Product Manager, Payments

Why Central Bank? 

 

As a trusted financial institution, Central Bank is committed to supporting the diverse needs of our business and commercial clients. In this role, you will play a defining part in building and scaling a next-generation payment acceptance platform — working with a collaborative team that values integrity, accountability, and excellence in client service.

 

Position Summary

 

Join a dynamic team at the forefront of digital payments within Central Bank’s Business Payment Solutions group. We are seeking a detail-oriented, customer-focused Product Manager to own the strategy, roadmap, and delivery of Central Bank’s payment acceptance platform. This platform enables business customers to accept electronic payments, primarily card-based (credit and debit) and ACH, across a wide range of industries.

 

In addition to product ownership, this individual will serve as the program leader for large, complex customer implementations onto the platform, partnering with clients, vendors, technology teams, and executive leadership to drive platform growth, client satisfaction, revenue expansion, and operational excellence.

 

The role will initially focus on the implementation and onboarding of a high-profile electronic payments program, while shaping the long-term product strategy that sets the foundation for future growth across Central Bank’s broader business customer segments, including government, education, healthcare, and utilities.

 

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Ownership

• Serve as the product manager and program leader for Central Bank’s payment acceptance platform.

• Develop and maintain the long-term product vision, strategy, and roadmap, aligned to Central Bank’s business objectives and customer needs.

• Prioritize enhancements, backlog, integrations, and new capabilities based on customer needs and market opportunities.

• Serve as the voice of the customer, translating client and market feedback into actionable product requirements and enhancements.

• Conduct market research and competitive analysis to inform product direction and identify opportunities to expand into new industries and market segments.

• Partner with Business Payment Solutions leadership to drive platform adoption and expansion across new market segments.

• Define and evolve the product’s pricing strategy.

• Partner with internal and external technology teams and third-party vendors to deliver product enhancements and platform improvements within an Agile delivery framework.

• Monitor payment industry trends, evolving customer expectations, and fintech innovation across card, ACH, and other payment rails to maintain market competitiveness.

• Monitor platform utilization, transaction growth, service levels, and customer satisfaction to inform roadmap priorities.

• Build a scalable, online platform strategy capable of supporting Central Bank’s go-to-market strategy.

• Act as the primary escalation point for critical product issues.

• Implementation & Program Leadership

• Lead complex customer implementations onto the platform, from kickoff through go-live and stabilization.

• Build trusted relationships with key stakeholders, including client executives and Central Bank’s internal sales and relationship managers.

• Develop implementation plans, governance structures, project schedules, and executive reporting processes.

• Develop performance dashboards and reporting for clients and executive leadership.

• Coordinate cross-functional resources across technology, operations, finance, risk, compliance, treasury management, and merchant services teams.

• Ensure delivery of contractual commitments, implementation milestones, and service-level objectives.

• Oversee operational readiness, issue management, and continuous improvement across the platform.

• Identify risks, dependencies, and obstacles, and develop mitigation plans.

• Establish repeatable, scalable implementation methodologies to support future growth.

• Lead business reviews, governance meetings, and strategic planning discussions in partnership with the Business Banking sales team.

Vendor & Partner Management 

• Manage relationships with technology providers, processors, subcontractors, and strategic partners.

• Establish vendor performance metrics and governance processes.

• Lead contract oversight, service reviews, escalation management, and performance monitoring.

• Ensure partners meet implementation, operational, and service-level commitments.

• Coordinate multiple vendors and subcontractors to deliver a seamless client experience.

Business Development & Growth

• Support business development, proposal efforts, and client presentations.

• Assist in responding to RFPs and developing implementation and support strategies.

• Evaluate new partnership opportunities and growth initiatives.

Risk & Compliance

• Partner with Risk, Legal, and Compliance to ensure adherence to contractual obligations and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

• Ensure the platform meets PCI DSS requirements, card network rules, and NACHA regulations.

 

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Information Systems, Technology, Project Management, or a related field.

• 5+ years of experience in payments, banking, fintech, product management, project management, or related disciplines.

• Demonstrated success leading complex implementation and transformation initiatives.

• Experience managing third-party vendors and technology providers.

• Strong understanding of electronic payment acceptance, including:

• Credit and debit cards

• ACH / eCheck

• Payment gateways

• Integrated payments

• Payment security and compliance

• Experience working within an Agile product development framework.

• Strong executive communication, negotiation, and relationship management skills.

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite.

Preferred

• Experience in merchant acquiring, government payments, integrated receivables, treasury management, or fintech.

• Experience managing payment platforms or software solutions.

• Experience responding to RFPs and supporting large-scale client pursuits.

• Experience leading implementations involving multiple stakeholders and vendors.

• Familiarity with regulatory and compliance considerations in banking product development.