At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead product development, bridge business strategy and tech delivery, and shape the product roadmap.
- Company: Dynamic financial services firm with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, benefits package, and long-term career growth opportunities.
- Other info: Direct exposure to executive leadership and a collaborative international team.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on product strategy and technology initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: 10+ years in fintech or related fields, strong project management and stakeholder skills.
The predicted salary is between 59576 - 70089 £ per year.
- Job Summary
- We are looking for an experienced
Product Development Director to bridge business strategy and technology delivery.
Reporting directly to the
Group Chairman , you will shape the product roadmap, improve development processes, and ensure business initiatives are translated into clear, actionable requirements for technology teams.
Success in this role will require a strong understanding of the company’s business model, operational processes, and client journey.
You will challenge existing ways of working, identify opportunities for product and process improvement, and help drive greater efficiency, transparency, and alignment across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Translate business priorities into a structured and commercially aligned product roadmap.
- Evaluate product ideas and business requests based on strategic value, client impact, operational benefit, technical feasibility, and delivery priority.
- Challenge and refine requirements, ensuring each initiative has a clear business objective, expected outcome, success measure, and agreed priority before entering development.
- Act as the primary liaison between business stakeholders and the IT Development team.
- Translate complex business needs into clear product requirements, functional specifications, and development-ready documentation.
- Ensure development teams understand the business purpose, scope, and expected outcomes of each initiative.
- Manage communication and expectations between leadership, business teams, and technology stakeholders regarding priorities, scope, timelines, and delivery constraints.
- Review business requests and product specifications, including AI-assisted documentation, before they enter the development pipeline.
- Identify gaps, risks, assumptions, dependencies, and unclear requirements before development begins.
- Establish and maintain consistent governance for product intake, prioritisation, documentation, delivery tracking, and post-delivery review.
- Monitor delivery progress, risks, blockers, dependencies, and changes in scope across the roadmap.
- Support prioritisation decisions where business demands or technical constraints compete.
- Improve product development workflows, operating models, and cross-functional communication.
- Work closely with Product, Technology, QA, Operations, and business teams to improve delivery effectiveness.
- Ensure completed products and features are reviewed against the original business objectives and intended outcomes.
- Must Have
Qualifications
- 10+ years’ experience within financial services, fintech, brokerage, trading technology, liquidity, capital markets, or a related industry.
- Strong background in product management, business analysis, product delivery, project management, or technology-led business transformation.
- Proven experience acting as the bridge between business stakeholders and software development teams.
- Experience working with B2B technology products, enterprise platforms, trading systems, or financial technology solutions.
- Strong project management, stakeholder management, and delivery governance experience.
- Ability to translate complex business requirements into structured product or technical specifications.
- Strong commercial awareness and experience improving workflows, operational efficiency, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
- Preferred Qualifications
- Experience leading digital transformation or business process improvement initiatives.
- Experience with AI-assisted product development, business analysis, or specification management.
- Working knowledge of
Atlassian Jira and Confluence for product delivery, backlog management, and documentation.
- Familiarity with
SQL, Databricks, Python, or similar technologies , with the ability to understand technical concepts and collaborate effectively with engineering teams (hands-on development experience is not required).
- Agile, Scrum, SAFe, PMP, or similar delivery certifications.
- Experience within brokerage, liquidity, trading platforms, or capital markets environments.
- Experience working directly with executive leadership, founders, board members, or chairpersons.
What We Offer
- Direct exposure to executive leadership, including the Group Chairman.
- Significant influence over product strategy, delivery governance, and business transformation.
- The opportunity to shape how products and technology initiatives are delivered across the organisation.
- Exposure to complex financial technology and trading platform environments.
- A collaborative, international working environment.
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Long-term career growth and leadership opportunities.
Product Development Director in London employer: Finalto
Finalto is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic work culture in the heart of Greater London, offering employees the chance to thrive in a collaborative environment. With a strong emphasis on professional development, we provide ample opportunities for growth and advancement, ensuring that our team members are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of tax compliance and transfer pricing. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking company that values innovation and supports your career aspirations.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Product Development Director in London
✨Join Product Management Meetups
Get involved in local product management meetups or workshops. These events are perfect for meeting industry folks, sharing ideas, and staying updated on trends. Plus, you never know who might be hiring—it's a fantastic way to make connections that could lead to a job at places like Finalto!
✨Show Off Your Product Sense
Create case studies or mini-projects showcasing your product management skills, and share them on platforms like Medium or LinkedIn. This not only puts your skills on display but also boosts your visibility in the product community. Imagine how impressed the hiring team at Finalto would be by your initiative!
✨Utilise Online Communities
Dive into online product management communities like Product Coalition or Mind the Product. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and share your insights. These platforms are goldmines for networking and finding hidden job opportunities—many companies often scout talent from within these circles.
✨Leverage Your University Network
If you’ve recently graduated or are still in uni, tap into your alumni network for connections in product management. Many universities have their own job boards and affinity resources to help graduates land roles. Don't forget to keep an eye out for job openings at Finalto through your school's career services!
We think you need these skills to ace Product Development Director in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Product Passion:When applying for a product management role like Product Development Director, let your passion for developing products shine through in your cover letter. Share specific examples of products you've managed, how you solved user needs, and any successful outcomes you've achieved. This is your chance to showcase your understanding of the product lifecycle!
Highlight Your Cross-Functional Skills:Product management isn't just about understanding the product; it’s about collaborating with different teams! Make sure to emphasise your experience working with developers, designers, and marketers. Use your CV to showcase your ability to bridge gaps between these areas, and include relevant experiences that demonstrate your communication and leadership skills!
Include Your Metrics and Achievements:In a full-time product management application, data speaks volumes! Quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you increase user retention by a certain percentage? Launch a product ahead of schedule? Include these metrics in your CV to paint a picture of your impact and effectiveness in previous roles.
Tailor Your CV to the Role:Make sure your CV is tailored for the Product Development Director position at Finalto. Use keywords from the job description and ensure your relevant experiences are front and centre. Highlight any certifications or relevant training you’ve completed that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the role. And remember, we’re excited to see your application on our website!
How to prepare for a job interview at Finalto
✨Understand the Product Life Cycle
As a product management candidate, we need to get our head around the complete product life cycle. Be prepared to discuss real-world examples of how you’ve managed product development from ideation to launch. Bring specific insights on tools like JIRA or Trello that can help streamline these processes.
✨Showcase Your Cross-Functional Skills
Product management is all about collaboration. We should be ready to highlight how we’ve worked across teams—think marketing, engineering, and design. Prepare to discuss scenarios where you had to mediate differing opinions and how you got everyone on board with a shared vision.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
In a full-time role, we can expect to encounter case study questions during our interviews. Practise solving hypothetical product problems on the spot, such as prioritising features for a new app or improving user engagement metrics. This will show our analytical thinking and decision-making skills.
✨Know Your Metrics
Let’s face it, numbers are our best friends in product management. We should prepare to discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) and how we've used analytics to inform product decisions. Dive into examples where data has driven our strategy for improvements or justified product changes.
