Our client is building a greenfield, AI-native digital bank in the UAE, backed by a large regional conglomerate, and is seeking experienced ex consultants with a Product Owner skill set to support the design and launch of the MVP. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a bank being built from scratch, with a strong focus on digital-first customer experiences across retail and corporate banking.

This is an initial 6–8 month contract, with an immediate start required to support an MVP launch targeted for 31st March 2027 with the banking license coming in September this year.

The role sits within a scaled Agile delivery environment, where multiple cross-functional pods are driving parallel product builds. Each Product Owner will typically oversee 2–3 pods, with each pod comprising 6–8 team members, working collaboratively to deliver high-impact digital financial services solutions.

The ideal individual will have a strong consulting background and bring a strong blend of product ownership, delivery execution, and stakeholder management experience, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, build-from-zero environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Ownership: Lead product development across multiple Agile pods, defining and prioritising backlogs aligned to overall product vision and business goals.

MVP Delivery: Drive execution towards a time-bound MVP launch, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery of core features and functionalities.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with engineering, design, business, and leadership teams to ensure seamless product development and delivery.

Agile Execution: Facilitate Agile ceremonies, manage sprint planning, and ensure continuous delivery across pods.

Stakeholder Management: Engage with senior stakeholders to align on priorities, manage expectations, and provide regular progress updates.

Product Strategy Alignment: Translate broader business and product strategy into actionable development plans and deliverables.

Your Background:

• 6-10 years consulting experience with exposure to Product Ownership / Digital programme or digital project management
• Digital Product Delivery: Strong experience delivering digital products, ideally within financial services, though individuals from other sectors with relevant experience will also be considered.
• Consulting Background: Prior experience in strategy consulting, management consulting or technology consulting with digital project experience is a must have
• Agile & Tools: Hands-on experience working in Agile environments, with familiarity in tools such as Jira or similar project management platforms.
• Banking / FS sector experience preferred: Exposure to retail and/or corporate banking products is advantageous but not mandatory.
• Execution Focus: Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams and deliver in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Communication Skills: Strong command of English with the ability to work effectively across diverse, multicultural teams.