The Head of Products, Services & Projects is responsible for driving product strategy, execution, and end-to-end lifecycle management of existing and future products, services and projects at NCHL. The role requires a deep understanding of digital payments, open banking, and emerging financial technologies to create innovative, customer-centric products. He/ She shall have strategic mindset with ability to translate technology trends into scalable, high-impact products and services. Additionally, the candidate will oversee product-based project management, ensuring product roadmaps, engineering execution, and market needs are seamlessly aligned while adhering to Agile principles and regulatory requirements. 

Job Specification:

• University degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, or a related field.
• At least 10+ years of experience in product management, product development, and project execution, with a proven track record in fintech, digital payments, banking, or financial services.
• Experience in payment systems, APIs, open banking, cross-border payments, and digital wallets is highly preferred.
• Define and drive product strategy, roadmap, and innovation initiatives, integrating automation, embedded finance and modern payment technologies.
• Lead the development, execution, and management of the entire fintech product portfolio, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Oversee full product lifecycle management, from conceptualization to market launch, performance tracking, and iterative enhancements.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, including financial messaging protocols (ISO 8583, ISO 20022), PSD2, PCI DSS, and Open Banking regulations.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams—Engineering, Compliance, Operations, Marketing, and Business Development—to ensure seamless product execution and adoption.
• Strong understanding of software development processes, Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe), and technical product management. Establish and implement Agile, SAFe, and DevOps-driven project management frameworks, ensuring on-time and quality product releases.
• Manage APIs, digital channels, and fintech platforms, focusing on seamless customer experiences and partner ecosystem integrations.
• Familiarity with API-led architectures, microservices, cloud-based platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), and AI-powered chatbots.
• Expertise in financial messaging standards (ISO 8583, ISO 20022, SWIFT). Knowledge of Blockchain frameworks (Hyperledger, Ethereum, Corda, Solidity-based smart contracts) and their fintech applications is an added advantage.
• Sound knowledge in Web Services (REST, SOAP), API Management, OAuth, JWT, WebSockets, and real-time messaging protocols.
• Strong understanding of RDBMS (SQL, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle) and NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Redis, Cassandra) on Windows and Unix/Linux platforms.
• Proficiency in JIRA, Confluence, Azure DevOps, and other product & project management tools.
• Experience/Knowledge in DevOps-driven release management, CI/CD pipelines, and continuous product iterations. 
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and team collaboration skills.
• Strong ability to prioritize tasks, manage stakeholder expectations, and execute high-impact projects under tight deadlines. 
• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in high-pressure environments while fostering a culture of product excellence and innovation. Ability to learn, adapt, and implement emerging fintech innovations independently and in collaborative environments.