DFS Product Specialist

KCB is seeking a skilled and customer-focused professional for the position of DFS Product Specialist. The role will support the development, enhancement and commercialization of Digital Financial Services (DFS) products across areas such as mobile banking, digital payments, lending, savings, merchant solutions and agency banking.

The successful candidate will contribute to the full product lifecycle, from market research and ideation to testing, launch, performance monitoring and optimization. The role also involves working closely with business, technology, UX/UI, sales and external ecosystem partners to improve customer experience, increase product adoption and support digital business growth.

Responsibilities

Product Development and Innovation

• Support the design and development of digital products and services across:

  • Mobile banking

    

  • Internet banking

  • Digital payments

    

  • Digital lending

  • Digital savings

    

  • Merchant solutions

  • Agency banking

    

  • Emerging digital platforms

• Conduct market research and customer analysis.

• Perform competitor benchmarking.

• Identify opportunities for product enhancement.

• Assist in preparing business requirements and product specifications.

• Develop or support the preparation of user stories and business cases.

• Participate in ideation and innovation initiatives.

• Support implementation of product roadmaps and innovation strategies.

Product Lifecycle Management

• Support end-to-end product lifecycle management from concept development to launch and post-implementation review.

• Coordinate product enhancements, upgrades, releases and optimization activities.

• Track product performance.

• Recommend improvements based on customer feedback and business results.

• Maintain product documentation, workflows and process maps.

• Ensure products remain competitive and aligned with customer needs.

Customer Experience and Journey Optimization

• Support customer journey mapping initiatives.

• Contribute to customer experience optimization.

• Gather customer feedback.

• Analyse product usage patterns to identify customer pain points.

• Identify opportunities to improve digital products and services.

• Work with UX/UI and digital channel teams to improve customer experience.

• Support initiatives designed to increase customer engagement, activation and retention.

• Monitor customer satisfaction and adoption trends.

Product Innovation and Commercialization

• Support product teams in converting innovation concepts into viable products and services.

• Participate in product testing and pilot execution.

• Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

• Collect customer feedback during product testing and implementation.

• Monitor product adoption following implementation.

• Monitor product performance after launch.

• Contribute to commercialization and market rollout activities.

Product Testing and Quality Assurance

• Coordinate UAT, pilot testing and product validation activities.

• Document testing results.

• Follow up on issues identified during testing and ensure they are resolved before deployment.

• Support quality assurance processes.

• Support product release governance requirements.

• Monitor product performance after launch.

• Coordinate resolution of product-related issues.

• Ensure smooth implementation of new features and enhancements.

Commercialization and Product Growth

• Support go-to-market plans.

• Support product awareness campaigns and customer adoption initiatives.

• Monitor product uptake and active users.

• Monitor digital transaction volumes.

• Assist with preparation of product performance reports and dashboards.

• Support initiatives aimed at increasing product usage and revenue.

• Support customer engagement initiatives.

• Collaborate with sales and business teams to drive product adoption.

Stakeholder and Partner Management

• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to support successful product delivery.

• Support relationships with:

  • Fintech companies

  • Technology providers

  • Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)

  • Other ecosystem partners

• Participate in product integration projects.

• Support partnership initiatives.

• Facilitate communication between business and technology teams during product development and implementation.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure digital products comply with regulatory requirements.

• Ensure compliance with internal policies and governance standards.

• Support implementation of product controls and risk mitigation measures.

• Identify and escalate operational and customer risks associated with products.

• Participate in audit, compliance and product review activities.

Reporting and Analytics

• Prepare regular product performance reports.

• Prepare management updates.

• Monitor key product KPIs.

• Track customer adoption metrics.

• Monitor transaction volumes and revenue performance.

• Analyse customer behaviour and usage trends.

• Provide information to support data-driven decision-making.

• Maintain accurate product performance records.

• Maintain reporting dashboards.

Qualifications Required

Applicants should have:

• A Bachelor's degree from a recognized university.

• Professional qualifications or training in Product Management, Project Management or Agile Practices will be an added advantage.

• A Master's degree in a business-related field will be an added advantage.

Experience Required

Candidates should have:

• At least 3 years of cumulative professional experience.

• Experience in digital products, product management, digital financial services, banking or a related field will be beneficial.

• Experience supporting product development and lifecycle management.

• Exposure to UAT, product testing, commercialization or digital customer experience will be an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

The ideal candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong digital product management skills.

• Understanding of digital financial services and digital banking channels.

• Customer-centric product development capabilities.

• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Understanding of product lifecycle management.

• Knowledge of Agile and project management practices.

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

• Ability to work with business and technology teams.

• Good understanding of product testing and quality assurance.

• Commercial awareness and understanding of product growth.

• Ability to analyse customer and product performance data.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications through the official KCB recruitment platform. Applicants should provide accurate information and ensure that their academic qualifications and professional experience meet the requirements of the DFS Product Specialist position.

Final Thought

The DFS Product Specialist position offers an opportunity to contribute to the development and growth of digital financial products while gaining exposure to product innovation, customer experience, technology, testing and commercialization. Candidates with a Bachelor's degree and at least three years of relevant experience should consider applying for this opportunity.