Product Owner - Self Service Channels

Build the Digital Front Door to Financial Access

At Mukuru, millions of customers rely on simple, accessible digital channels to manage their financial lives. Our WhatsApp and USSD platforms are not just communication tools — they are mission-critical customer touchpoints that enable real financial inclusion across Africa and beyond.

We are looking for a Product Owner to lead the strategy, delivery and evolution of our Self-Service Channels, with a primary focus on WhatsApp. This role sits at the intersection of customer experience, business value and technical innovation.

If you are passionate about digital engagement, data-driven decision-making and building scalable channel experiences in high-growth markets, this is your opportunity to shape the future of customer interaction at Mukuru.

The Role

As Product Owner, you will define the vision and roadmap for Mukuru's self-service ecosystem. You will ensure our channels are intuitive, stable, scalable and aligned to business objectives — while continuously improving the customer journey through insight, experimentation and collaboration.

You will work closely with business heads, engineering teams, customer experience, support functions and external channel partners to deliver seamless digital experiences across products, geographies and languages.

What You Will Own

Channel Strategy & Vision

• Define and drive the strategy for WhatsApp and USSD self-service channels
• Align channel evolution with Mukuru's digital and commercial objectives
• Translate strategic goals into an actionable product roadmap

Product Roadmap & Backlog Ownership

• Own and prioritise the product backlog to maximise ROI
• Ensure clear, well-defined user stories and acceptance criteria
• Balance innovation with stability and scalability
• Manage dependencies and cross-team coordination

Agile Leadership

• Lead and support agile delivery ceremonies
• Partner with engineering to understand team capacity and velocity
• Set clear sprint goals and ensure delivery alignment
• Remove impediments and drive execution discipline

Customer Experience & UX Excellence

• Champion ease, consistency and simplicity in the customer journey
• Conduct user research and analyse feedback to drive improvements
• Apply strong UX principles to design and channel optimisation
• Ensure solutions are maintainable and fit for purpose

Data & Performance Optimisation

• Leverage analytics to monitor channel performance
• Use customer data and event data to inform prioritisation
• Identify friction points and optimise journeys iteratively
• Drive re-engagement, automation and conversational enhancements

Partner & Industry Engagement

• Manage relationships with channel technology providers (including WhatsApp)
• Stay ahead of conversational commerce and bot technology trends
• Ensure best-in-class implementation and optimisation

What You Bring

Experience

• 5+ years' experience as a Product Owner, Product Manager, or Business Analyst
• Hands-on experience with digital channel technologies (WhatsApp experience highly advantageous)
• Experience in FinTech or regulated environments
• Proven experience working in Agile/Scrum environments

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of digital channel architecture and integrations
• Solid UX principles and practical application
• Data-driven mindset with comfort working with reporting tools and analytics
• Understanding of the African FinTech landscape and its opportunities

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Clear communicator who can bridge business and technical teams
• Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline
• Proven ability to deliver measurable business impact

Qualifications

• Grade 12 (Essential)
• Relevant tertiary qualification (Essential)
• Product Owner, Business Analysis or CX/UX certification (Advantageous)

I am sure you are reading this job description and meet majority of the criteria BUT you may also still not be 100% comfortable in applying. We believe that there is a place for everyone under the Mukuru sun and we want YOU to contribute to our diverse tapestry of talent. So come on, take a leap of faith, and send your application if you meet majority of our requirements. Remember to include a snippet of how you will bring value and help us build a future of success that will help us determine where and how you may best be suited. Maybe you are just the future Mukurian we need!!

Should you be appointed in a remote/work from home role at Mukuru, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have uninterrupted internet connectivity and a 'work-like' environment at your home location, in order to deliver your best in terms of performance, productivity and service to our customers. If you do not receive any response after two weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful.

NB: ALL STAFF APPOINTMENTS WILL BE MADE WITH DUE CONSIDERATION OF THE COMPANY'S DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION PLANS