Chief Product Officer

Company Background: Our client specialises in the development of financial software to help financial industry firms grow, adapt, and gain a technological advantage. Over 20 years in existence, the company is committed to providing an individual approach to each customer in providing custom software solutions and sharing its FinTech expertise, focusing on technical excellence and delivering best-in-class software products. With rapid growth in recent years to now be at ~€100m Revenue, with over 1k direct and indirect employees, the company is now positioning itself to guarantee continued success in the future with a number of transformational C-Level appointments including this role of Chief Product Officer.

Background to the Chief Product Officer role: The company is at an inflexion point and the appointment of the next generation of leaders in the business is critical to the continued success of the business. This will ensure a strong and aligned C-suite to work with the very talented existing senior managers and employee base.

Location & Reporting lines: Reporting to the CEO (who is Dublin, Ireland, based), the CPO role can be based from one of the company’s main employee hubs including Dublin (Ireland), Porto (Portugal), Munich (Germany) or Sofia (Bulgaria) depending on candidate’s current location and preferences, with international travel as required.

Objectives of the role:

• Defining and aligning the product strategy with the overall business objectives.
• Collaborating with stakeholders to understand market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscapes to develop a long-term product vision.
• Oversee the entire product development lifecycle, from ideation and prioritization to execution and release.
• Working closely with engineering and design teams, to ensure timely and high-quality product delivery while maintaining a clear product roadmap.
• Working with the CTO, ensure the delivery teams are setup for success for the delivery of the combined Product and Technology roadmap and client requirements.
• Create exceptional user experiences by leading the design and user interface efforts.
• Working with the CCO, conduct thorough market research to identify emerging trends, customer preferences, and competitive landscapes, enabling the organization to make informed decisions regarding product positioning, differentiation, and pricing strategies.
• Create a Product organization that is aligned with the market requirements for capital markets-based Products, ensuring the right skills, people and structure is in place for sustainable Product development (in conjunction with the Chief People Officer).
• Manage the operational Product budget, ensuring commercial viability in the company’s product development (in line with the CCO) and ensuring operational management of the overall costs of the Product function.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning: develop and execute a comprehensive product strategy aligned with the company's overall vision. Identify market opportunities, assess risks, and make informed decisions regarding product investments and resource allocation.
• Team Leadership: build and lead a high-performing product team, providing guidance, mentorship, and support. Ensure the team fosters a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement to drive product excellence.
• Stakeholder Management: interact with stakeholders, including executives, investors, and board members, to present product strategies, roadmaps, and performance metrics. Effectively communicate products' value propositions and business impacts to gain support and alignment.
• Performance Measurement: establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to track product performance, customer satisfaction, and market success. Analyse data and feedback to iterate and improve product offerings continually.

Required skills and qualifications:

• Deep understanding of capital markets and product development within this space.
• Understanding of development lifecycles and agile product development methodologies.
• Experience in organizing and directing multiple teams and departments.
• Experience in planning and leading strategic initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Versatile abilities and extreme dedication to efficient productivity.

Candidate Background:

• Small to medium capital markets/FinTech companies with a Product and Technology focus.
• Consulting experience with a focus on operations management.
• Experience with creating a cohesive Product function from a number of siloed product teams.
• Experience with working in an entrepreneurial product environment, developing a product R&D roadmap in line with a defined Product development lifecycle.
• Experience with working with Technology to balance technology requirements aligned with client requirements, operating a pure R&D centre for product development internally.

Remuneration: An attractive base salary and bonus scheme and LTIP potential commensurate with the candidate’s experience will be offered.