Core Payment Products Manager

Payments Canada•Toronto, ON

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Payments Canada is seeking a Core Payment Products Manager to define and drive the strategic direction for the payments product portfolio. This role involves developing product roadmaps, leading initiative prioritization, and translating strategy into executable plans. The Core Payment Products team focuses on understanding member needs, the use and evolution of existing platforms, and ensuring products are practical, efficient, and responsive to industry challenges and opportunities. The goal is to provide tools and standards that enable financial institutions to build sustainable and resilient payment systems for the future.

Requirements

University degree (or college diploma) in Business, Engineering, Finance, Computer Science or related field.
Minimum eight (8) years of experience in consulting, payments, transaction banking, fintech or related field.
At least three (3) years in product strategy, portfolio management or strategic planning roles.
Proven track record of defining and delivering product strategy, road-maps and prioritization frameworks.
Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into execution.
Strong understanding of payment systems (clearing, settlement, retail payments), ideally within the Canadian context (including familiarity with settlement streams, rule/standard frameworks, payment-platform operations).
Excellent strategic thinking and commercial acumen.
Ability to build financial business cases (P&L, ROI, cost-benefit).
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, including the ability to engage senior leadership, boards and external stakeholders.
Ability to gather and synthesize information in a concise and clear manner.
Superior oral and written communication skills, with the ability to develop and deliver briefings and presentations for senior audiences.
Experience in influencing decision-making based on data-based suggestions, applying critical thinking accordingly and inspiring teams to work towards a vision.
Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively.
Occasional travel will be required.
Eligibility to successfully complete background checks (criminal, credit, identity, employment, and education).

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree preferred.
Bilingualism is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Director and VP of Product to shape the long-term product strategy for the payments portfolio, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, member needs, regulatory requirements and market trends.
Co-develop an integrated product strategy with Platform Product Managers (Retail Payments and Lynx) to ensure alignment across retail, high-value, and batch settlement platforms.
Develop, maintain, and communicate a multi-year product roadmap (3-5 year horizon) and a near-term delivery plan (12-18 months).
Establish and apply a robust prioritization framework to determine which initiatives advance to the roadmap.
Translate strategic themes into tangible product initiatives, features, rule/standard updates, and platform enhancements.
Monitor product-portfolio health and recommend strategic adjustments.
Conduct and synthesize detailed market, competitive, and ecosystem analyses to inform product strategy.
Engage with member financial institutions, regulators, and ecosystem stakeholders to uncover emerging needs, pain points, opportunities, and regulatory shifts.
Serve as the strategic voice of the member: map customer/member journeys, define the “member problem”, quantify market sizing and opportunity, and shape business cases.
Work cross-functionally with product managers, operations, technology/engineering, risk, compliance, finance and member-facing teams to enable seamless execution of the road-map.
Support the development of business cases, requirement documentation, prioritization decisions and governance with senior leadership.
Act as a product strategy advisor: facilitate executive briefings and board and senior-leadership updates.
Provide subject-matter expertise for major initiatives and ensure that strategic intent is maintained through to execution.

Benefits

Flexible, hybrid (remote/office) environment.
Competitive compensation package.
Annual variable bonus.
Defined contribution pension plan with employer matching percentage (if eligible).
Comprehensive health and dental benefit coverage.
Mental health coverage.
Life insurance.
Health spending account for you and your dependents (Permanent and temporary employees with contracts 12 months and over).
Minimum four weeks paid vacation.
Sick and personal days.
December holiday shutdown.
Cultural holiday observance days.
26 weeks of paid maternity and parental leave top-up.
Rewards and recognition program.
Access to office gym facilities.
Internal and external professional development opportunities.
Fun team and organizational events.
Monthly all staff forums led by our Executive Leadership Team.