Product Manager - CORE at Kyosk Digital Services

Role Profile

• We are seeking an experienced & skilled and Technical Product Manager (PM) to take full ownership of our core platform's strategy, ensuring it aligns with business requirements for scalability, stability, and security.
• As the Product Manager for our core platform, you will play a pivotal role in formulating and executing the strategic roadmap for its development. Your expertise will be central in defining how the platform meets our business needs and requirements, particularly in terms of scaling to accommodate growth, ensuring stability, and fortifying security measures.
• Your responsibilities will involve collaborating with cross-functional teams, including engineering, architecture, and operations, to ensure a cohesive and well-coordinated approach to platform enhancements. Your deep understanding of technical aspects and market trends will be essential in making informed decisions and leading the platform's growth.
• Success in this role hinges on your ability to navigate complex technical challenges, devise innovative solutions, and drive continuous improvements to optimize the core platform. If you are passionate about owning and shaping the technical direction of a core platform to meet business objectives and thrive in a fast-paced e-commerce environment, we invite you to join our team and play a crucial role in shaping the future of our company. 
• This is a rare opportunity to impact not just the future of Kyosk, but the future of digital service delivery across Africa.

Key Responsibilities

• As the  Product Manager for the Core Platform, you will play a critical role in driving the vision, strategy, and execution of our platform to support our e-commerce business. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including engineering, design, marketing, and customer support, to deliver cutting-edge solutions.

Product Ownership and Strategy:

• Take full ownership of the roadmap and strategy for the core software platform, ensuring alignment with the company's overall business objectives and product vision.
• Define the key features, functionalities, and improvements required for the core software platform based on technical requirements and market analysis.
• Drive the product strategy by collaborating with key stakeholders, including engineering, architecture, and executive teams, to prioritize initiatives that enhance the platform's performance and scalability.

 Technical Roadmap Development:

• Develop a comprehensive and detailed technical roadmap for the core platform, outlining major technology upgrades, system architecture enhancements, and infrastructure improvements.
• Work closely with the engineering team to identify technical debt, prioritize its resolution, and ensure the platform remains maintainable and scalable.

Market and Technology Analysis:

• Conduct thorough market analysis, focusing on technical trends and advancements, to identify opportunities for innovation and competitive advantage within the core platform.
• Stay abreast of industry best practices, emerging technologies, and advancements in software development, integrating relevant insights into the platform's strategy and roadmap.

Product Definition and Backlog Management::

• Collaborate closely with the engineering team to define clear and precise product specifications and user stories that address technical requirements and align with the platform's objectives.
• Take charge of grooming and maintaining the technical product backlog, ensuring that technical tasks and deliverables are prioritized effectively.

Agile Development and Release Planning:

• Champion and implement agile methodologies for the technical product development process, facilitating effective collaboration between product, engineering, and other cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with the engineering team to plan releases, set timelines for functional solutions, and coordinate product feature delivery within development sprints.

Technical Documentation:

• Collaborate with technical stakeholders to create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation for the core software platform, including system architecture diagrams, API documentation, and technical specifications.
• Ensure that technical documentation is up-to-date, easily accessible, and serves as a valuable resource for development teams.

Product Performance Analysis:

• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for the core platform's technical aspects, regularly analyzing and reporting on these metrics to identify areas for optimization and improvement.
• Utilize data-driven insights to make informed decisions and prioritize future technical enhancements.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Foster effective communication and collaboration between cross-functional teams, including engineering, architecture, and product teams, to ensure a seamless and successful development process.
• Keep stakeholders informed of the progress of technical initiatives, milestones, and any potential risks to delivery.

Skills & Key Competencies

Required:

• Technical Background: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field. Demonstrated experience of 2-7 years as a product manager within a technical environment, with a strong focus on building and delivering customer-centric solutions for a core platform.
• Fintech Expertise: Between 2 and 5 years of hands-on experience in building Fintech applications or platforms, or integrating Fintech services into mobile or web applications. This includes experience in areas such as Buy Now Pay Later, Stock Financing, E-Wallet, Insurance, Savings, or Agency Banking.
• Communication: Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively motivate, influence, and lead cross-functional teams towards common goals. Ability to secure buy-in from stakeholders, whether internal teams or executives. Capable of preparing and delivering product portfolio-related presentations both internally and externally.
• Ownership: Demonstrate a sense of ownership in taking on tasks and workstreams, showing commitment to seeing projects through to successful execution. Willingness to take responsibility when things go wrong and generously give credit to the team when things go well.
•  Collaboration and Agile Methodology: Proven experience in creating product plans and effectively communicating the product roadmap. Demonstrated success in working closely with Engineering, Design, and Data/Data Science teams using Agile methodology and development sprints.
• Time Management: Exceptional time management skills to differentiate between urgent and important tasks and effectively prioritize and plan work. Adaptability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with tight timelines and a desire for continuous improvement.
• User-Centric Approach: Strong user understanding and empathy, enabling the ability to co-create with end customers and address their pain points effectively. A keen eye for good design and user experience to drive product enhancements.
•  Work Ethic: Display a genuine care for the core platform and demonstrate a proactive attitude, willing to go the extra mile to ensure its success.

Desired:

• Empathy for Lower Socio-economic Segments: Experience in working with and understanding the needs of people in lower socio-economic segments, and a desire to develop solutions that cater to their specific requirements.
• High-Growth Startup Experience: Previous experience working in a high-growth startup environment, with a strong emphasis on speed and agility in product development and deployment.
• Toolset Familiarity: Familiarity with product management tools such as Jira, Confluence, and Productboard to streamline product development processes and enhance collaboration.