At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the vision and strategy for payments in a cutting-edge banking platform.
- Company: Join a dynamic startup backed by FIS, a leader in financial technology.
- Benefits: Enjoy autonomy, competitive salary, and the chance to shape next-gen payment solutions.
- Other info: Work in a collaborative environment with a senior team of experts.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on how global banks handle money with innovative technology.
- Qualifications: Deep payments expertise and a strong technical background required.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
About the Role: Sits within a newly acquired startup building an AI-enabled, autonomous banking platform for Tier-1 financial institutions within the banking group. The Product Manager is the single-threaded product owner for the Payments component: vision, roadmap, requirements, prioritization, and measurable outcomes from discovery through production adoption. Requires deep UK or US payments expertise, an engineering foundation, and end-to-end ownership of what we build and why. The first assignment is a live Tier-1 bank payments program with a signed-scope deadline. This is not a program- or delivery-management role: client-program orchestration sits with the Forward Deployed team, and engineering owns architecture and implementation.
Key Responsibilities
- Payments Strategy & Roadmap: Own the direction: Define the multi-year Payments strategy and rolling roadmap across UK and US requirements; decide what to build, defer, simplify, reuse, or deprecate. Own the scheme calendar: Productize non-discretionary change — Nacha rules, ISO 20022 deadlines, scheme mandates — before it becomes urgent. Keep the roadmap on track and define success: STP, success and return rates, latency, availability, reconciliation breaks, onboarding lead time, adoption.
- Payments Domain & Client Leadership: Be the SME: Serve as the internal product authority on how rails, schemes, participants, processors, settlement models, and operating rules work end to end. Problem-solve with clients: Join client working sessions to define what to build — whiteboard the actual payment lifecycle, expose missing controls and edge cases, and identify the minimum viable reusable capability. Guard the platform: Convert recurring client and field signal into reusable payment primitives, not client-specific forks; countersign any client commitment that binds the roadmap before it is promised. Challenge constructively: Push back on clients and internal experts with evidence; document decisions so they stay made.
- Technical Product Definition: Write the contract: Author PRDs and decision documents; define payment APIs, events, data and state models, error semantics, and acceptance criteria. Sweat the semantics: Partner with engineering on idempotency, duplicate handling, retries, ordering, cut-offs and value dates, settlement finality, and recovery. Own the boundaries: Define product contracts with Ledger, Customer, Reg & Compliance, Orchestration, Reconciliation, Data, and Command Center. Respect the split: This role owns what, why, priority, and acceptance criteria; engineering owns architecture, implementation, and estimates.
Required Experience
- Payments Expertise: Deep, hands-on expertise in UK rails (Faster Payments, Bacs, CHAPS, Open Banking) or US rails (ACH/Nacha, Fedwire, FedNow, RTP, CHIPS); near-term roadmap weights UK depth. Working command of ISO 20022, settlement and finality, cut-offs and value dates, returns and reversals, exceptions, reconciliation, and scheme onboarding and certification. Practical exposure to more than one payment type (instant, batch/ACH, wire, direct debit, cross-border). Strongly preferred: working knowledge of the other market's rails.
- Technical Foundation: 4+ years owning a technical product or platform end to end, including at least one taken personally through launch, adoption, and iteration. Engineering background or equivalent hands-on record: typically 3+ years building, shipping, and operating production software — not coordinating its delivery. Fluent in APIs, event-driven and distributed systems, data and state modeling, reliability, security, and observability; reads architecture diagrams without a translator.
- Operating Style: Strong ownership mindset — owns outcomes, not tasks; a product owner who ships, not a requirements librarian. High agency; writes the playbook when none exists. Technically credible and commercially grounded — earns trust with senior engineers, bank product and operations leaders, scheme experts, and risk and compliance teams, and executives. Clear writer: turns complex rules into decisions that are hard to misinterpret. AI-native — uses analytics, telemetry, and AI-assisted workflows as the default operating mode for discovery, prototyping, documentation, and decisions, not a side experiment.
Impact & Scope: Direct impact on core banking platforms used by Tier-1 global institutions — starting with a live Tier-1 payments program. High autonomy and accountability within a small, senior team, paired with a senior engineering lead. Work shipped directly to production, supporting high-consequence financial transactions.
Why This Role: This role offers the autonomy, ownership, and technical depth of a startup, combined with the scale, stability, and long-term impact of FIS. You will define how some of the world's largest banks initiate, move, settle, reconcile, and control money on a next-generation enterprise platform.
Why Join FIS? Build next-generation payment capabilities for leading global banks. Work in a startup-style environment backed by the scale of FIS. Own products that directly support high-value, mission-critical financial transactions. Partner with a senior team of engineers, payment experts, and banking leaders.
Senior / Staff Product Manager – Payments employer: FIS Capital Markets
FIS is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, particularly for the Account Manager Lead role in Supply Chain Finance based in London. Employees benefit from competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and ample opportunities for professional growth within a global financial technology organisation. By joining FIS, you will engage with leading corporate customers, collaborate with diverse teams, and play a pivotal role in driving innovative solutions that enhance working capital efficiency.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior / Staff Product Manager – Payments
✨Tip Number 1: Tap Into Professional Networks
The finance world loves a good connection, so jump into industry-specific groups on platforms like LinkedIn where you can find discussions on financial controlling. Engaging in these communities can expose you to hidden job leads that aren't openly advertised!
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Make it a mission to attend finance-related events and conferences, even virtual ones! This is a golden opportunity to network face-to-face with people from companies like FIS Capital Markets. You never know who might be your next boss or a crucial contact!
✨Tip Number 3: Showcase Your Expertise
Consider writing articles or sharing insights related to financial controlling or industry trends. Publish these on platforms like LinkedIn to establish yourself as a knowledgeable player in the field. This not only increases your visibility but also catches the attention of recruiters from FIS Capital Markets.
✨Tip Number 4: Apply Directly on Company Websites
Since you're going for a full-time gig, don't forget to keep an eye on the careers page of companies you're interested in, like FIS Capital Markets. Many companies prefer candidates who apply through their website as it shows genuine interest and makes your application stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior / Staff Product Manager – Payments
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers Game:In financial controlling, detail is everything! Make sure your CV showcases your proficiency with numbers—highlight any relevant experience in budgeting, forecasting, or working with financial software. Quantifying your past achievements will make you stand out, so don’t be shy about flaunting those impressive percentages or cost savings you've implemented.
Tailored Cover Letter is Key:Your cover letter is a chance to shine, especially for a full-time role. Use it to express your genuine interest in FIS Capital Markets and the specific impact you hope to make in financial controlling. Mention any relevant qualifications or experiences that align with the company’s goals, and don’t forget to show that you're ready for a long-term commitment!
Certifications Matter:List relevant certifications such as ACCA or CIMA on your CV. These qualifications not only showcase your dedication to the field but also your technical competence in financial principles. If you have any ongoing training or courses, make sure to mention those as well to demonstrate your commitment to continual learning in financial controlling.
Don’t Overlook Soft Skills:While numbers are crucial, so are those soft skills! Financial controllers need strong communication and analytical reasoning abilities. We recommend embedding examples of these skills in your CV and cover letter, like how you’ve successfully delivered financial reports to stakeholders or collaborated with teams to improve processes. Let’s show FIS Capital Markets how you can be a team player!
How to prepare for a job interview at FIS Capital Markets
✨Brush Up on Technical Skills
Make sure you're comfortable with key financial concepts, especially around forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis. Sometimes, interviewers may throw in technical questions or case studies, so practicing these types of scenarios will help you shine!
✨Showcase Your Financial Acumen
If you've had experience with specific financial software like SAP or Oracle, make it known! Be ready to discuss how you used these tools to improve processes or reporting, as this hands-on knowledge can really set you apart in a full-time role with FIS Capital Markets.
✨Know Your Numbers
In full-time interviews, especially in financial controlling, be prepared for numerical reasoning tests or questions. Brush up on your mental maths and understand how to interpret and analyse financial statements on the spot, as this may come up during the assessment.
✨Connect with Company Goals
Familiarise yourself with FIS Capital Markets's financial objectives and any recent developments. During the interview, try to weave your understanding of their business model and challenges into your answers—this shows your genuine interest and alignment with their goals!
