision and strategy to stakeholders and drive alignment.
• Knowledge of banking regulations, risk management, and compliance requirements related to payments.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• General Office Equipment
• Occasional travel as needed; evenings, weekends on occasion within CT and Western MA
• Keyboard Dexterity
• Prolonged Sitting
• Ability to lift 20 lbs.

COMPLIANCE:

Acts affirmatively in all activities under his/her control in conformance with the Bank's Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Fair Lending Programs to achieve the Bank's goals and objectives. The Bank shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons, and continue to recruit, hire, train and evaluate persons in all jobs without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or veteran status.

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Liberty Bank is an Equal Opportunity employer. It is the policy of Liberty Bank to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.