Principal Product & Program Manager — Digital Banking Transformation (Credit Unions)

Principal Product & Program Manager — Digital Banking Transformation (Credit Unions)
Future Opportunity

The Role

We are seeking a Principal Product & Program Manager with deep digital banking and credit union expertise to spearhead complex transformation initiatives. This is a hybrid "Player-Coach" role that bridges the gap between Executive Strategy and Agile Execution.

Operating across Aequilibrium’s Four Lenses model (Strategy, Experience, Technology, and Delivery), you will be responsible for both the "What" (Product Vision & Requirements) and the "How" (Program Governance & Execution). This role is ideal for a transformation leader who has led large-scale implementations such as Central1 Forge migrations, Backbase deployments, Mambu rollouts, or ebankIT/VeriPark ecosystems within the credit union sector.

Who You Are

You are a rare talent who combines the analytical precision of a Senior Business Analyst with the strategic authority of a Program Manager. You understand:

• The Ecosystem: Core banking integrations, middleware, digital platforms, and member-facing mobile/web workflows.
• The Business: Credit union operating models, regulatory constraints (OSFI, BCFSA), and the unique "Member-First" philosophy.
• The Future: You are an early adopter of AI collaboration tools to accelerate delivery, synthesize complex workstreams, and drive data-driven personalization in banking products.
• The Leadership: You are a master negotiator, capable of resolving high-stakes conflicts between internal teams, external vendors, and CU executives (CIOs, COOs, CEOs).

What You Will Be Doing

1. Strategic Product Ownership

• Vision & Roadmap: Act as the Lead Product Owner, translating CU executive strategy into actionable multi-year roadmaps and prioritized backlogs.
• Requirements Mastery: Elicit and document complex functional specifications, user stories, and acceptance criteria for online/mobile banking, payments, and onboarding.
• AI Integration: Work with designers and architects to incorporate AI-driven features (intelligent search, automated support, predictive personalization) into the product lifecycle.
• UX Alignment: Ensure functional requirements never compromise member experience, maintaining a balance between technical feasibility and ease of use.

2. Program Governance & Delivery

• End-to-End Oversight: Own program governance across multiple workstreams, ensuring alignment between the credit union, Aequilibrium, and third-party vendors.
• Execution Discipline: Establish milestones, success criteria (KPIs), and steering committees. Manage complex budgets (CAPEX/OPEX), vendor invoicing, and ROI realization.
• Risk & Change Management: Identify dependencies and mitigate risks early. Oversee Organizational Change Management (OCM) to ensure high adoption rates among CU staff and members.
• AI-Driven Productivity: Utilize AI suites (Copilot, Gemini, etc.) to synthesize meeting outcomes, track action items, and accelerate executive-level reporting.

3. Client Partnership & Advisory

• Trusted Advisor: Serve as the primary liaison between business stakeholders and technical teams, providing transparency in reporting and risk mitigation.
• Vendor Management: Navigate multi-vendor ecosystems (e.g., League Data, Central1, Core providers) to ensure system interoperability and seamless data migration.

Qualification Requirements
Must-Have:

• Experience: 10+ years of technology leadership in financial services, with at least 5 years specifically in Digital Banking or Core Modernization.
• CU Expertise: Direct experience working within Credit Unions or Community Banking environments is mandatory.
• Platform Knowledge: Proven track record leading implementations on platforms like Central1 Forge, Backbase, Mambu, Fiserv, FIS, or Intellect Design.
• Hybrid Skillset: Demonstrated ability to perform deep-dive Business Analysis (UML, user stories, functional specs) while simultaneously managing high-level Program Governance.
• Agile Mastery: Expert in Scrum/Kanban/SAFe and hybrid delivery models; experience navigating SOC2, OSFI, or BCFSA audit requirements.
• AI Proficiency: Active use of AI productivity tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, etc.) to enhance project documentation and delivery speed.
• Communication: Exceptional executive-level communication and stakeholder facilitation skills.
• Location: Must be located in North, Central, or South America.
• Education: University degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, Engineering, or equivalent experience.

Nice-to-Have:

• Experience in multi-CU environments (e.g., service bureaus like League Data).
• Certifications: PMP, CSPO, or Scrum Professional designations.
• Experience managing AI-enhanced features (chatbots, RPA, or data-driven insights) within a fintech context.
• Experience supporting legacy platform decommissioning and data migration strategies.

Compensation

The salary range for this high-impact role is CAD $130,000 – $170,000 annually, depending on the depth of leadership experience and digital banking platform expertise.

Location

AEQ is a remote organization. Candidates must reside in and be eligible to work in Canada.  

About Aequilibrium

Aequilibrium (AEQ) is a digital consulting and innovation services firm focused on strategy, experience design, and technology. Through AEQ Innovate, we explore and build next-generation solutions using XR, AI, and immersive technologies to elevate employee training, onboarding, and human-centered experiences.

Our vision is to enrich people’s lives by crafting remarkable experiences.

Learn more at https://aequilibrium.com/careers.