The Senior Product Manager is responsible for the end-to-end design, development, enhancement, and lifecycle management of products and services offered by the Securities Depository.

The role requires close collaboration with Technology, Operations, Client Services, and external vendors to define detailed business requirements and translate them into robust technical and functional specifications supporting current and future platform development.

The role holder must demonstrate deep expertise in post-trade processes and settlement market infrastructure, a strong understanding of client needs, and the strategic importance of Securities Depository products within the broader capital markets ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

1. Product Management

• Conduct exploratory market research, customer research, and user research to validate product hypotheses and identify opportunities
• Perform competitor and peer market infrastructure analysis
• Engage customer and user advisory boards where applicable
• Define user segmentation, personas, and problem statements to support user-centric product design
• Identify, propose, and validate product solutions aligned with market demand, regulatory requirements, and organizational strategy
• Develop sustainable product strategies tailored to specific market infrastructure contexts
• Manage complex stakeholder environments using tailored communication and influence strategies
• Translate business strategy into product roadmaps and manage the Securities Depository product portfolio

2. Product Design & Development

• Apply Agile methodologies (Scrum, MVP, iterative delivery models) throughout product design and development
• Develop and maintain detailed product roadmaps including epics, themes, and user stories
• Define and document business, functional, and technical requirements in collaboration with Technology teams
• Apply UI/UX principles to ensure intuitive, secure, and user-centric product design
• Liaise with internal and external IT development teams, vendors, and system integrators
• Support system design, configuration, customization, and deployment activities
• Define and support testing approaches including UAT planning, execution, and defect resolution
• Apply prioritization frameworks to balance regulatory, operational, technical, and commercial constraints

3. Technology & Digital Enablement

• Act as a key interface between business and technology teams for Securities Depository platforms
• Support IT initiatives from RFP preparation through vendor selection, implementation, and go-live
• Contribute to the definition of system architecture, functional modules, interfaces, and data flows
• Leverage digital technologies to enhance post-trade services and operational efficiency
• Support the design and implementation of Digital Assets and DLT-based products and services
• Demonstrate working knowledge of:
• Blockchain / DLT architectures
• Cryptographic concepts and tokenization models
• Integration of digital assets into post-trade infrastructures

4. Product Launch & Go-to-Market

• Coordinate product testing with Operations, Technology, Client Services, and external stakeholders
• Prepare and maintain test plans, test cases, and test documentation
• Support internal and external testing activities and resolve issues in coordination with IT
• Define product positioning, value propositions, and messaging
• Contribute to Go-to-Market strategies, product launch planning, and rollout execution
• Monitor product performance post-launch and drive continuous improvement using defined KPIs

5. Stakeholder Alignment, Training & Enablement

• Align product development and delivery timelines with Operations, Client Services, Marketing, and Communications
• Define and track product success metrics
• Prepare comprehensive product documentation and user materials
• Deliver internal and external product training sessions
• Support knowledge sharing initiatives and contribute to the development of junior staff

6. People Management

• Provide leadership and direction to direct reports
• Guide, coach, and motivate team members to enhance performance and quality of delivery
• Conduct performance evaluations and identify development and training needs
• Ensure team alignment with organizational priorities and market developments

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s / Master’s / MBA degree(s), ideally in:
• Computer Science
• Information Technology / Information Systems
• Engineering
• Business Administration / Financial Management

Technical & Professional Competencies

Product & Project Management

• 10+ years of practical experience in Product Management / Product Development
• Formal Product Management qualifications (e.g. PM1, UX Design certifications)
• Strong understanding of Agile frameworks including:
• Scrum
• AgilePM
• MVP and iterative delivery models
• Program / Project Management certifications preferred:
• PMP
• PRINCE2
• CAPM
• Scrum Alliance certifications

Technology & Data Skills

• Strong MS Office proficiency including:
• Excel
• Access
• VBA
• SQL
• Experience with data analysis and interpretation tools:
• BI tools
• Python
• R

Capital Markets & Post-Trade Expertise

• 10+ years of experience in Capital Markets / Financial Services with strong focus on:
• Post-Trade Processing
• Securities Depository services
• Settlement & Custody
• Securities Lending
• Repo
• Collateral Management

Regulatory & Market Infrastructure Knowledge

• Strong understanding of financial market regulations and standards including:
• CPMI-IOSCO Principles
• SDR (EU, UK, and other jurisdictions)
• Proven track record of implementing products and services within:
• Securities Depositories
• Market Infrastructures
• Custodian Banks (preferred)

Additional Skills

• Strong commercial acumen and ability to engage senior external stakeholders
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• Senior-level presentation skills
• Fluency in English (written and spoken); Arabic is an advantage