As CPO (Chief Product Officer)/Head of Product of our SME Lending venture, you will shape the future of our rapidly growing company. As a seasoned leader with experience in managing and scaling businesses in the financial sector, you will play a vital role in driving the success of our company.The role of a CPO/Head of Product in an SME lending company is dynamic, requiring a blend of strategic thinking, leadership, and a deep understanding of both the financial services industry and the needs of SME clients.As a passionate ambassador for our brand and vision, you will lead and build a high-performing team to achieve outstanding product-related KPIs. If you're ready to take the reins and drive our company to new heights, apply now.ResponsibilitiesAs CPO/Head of Product, you are both part of the founding team and fully responsible for the product – building a great team, a scalable product you will:Evaluate and implement new technologies, tools, and (scalable) infrastructure, that is in line with relevant regulationsSkilled in data analysis, A/B testing, and using metrics to guide product development and improve user experienceDefine goals for product research and discovery, driving the team to continuous executionEnsure that clear and constantly improving delivery and quality assurance processes are in placeSet, monitor and report the product goals (OKRs and KPIs) to stakeholdersCommunicate product and technology strategy to customers, partners and shareholdersSupport venture fundraising efforts in partnership with the rest of the founding teamContinuously improve product processes and methodologies and foster best practices and knowledge sharing across projectsAn understanding of relevant regulations and compliance issues in the financial sector, especially those pertinent to SME lending.Apply research methodologies during product discovery in order to understand user problems and explore potential solutions, being creative about testing hypotheses and features in the leanest way possibleDefine the product vision, maintain and communicate a product roadmap and ensure product deliveryOwn, control, and prioritise a well structured product backlog, write detailed user stories and lead SCRUM/KANBAN meetingsPut the customer first in your day-to-day work to improve the digital product based on deep user/customer and market understandingIdentifying new product opportunities and staying ahead of market trendsAttract, hire, manage and mentor great talent (including new employees, freelancers and advisors)Must-Have requirements and qualificationsYou are among the 1% of people who are true entrepreneurs at heart! This is a real founder opportunity. You have a strong burning desire to start your own company and are willing to take all the sacrifices and risks it comes with.5+ years proven work experience in product management in a Senior Level position Have previous work experience in SME Lending or Fintech, with proven track record of success building Fintech products A strong passion for building products that customers love: you never take no for an answer, are always ready to persevere, and want to be on a mission to buildYou have strong knowledge and experience in scaling teams in a scale-up environment and building an engineering culture in which people thrive, grow and perform.A deep understanding of the SME market, customer needs, and competitive landscape to guide product developmentSkilled at working effectively with cross functional teams and managing different stakeholders' expectationsYou have a very good understanding of how to translate business and user requirements into a technical roadmap leading to product-market-fit and growthProfound understanding of technical aspects of a product (frontend, backend, infrastructure) and ability to discuss them in detailA user user-centric approach to product development including user research, designing user experiences, and integrating customer feedback into product developmentKnow how to track product delivery efficiency, quality, and agility and actively work on improving those dimensions together with the teamEffective communicator and empathic moderator even in the most difficult situations, able to calmly listen and be receptive for feedbackComfortable making decisions in the face of ambiguity and not discouraged by the inevitable challenges along the wayCapable of solving every project challenge independently, taking full responsibility for the outcomesProficient in both written and spoken English and Arabic is a mustBachelor degree in Business, Computer Science, Engineering or equivalentYou are currently based in the GCC or you are willing to relocate to Riyadh, KSANice-To-Have Technical Prerequisites:As a Chief Product Officer (CPO) or Head of Product for our SME Lending venture, you will be leading a team in an environment built on micro-services architecture. The ideal candidate should possess a strong technical background and expertise in technologies relevant to our platform. Key technical prerequisites include:Proven experience in working with platforms based on microservices/modular architecture.Ability to architect, design, and implement complex solutions and scalable microservices for optimal performance.High-level understanding of frontend and backend software development to facilitate effective communication with the engineering team.High-level understanding of coding languages like React for frontend development, NestJS for backend development or other languages.Familiarity with integrating third-party services, especially in the financial sector, such as AML, KYC, KYB, e-contract signature, and payment gateways, over various protocols such as REST or SOAPTrack record of successfully implementing and managing integrations to enhance product functionality.Strong understanding of relevant regulations and compliance issues in the financial sector from SAMA, specifically those related to SME lending.Ability to ensure that the technology stack aligns with regulatory requirements, including cybersecurity frameworks as per SAMA regulations, contributing to a secure and compliant product.Proficiency in data analysis, and capability to leverage data-driven insights to enhance user experience and meet product-related KPIs.It would be awesome, if you:Have previous work experience in a startup.Are experienced with common no-code / low-code tools such as Webflow or BubbleYou are a superstar, if you: Have successfully executed your own startup or side projectWhy you shouldn't applyYou expect a high salary from day one (this is a real entrepreneurial opportunity - it comes with an equity package, your salary will evolve with the status of the company)You would not be fully committed for a long-term entrepreneurial journeyLet's build a great startup together and create real impact within the region!