Lead Functional Consultant

Job Role: Lead Functional Consultant & Product Owner - FinTech & Lending Platforms

Experience:
7 to 10+ years

Location:
Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Department:
Technology

Reports to:
Head of Product/Technology / CTO

Job Summary

We are looking for a visionary and execution-focused leader to take on the pivotal role of Lead Functional Consultant & Product Owner. This strategic position is central to the innovation and success of our diverse suite of financial products, covering
Digital Lending, Micro-lending, Chit Funds, and core NBFC accounting systems.

The ideal candidate will be a master of both strategy and execution. You will not only analyze our existing platforms to devise a strategic roadmap for enhancement but also
lead and guide the development team
to bring this vision to life. You will be the single point of ownership for the product's success, responsible for
presenting the strategic plan to senior leadership
and ultimately
delivering a best-in-class solution
that drives efficiency, accuracy, and market leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Product Vision:
• Own the entire product lifecycle from ideation to launch and iteration.
• Develop and articulate a compelling product vision and strategic roadmap that aligns with broader company objectives and emerging market trends in FinTech.
• Lead, mentor, and provide strategic guidance
  to the engineering team, ensuring they understand the "why" behind the "what" and are empowered to build effective solutions.
• Product Analysis and Enhancement:
• Conduct a deep-dive functional audit of the existing accounting software to map current workflows, business rules, and system logic.
• Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas of potential inaccuracy within the current system.
• Propose and conceptualize new features and enhancements that will deliver measurable improvements in operational efficiency and data accuracy.
• Executive Communication & Stakeholder Alignment:
• Develop and present comprehensive business cases, product roadmaps, and performance updates to the senior leadership team
  and C-suite executives.
• Act as the primary interface between business stakeholders (across lending, finance, operations) and the technology team, ensuring tight alignment and clear communication.
• Domain-Specific Analysis & Solutioning:
• Conduct in-depth functional audits of existing systems across
  Digital Lending, Micro-lending, Chit Funds, and NBFC accounting
  .
• Identify critical opportunities for enhancement, process automation, and risk mitigation specific to these domains.
• Translate complex business requirements from these diverse financial areas into a unified, prioritized product backlog with clear user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Delivery & Execution Ownership:
• Take full responsibility for the successful delivery of the product roadmap
  , ensuring solutions are delivered on time, within scope, and to the highest quality standards.
• Drive the Agile/Scrum process, actively participating in all ceremonies to remove impediments, provide clarity, and make decisive priority calls.
• Define and oversee the user acceptance testing (UAT) strategy to ensure the delivered solution meets and exceeds business expectations for accuracy and efficiency.
• Technical Collaboration:
• Leverage your understanding of modern software architecture (e.g., microservices, APIs), databases, and development practices to assess the feasibility of proposed solutions.
• Work closely with architects and developers to ensure that functional requirements are translated into robust and scalable technical designs.
• Participate in Agile/Scrum ceremonies, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and sprint reviews, providing clarity and direction to the development team.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Must-Have:

• Experience:
  years of progressive experience in product management, business analysis, or functional consulting within the software product industry.
• Deep Domain Expertise:
  Proven, hands-on experience and deep functional knowledge in at least two of the following areas:
  Digital Lending platforms, Micro-lending operations, Chit Fund management systems, or core NBFC financial systems.
  Proven experience with core accounting systems, General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable/Receivable (AP/AR), loan management systems (LMS), and financial reporting is mandatory.
• Leadership & Influence:
  Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and mentor developers. Ability to command a room, influence senior stakeholders, and drive consensus.
• Technical Acumen:
  Strong grasp of modern software architecture and SDLC. You must be comfortable discussing technical trade-offs with engineers and architects to ensure product scalability and robustness.
• Executive Presence:
  Exceptional presentation and communication skills, with experience creating and delivering compelling narratives to senior leadership.
• Accountability:
  A proven track record of owning product delivery end-to-end and being accountable for the outcomes.

Good-to-Have:

• Education:
  Bachelor's or Master's degree in Finance, Business (MBA), Computer Science, or a related field.
• Certifications:
  Professional certifications such as Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO), or SAFe POPM.
• System Experience:
  Experience with loan origination systems (LOS), loan management systems (LMS), collection systems, or alternative credit scoring models.
• Regulatory Knowledge:
  Strong understanding of the regulatory landscape (RBI guidelines) governing digital lending, NBFCs, and other financial instruments in India.