Senior Manager, Innovation

Job Description

Equity Bank is seeking a Senior Manager, Innovation, to strategically develop, optimize, and innovate the bank's payment channels. This role is crucial for ensuring seamless, secure, and customer-centric digital payment solutions. The manager will focus on driving revenue growth, enhancing customer experience, and identifying emerging payment trends and technologies to maintain the bank's competitive edge.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, or a related field (MBA is an advantage)
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in payments, digital banking, or financial technology
• Strong understanding of digital payments ecosystems, including mobile money, card payments, real-time payments, and emerging fintech trends
• Experience in managing partnerships with FINTECHs, payment aggregators, and third-party service providers
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks governing digital payments, cybersecurity, and financial services
• Proven ability to drive innovation and lead cross-functional teams in a dynamic banking environment
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making capabilities
• Excellent stakeholder management and negotiation skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Strong leadership and people management skills

Responsibilities

• Oversee the bank's digital and electronic payment channels (mobile banking, internet banking, ATMs, POS, agency banking, etc.)
• Ensure optimal performance, uptime, and efficiency of all payment channels to enhance customer satisfaction
• Monitor transaction volumes, costs, and revenue from payment channels, implementing strategies to improve profitability
• Drive and support the development and implementation of new payment solutions, leveraging emerging technologies like open banking and APIs
• Identify and implement improvements in payment processing for enhanced speed, security, and reliability
• Collaborate with fintechs, payment service providers, and strategic partners to explore new opportunities in payments innovation
• Stay current with industry trends, customer expectations, and regulatory changes to inform product development and strategy
• Develop and execute the payments channels strategy aligned with the bank's digital banking roadmap
• Work closely with internal teams (IT, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Business Development/Transactional Banking) for seamless execution
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners, including payment networks, fintech companies, and regulatory bodies
• Ensure all payment channels comply with regulatory requirements, industry standards, and internal policies
• Collaborate with Risk and Compliance teams to mitigate fraud risks and enhance cybersecurity measures
• Monitor and manage Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with vendors and partners for high availability and reliability
• Enhance user experience by ensuring frictionless and secure payment processes across digital channels
• Work with the customer service team to efficiently address and resolve payment-related issues
• Analyze customer feedback and transaction data to improve payment services and introduce value-added features