Associate Director, Product Manager at eqbank

Join a Challenger Being a traditional bank just isn’t our thing, so we challenge ourselves to get creative in providing innovative banking solutions for Canadians. How do we get there? With a talented team of inquisitive and agile challengers that break through the status quo. So, if you’re passionate about redefining the future of banking—while having fun—this could be your next big opportunity. Our company continues to grow, and today we serve more than 800,000 customers across Canada through Equitable Bank, Canada's Challenger Bank™, and have been around for more than 50 years. Equitable Bank's wholly-owned subsidiary, Concentra Bank, supports credit unions across Canada that serve more than six million members. Together we have over $142 billion in combined assets under management and administration, with a clear mandate to drive change in Canadian banking to enrich people's lives. Our customers have named our EQ Bank digital platform (eqbank.ca) one of the top banks in Canada on the Forbes World's Best Banks list since 2021.  The Work The Product Manager will lead in the evaluation and execution of transformation initiatives, including, new products and product iterations / extensions. The Product Manager will work with the credit, underwriting, technology, compliance, and legal, marketing and distribution teams to identify and execute on transformation initiatives.  Specifically, the Product Manager will work with the business to identify and execute on opportunities to enhance the client / advisor / broker experience, improve processes related to credit, fulfillment and servicing including driving efficiency and impact the overall customer experience to create loyalty and advocacy for EQB. This individual will work closely with technology teams responsible for developing key systems including Genesis, MyEquitable, EQConnect, PPLUS, etc.  The Product Manager, will be responsible for leading all initiatives related to discovery including research to requirement definition. The individual will be required to work with cross-functional teams to ensure that the priorities for the lending business lines are achieved. Key outcomes for this role are:  Portfolio value including improvements to originations and launching new products to deliver growth Sales force effectiveness including growing submitted volumes and total customers for all Lending products Broker / advisor / customer experience including CSAT and NPS Broker and customer growth and loyalty Cycle times Reduction in Cost per loan Continuous improvement to the Growth Businesses products and related digital assets used within the business     The core parts of your role would be to: • Assist in the development and execution of product strategies, working with senior managers to implement initiatives that support business growth and profitability. • Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., Risk, Finance, Operations) to manage and optimize the product offering. • Support the development of business cases for new initiatives, contributing ideas that align with business objectives and customer needs. • Manage product lifecycle and help ensure smooth implementation of new programs and enhancements. • Contribute to the creation and execution of strategic roadmaps for the product, including financial and customer experience justifications. • Monitor competitive trends and industry developments to keep the product offering relevant and competitive. • Work with technology teams to translate customer needs and product objectives into actionable backlog items. • Assist in managing vendor relationships, ensuring alignment with product goals and service level expectations. • Help communicate product updates and deliverables to key stakeholders, ensuring alignment on goals and timelines. • Assist in facilitating cross-functional collaboration to resolve issues and remove blockers for the product development team. • Support the identification and management of operational and training activities to ensure smooth product implementation. • Contribute to the ongoing refinement of processes and practices to improve efficiency and delivery of product initiatives. • Lead discovery, business casing, and execution in order to bring the products to market in a timely manner. • Negotiate with external organizations, including insurers and Managing general agencies in order to expand EQB’s partner institutions and approved carriers. • On a daily basis, create and maintain various reports which will assist with the management of efficiency • On a daily basis, communicate with staff members to ensure company goals and objectives are understood and achieved. Communicate with external contacts and business partners to strengthen and promote the Equitable Bank brand in the marketplace Let's Talk About You! • Undergraduate degree in business or related field • 9+ + years’ Product Management experience in the financial services industry with2-3+ year of Lending experience preferred • Demonstrated experience applying product management principles in a real-world environment • Continuous learning mindset with exposure to modern product, delivery, and discovery practices • Strong leadership and coaching skills • Established and meticulous organizational skills • Sound multi-tasking skills and excellent attention to detail • Autonomous ability to make decisions under pressure • Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to direct reports, supporting skill development, career progression, and high performance. • Set clear goals and expectations, deliver regular feedback, and conduct performance reviews to drive continuous improvement. • Foster a culture of learning, accountability, and collaboration within the team. • Highly developed verbal and written communication skills with the ability to respond in a clear, concise and professional manner • Excellent time management, analytical and problem solving skills • Experience with financial products in the decumulation space • Committed to providing superb customer service • Demonstrated ability to use MS Office (MS Word and Excel) • Sound knowledge of mortgage lending • Completion of a post-secondary degree preferably in a financial field • Proven ability to thrive and perform well in a constantly changing, high volume and high intensity environment • Sound knowledge of AML & ATF practices • Elevated knowledge of fraud risk in the mortgage industry • Fluency in French considered an asset Job Complexities/Thinking Challenges The incumbent is responsible for driving stakeholder alignment across the organization and implementing change across both Insurance Lending and Reverse Mortgages. The incumbent will also experience the common day-to-day challenges that come with leading and supervising people. What we offer [For full-time permanent roles]   💰 Competitive discretionary bonus  ✨ Market leading RRSP match program 🩺  Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits 📝  Employee Share Purchase Plan 👶🏽 Maternity/Parental top-up while you care for your little one 🏝 Generous vacation policy and personal days  🖥  Virtual events to connect with your fellow colleagues 🎓  Professional development and comprehensive Career Development program 💛  A fulfilling opportunity to join one of the top FinTechs and help create a new kind of banking experience The incumbent will be working hybrid and in office time will be spent working from Equitable Bank’s additional office space located at 2200-25 Ontario Street, Toronto, ON.    Equitable Bank is deeply committed to inclusion. Our organization is stronger and our employees thrive when we honour and celebrate everyone’s diverse experiences and perspectives. In tandem with that commitment, we support and encourage our staff to grow not just in their career path, but personally as well.  We commit to providing a barrier-free recruitment process and work environment for all applicants. Please let us know of any accommodations needed so that you can bring your best self to the application process and beyond. All candidates considered for hire must successfully pass a criminal background check and credit check to qualify for hire. While we appreciate your interest in applying, an Equitable recruiter will only contact leading candidates whose skills and qualifications closely match the requirements of the position.   We can’t wait to get to know you!