Senior Product Strategy Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Strategy Manager Company: Belvo Location: Mexico City, Mexico Job Type: Full-time Category: Product Strategy / Financial Infrastructure Operations Date Posted: August 05, 2025 Experience Level: 5+ Years Remote Status: Remote Friendly (with office presence in Mexico City)

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the strategic roadmap for Belvo's account-to-account payments infrastructure in Mexico, focusing on direct debit, real-time payments, and reconciliation systems.
• Act as a subject matter expert in the Mexican payments landscape, identifying market trends and opportunities for product innovation.
• Collaborate closely with sales, engineering, and compliance teams to translate technical capabilities into business value and mitigate operational risks.
• Build and nurture strategic relationships with banks, processors, and financial institutions to foster deeper collaboration and influence product strategy.
• Engage with regulators and ecosystem players to shape the future of Open Finance and payments in Mexico.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Product Strategy Manager," the responsibilities heavily emphasize operational aspects of financial infrastructure, particularly payments. This role requires a strong understanding of how payment systems function, their regulatory environments, and how to optimize them for business value, aligning it closely with operations-focused roles. The emphasis on "account-to-account payments infrastructure" and "reconciliation systems" points to a need for deep operational insight into financial transaction processing.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define, prioritize, and lead the strategic roadmap for Belvo's account-to-account payments infrastructure in Mexico, encompassing direct debit, real-time payments, and reconciliation systems.
• Conduct in-depth market research and competitive analysis to identify key trends, unmet customer needs, and emerging adoption scenarios for banking payments in the region.
• Develop and maintain expert-level knowledge of account-to-account payments infrastructure in Mexico, including current operational frameworks and future innovations.
• Partner with the sales team to support enterprise deal closures by articulating the business value and technical advantages of Belvo's payment solutions to complex prospects.
• Cultivate and manage strategic relationships with key stakeholders in banks, payment processors, and financial institutions to explore co-development opportunities and enhance integration.
• Assess and understand the technical, operational, and regulatory requirements of financial institutions to inform and influence Belvo's product strategy and go-to-market plans.
• Engage proactively with regulatory bodies and key ecosystem players to advocate for Belvo's position and influence the development of Open Finance and the broader payments ecosystem in Mexico.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with Product, Engineering, Data, and Compliance teams to identify and execute initiatives that improve payment success rates, reduce processing costs, and minimize operational risks.
• Ensure seamless communication and documentation in English for global collaboration, aligning with Belvo's international operational standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic product thinking and deep operational execution within the payments domain. The emphasis on "reconciliation systems," "mitigate operational risk," and "regulatory needs" directly relates to core operations functions, requiring a candidate who understands the mechanics and compliance aspects of financial transactions, not just the user-facing product features.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degrees or certifications in financial technology or product management are a plus.

Experience:

• 5+ years of progressive experience in product management, strategy, business development, or partnerships, specifically within the fintech, payments, or financial infrastructure sectors.
• Proven experience working with enterprise clients or financial institutions, demonstrating a strong understanding of complex sales cycles, technical requirements, and operational nuances.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in ambiguous environments, independently identify strategic opportunities, structure complex problems, and drive execution.
• Experience in navigating regulatory landscapes and engaging with compliance frameworks within the financial services industry.

Required Skills:

• Product Strategy & Roadmapping: Ability to define and execute a product strategy, develop roadmaps, and prioritize initiatives based on market opportunities and business impact.
• Payments Domain Expertise: Deep understanding of account-to-account payment rails (e.g., SPEI, direct debit, real-time payments) in Mexico and their operational intricacies.
• Market Analysis: Proficiency in conducting market research, competitive analysis, and identifying customer needs within the fintech and payments space.
• Stakeholder Management: Excellent ability to build and manage relationships with internal teams, enterprise clients, financial institutions, and regulatory bodies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven track record of working effectively with Product, Engineering, Sales, Data, and Compliance teams to achieve common goals.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical and business concepts clearly to diverse audiences in English.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with a focus on driving efficiency and mitigating risks in payment operations.
• Adaptability: Comfort in navigating ambiguous situations and a proactive approach to driving initiatives forward independently.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience building or scaling products on account-to-account payment rails (SPEI, domiciliación bancaria) or similar systems in other regions.
• Background in licensing, compliance, or regulatory engagements related to financial services in Mexico or Brazil.
• Proven success in leading deals or partnerships with Tier 1 banks and financial institutions.
• Experience at the intersection of product management and policy, including collaboration with regulators.
• Familiarity with data analysis and reporting tools to measure product performance and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "payments domain expertise," "operational intricacies," and "mitigating operational risks" suggests that candidates with a background in operations, product operations, or even specific roles within financial institutions that manage payment processing will be highly valued. Technical understanding of payment flows and reconciliation processes is crucial.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a proven ability to define and execute product strategies for complex financial infrastructure, particularly in payments.
• Provide evidence of driving product adoption and market penetration through strategic initiatives and cross-functional collaboration.
• Demonstrate experience in identifying and mitigating operational risks within payment systems and financial infrastructure.
• Highlight examples of successful collaboration with financial institutions, banks, or regulatory bodies to achieve strategic objectives.
• Include case studies that illustrate your understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, and how you translated these into successful product outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of strategic roadmap development for financial products, detailing the process from market research to execution.
• Documentation or case studies outlining how you've improved payment success rates, reduced processing costs, or enhanced reconciliation processes.
• Evidence of how you've navigated regulatory requirements or engaged with compliance teams in a financial services context.
• Workflow diagrams or process maps illustrating the operational flow of account-to-account payments and how you've optimized them.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare to present portfolio items that demonstrate their strategic thinking applied to operational challenges in payments. This includes showcasing how they've analyzed payment flows, identified bottlenecks, worked with engineering to implement solutions, and measured the impact on key operational metrics like success rates, costs, and reconciliation accuracy.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the Senior Product Strategy Manager title, 5+ years of experience, and the fintech industry in Mexico City, a competitive salary range would be estimated between MXN $80,000 - MXN $130,000 per month, before taxes. This range is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major Latin American tech hubs, considering the specialized nature of financial infrastructure and product strategy.

Benefits:

• Stock Options: Ownership stake in a rapidly growing fintech company, aligning employee success with company performance.
• Annual Company Bonus: Performance-based bonus tied to overall company achievements, providing an incentive for collective success.
• Flexible Working Hours: Adaptable work schedule to promote work-life balance and accommodate individual productivity needs.
• Remote Friendly: Support for remote work, allowing flexibility in work location while maintaining collaboration.
• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical coverage for employees and potentially dependents.
• Paid Time Off on Your Birthday: A special day off to celebrate personal milestones.
• Laptop Renewal: Regular upgrades to company-issued laptops (every 3 years) to ensure access to modern technology.
• Training Budget: Investment in professional development through courses, certifications, and workshops to enhance skills.
• Team Building Events: Opportunities to connect with colleagues and foster a strong team culture through organized activities.
• Bank Holidays Swap: Flexibility to swap national holidays within the same month, offering more control over personal time off.
• Fitness/Wellness Stipends: Financial support for health and wellness activities, promoting employee well-being.
• Yearly Offsite: Company-wide gatherings for strategic planning, team bonding, and celebrating achievements.
• Office Perks: Fresh fruit, unlimited tea and coffee, and a pet-friendly office environment for those who choose to work from the office.
• Anniversary Days Off: Additional paid time off for reaching company service milestones.

Working Hours: The role is structured around a standard 40-hour work week, with an emphasis on flexible working hours to accommodate different time zones and individual productivity patterns. Collaboration is expected during core hours for team synchronization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The compensation estimate is based on industry data for senior-level roles in fintech and product strategy in Mexico City, factoring in the specialized nature of payment infrastructure. The extensive list of benefits highlights Belvo's commitment to employee well-being and professional growth, which is attractive for operations professionals seeking a stable and supportive work environment.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Fintech / Financial Services / Open Finance API Platform Company Size: 90+ Employees. This size indicates a dynamic, growing company that has achieved significant traction and funding, offering opportunities for impact and development without the bureaucracy of much larger organizations. Founded: May 2019. A relatively young company, suggesting a fast-paced, innovative, and agile culture driven by ambitious goals and a strong vision.

Team Structure:

• Belvo operates with cross-functional, autonomous teams, fostering agility and ownership.
• The culture is described as highly technical, passionate, and driven, with a strong emphasis on developer-first solutions.
• Collaboration is transparent, with regular all-hands meetings for company performance and goal discussions.
• While global and remote-friendly, there's a presence in São Paulo and Mexico City offices, suggesting a hybrid approach to collaboration and team cohesion.

Methodology:

• Continuous Delivery: Adherence to modern software development practices for efficient and reliable product releases.
• Pragmatic and Customer-Focused: Emphasis on validating hypotheses early and iterating based on customer feedback, a key aspect of operational efficiency and market responsiveness.
• Technological Excellence: A core value, indicating a commitment to robust and maintainable systems, crucial for financial infrastructure.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Implicitly, understanding and interpreting data is key to identifying trends and driving product strategy, a cornerstone of operations analysis.

Company Website: https://belvo.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Belvo's culture is a blend of a fast-growing startup and a technically sophisticated organization. For operations professionals, this means an environment that values efficiency, data-driven insights, and rapid iteration, with a strong focus on building reliable financial infrastructure. The emphasis on "developer-first" suggests a high degree of technical competency and a structured approach to product and system development.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role sits at a senior individual contributor level, with significant strategic influence over a critical product area (payments infrastructure). It bridges product management and business operations, requiring strategic foresight and operational execution. Reporting Structure: While not explicitly stated, senior product roles typically report into a Head of Product, VP of Product, or potentially a Chief Product Officer. The role will require close collaboration with engineering leads, sales leaders, and other operational functions. Operations Impact: This role has a direct impact on Belvo's revenue generation and market positioning in Mexico by defining and scaling its payment infrastructure. Success in this role will drive customer adoption, facilitate financial inclusion, and contribute to the overall efficiency and reliability of Belvo's services, directly influencing operational costs and revenue streams.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership in Product Strategy: Opportunity to become the go-to expert and leader for payment infrastructure strategy in a key market, potentially expanding to other regions.
• Deepening Financial Infrastructure Expertise: Gaining extensive experience in the intricacies of Latin American payment systems, regulatory environments, and financial institution partnerships.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Developing skills in influencing and leading cross-functional teams (engineering, sales, compliance, data) without direct authority.
• Potential for Management: As the product function grows, opportunities to move into a product management or team lead role may arise.
• Industry Influence: Contributing to the shaping of Open Finance and payment regulations in Mexico, offering a chance to be a thought leader.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity for operations-minded professionals to influence product strategy within a critical and complex domain. Growth potential lies in becoming a subject matter expert in financial infrastructure and developing strong cross-functional leadership skills, which are highly transferable and valuable in operations careers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Belvo has offices in São Paulo and Mexico City, and is also remote-friendly. This suggests a hybrid work environment where individuals can choose to work from an office or remotely. Office Location(s): Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico. This location offers access to a vibrant tech ecosystem and a significant financial market. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative & Agile: The emphasis on cross-functional teams and continuous delivery points to a dynamic and collaborative workspace, whether in-person or virtual.
• Tech-Forward: The use of modern technologies and a focus on developer experience suggests a workplace that values and provides access to cutting-edge tools and infrastructure.
• International: Working with a diverse team from 20 nationalities necessitates strong communication skills and an appreciation for different perspectives.

Work Schedule: Flexible working hours are a key perk, allowing individuals to structure their day effectively. However, there's an expectation to be synced between 3 pm and 6 pm CEST (Central European Summer Time), which is a significant overlap with Mexico City's time zone (CDT - Central Daylight Time, UTC-5) during Daylight Saving. This overlap is crucial for real-time collaboration and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "remote-friendly" aspect combined with office hubs offers significant flexibility. Operations professionals who thrive in dynamic, tech-driven environments and can manage their time effectively to collaborate across time zones will find this setup appealing. The specific time zone overlap (CEST) indicates a global operational cadence that candidates must be prepared to adhere to.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. People Team Chat: Initial screening to assess cultural fit, motivation, and alignment with Belvo's values. Focus on your career aspirations and understanding of the role.
2. Take-Home Challenge: A practical assessment designed to evaluate your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and ability to analyze complex payment scenarios.
3. Challenge Presentation: Present your findings and recommendations from the take-home challenge to a panel. This is a crucial opportunity to showcase your communication, analytical, and presentation skills, focusing on how you'd approach operational improvements.
4. Team Fit Chat: Discussion with potential peers and stakeholders from product, engineering, and sales. Focus on collaboration style, how you handle cross-functional work, and your understanding of operational challenges.
5. Meet the Founders: Final discussion with Belvo's founders to assess strategic alignment, vision, and potential impact on the company's future.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Impact: For any case studies, focus on measurable results. Use metrics related to payment success rates, transaction volume, cost reduction, reconciliation accuracy, or customer satisfaction.
• Process Focus: Detail the "how." Explain the processes you analyzed, the methodologies you employed (e.g., root cause analysis, workflow mapping), and how you collaborated to implement solutions.
• Strategic Alignment: Clearly articulate how your product strategy decisions supported broader business objectives and operational efficiency.
• Technical Fluency: Be prepared to discuss the technical aspects of payment systems and how you translated technical requirements into business value for clients.
• Market Context: Demonstrate your understanding of the Mexican payments landscape and how your strategies fit within this ecosystem.

Challenge Preparation:

• Deep Dive into Mexican Payments: Research SPEI, direct debits, real-time payment systems, and common reconciliation processes in Mexico. Understand their operational workflows and challenges.
• Belvo's Offering: Familiarize yourself with Belvo's API platform and how it integrates with financial infrastructure.
• Strategic Frameworks: Be ready to apply frameworks for market analysis, product strategy, and operational improvement.
• Communication Practice: Practice presenting complex information clearly and concisely, simulating a stakeholder presentation. Focus on storytelling that highlights problem, solution, and impact.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is rigorous and emphasizes practical application. Candidates should prepare a portfolio that clearly demonstrates their strategic thinking applied to operational problems within the payments domain. Expect to articulate not just what you achieved, but how you achieved it, with a focus on process and measurable outcomes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Backend: Python (Django, asyncio)
• Frontend: Javascript, Vue.js, Sass
• Infrastructure: Amazon Web Services (AWS) - leveraging managed services
• Monitoring: Datadog

Note: While this role is not primarily an engineering role, understanding the tech stack is crucial for a Product Strategy Manager. Familiarity with Python for backend logic and AWS for infrastructure management will be beneficial for operational discussions and strategic planning related to the platform's capabilities and limitations.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Datadog: For service monitoring and performance analysis.
• Implied: Tools for market research, competitive intelligence, and customer feedback analysis will be necessary.

CRM & Automation:

• Implied: A CRM (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) for managing sales cycles and client relationships.
• Implied: Automation tools for workflows, data processing, and reporting will be leveraged across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role isn't hands-on with coding, a strong understanding of how these technologies support financial infrastructure operations is key. Familiarity with how Python, AWS, and monitoring tools like Datadog contribute to the reliability, scalability, and efficiency of payment systems will be advantageous for strategic discussions.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Technological Excellence: A commitment to building and maintaining robust, reliable, and scalable financial infrastructure.
• Customer-Centricity: Prioritizing customer needs and feedback to drive product development and improvements, ensuring operational solutions meet market demands.
• Data-Driven: Utilizing data analysis to inform strategic decisions, measure performance, and identify opportunities for operational optimization.
• Agility & Speed: Embracing a fast-paced environment that encourages quick validation of hypotheses and continuous iteration on products and processes.
• Transparency: Open communication regarding company performance, goals, and challenges, fostering a shared understanding and collaborative spirit.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively working with diverse teams (Product, Engineering, Sales, Data, Compliance) to achieve shared goals, requiring strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Process Improvement Focus: A culture that encourages identifying inefficiencies and proposing/implementing solutions to enhance operational workflows.
• Knowledge Sharing: An environment where team members are encouraged to share insights, best practices, and learnings, particularly in complex areas like financial infrastructure.

📝 Enhancement Note: Belvo's culture values operational rigor, data-informed decision-making, and collaborative problem-solving. Operations professionals will find a supportive environment where efficiency and reliability are paramount, and where their contributions to optimizing financial processes are highly valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Regulatory Complexity: Staying abreast of and influencing evolving financial regulations in Mexico for payments and Open Finance.
• Balancing Innovation with Stability: Ensuring new payment features are innovative while maintaining the high reliability and security required for financial infrastructure.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively aligning diverse teams with varying priorities (e.g., engineering's technical debt vs. sales' immediate needs) around a unified payment strategy.
• Market Education: Educating enterprise clients and financial institutions on the benefits and operational efficiencies of new payment solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialization in LatAm Payments: Becoming a leading expert in the complex and rapidly evolving payment ecosystems across Latin America.
• Strategic Influence: Developing skills in influencing high-level stakeholders, including financial institutions and regulators.
• Product Leadership: Growing into a leadership role within product strategy, with potential for managing product lines or teams.
• Fintech Innovation: Contributing to the cutting edge of financial technology and its impact on financial inclusion.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant challenges that are common in the fintech and payments operations space, particularly in emerging markets. Overcoming these challenges offers substantial growth opportunities, allowing professionals to develop deep expertise and strategic leadership capabilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach defining the strategic roadmap for account-to-account payments in Mexico, considering the current regulatory environment and competitive landscape?" (Prepare by researching SPEI, key players, and regulatory bodies in Mexico's payment sector.)
• "Describe a time you had to align stakeholders with conflicting priorities on a product initiative. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on your communication, negotiation, and consensus-building skills, highlighting cross-functional operational collaboration.)
• "Imagine a client is experiencing a high rate of failed direct debit transactions. How would you diagnose the root cause and propose operational improvements with the engineering and data teams?" (Prepare to walk through a structured problem-solving approach involving data analysis, process mapping, and cross-functional teamwork.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Belvo's mission to democratize financial services in Latin America, and how does that align with your career goals in operations?" (Research Belvo's mission, values, and recent news.)
• "How do you foster collaboration and ensure effective communication within a globally distributed, cross-functional team focused on financial infrastructure?" (Prepare examples of your collaboration style and how you manage communication challenges.)
• "How do you measure the success of a product strategy, particularly in a domain like payments where operational efficiency and risk mitigation are critical?" (Discuss key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to payments operations, such as transaction success rates, processing costs, reconciliation accuracy, and customer uptime.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: Structure your case studies with a clear beginning (problem/opportunity), middle (your strategy and execution, including operational steps), and end (results, impact, and learnings).
• Data Visualization: Use charts and graphs to present key metrics and demonstrate the impact of your initiatives on operational efficiency and business outcomes.
• Process Walkthroughs: Be ready to visually or verbally walk through the operational processes you improved, highlighting the specific changes you implemented and why.
• Stakeholder Alignment: Explain how you engaged with various stakeholders (e.g., engineering, compliance, sales) to gain buy-in and ensure successful implementation of your strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview questions will probe your strategic thinking, operational problem-solving abilities, and how you navigate complex financial ecosystems. Demonstrating a clear understanding of payment operations, data analysis, and cross-functional collaboration will be key to success.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused product strategy position:

• Submit your application through the provided Ashby link.
• Operations Portfolio Customization: Curate your resume and portfolio to highlight experiences in financial infrastructure, payment systems, process optimization, and cross-functional operational collaboration. Prepare specific examples of how you've improved efficiency, reduced costs, or mitigated risks in payment processing.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords related to product strategy, fintech, payments, market analysis, regulatory engagement, and operational excellence. Quantify achievements with relevant metrics.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your thought process for strategic and operational challenges. Be ready to present your take-home challenge with a focus on clear communication, data-driven insights, and actionable recommendations for improving payment operations.
• Company Research: Deeply understand Belvo's mission, its role in the Latin American fintech landscape, and its specific focus on payment infrastructure. Research key competitors and the Mexican financial regulatory environment for payments.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.