About the Role

This role will be part of Zain Bahrain's Subsidiary Fintech Company - "Bede"

Bede, the fintech arm of Zain Bahrain, is a dynamic startup revolutionizing personal finance through Bahrain’s first Shariah-compliant Islamic financing app. Licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain, Bede is committed to creating an inclusive platform that offers practical solutions tailored to real customer needs.

With a focus on customer centricity, strategic partnerships, and digital innovation, Bede aims to guide individuals toward growth and success by leveling the playing field for all.

The Digital Operations Project Manager (PMO) at Bede will serve as the key coordinator and point of contact for mobile app development efforts within the company, which focuses on digital-only microfinancing solutions. This role will oversee the progress of app development sprints, manage requirement collection, coordinate designs, and optimize the app’s user journey. The PMO will facilitate communication between business stakeholders and the technical development team, ensuring alignment with business objectives and timelines. This person will also work closely with business heads, customer care, finance, compliance, and risk heads to ensure a seamless integration of app functionalities with various business needs and regulatory requirements.

What We Need From You

This section will have bullet points containing the below information:

• Education

  Bachelor’s degree in Business, Project Management, Information Technology, or a relevant field. Agile certifications (e.g., Certified ScrumMaster, PMI-ACP) are a plus

• Experience

  8+ years of experience in project management, with a focus on mobile app development or digital product management. Experience in fintech or microfinancing is a strong advantage.

• Skills & Knowledge

  - Project Management Skills: Expertise in managing projects using agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban), with the ability to coordinate across multiple teams and stakeholders.

  - Communication Skills: Strong communication skills to act as a bridge between business and technical teams, facilitating effective collaboration.

  - Analytical Skills: Ability to track and analyze development metrics to make data-driven decisions.

  - Problem-Solving: Experience in risk management and issue resolution, ensuring projects stay on track.

  - Familiarity with app development tools like Jira, Trello, Confluence, or similar project management platforms.

Main Responsibilities

• Project Planning & Coordination:

• Coordinate the app development lifecycle at Bede, from initial planning to launch, ensuring that all project objectives and milestones are clearly defined and met.

• Create and maintain project timelines, sprint plans, and development roadmaps, ensuring all tasks are tracked, updated, and reported regularly to relevant business heads.

• Gather and document requirements from business heads, customer care, finance, compliance, and risk teams to ensure they are communicated effectively to the technical team.

• Point of Contact for Technical Teams:

• Act as the primary liaison between business stakeholders (including business heads, customer care, finance, compliance, and risk) and the technical development team, facilitating clear communication and understanding of project requirements.

• Coordinate meetings and updates with the development team to discuss progress, address issues, and align on upcoming tasks.

• Ensure the technical team has the necessary resources and information to meet development goals and address any input from cross-functional departments.

• Requirements Gathering & Analysis:

• Work closely with business heads and other stakeholders to collect and document app requirements, including functional requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria.

• Ensure that all requirements are clearly communicated to the development team and integrated into the sprint planning process.

• Regularly review requirements with stakeholders to ensure they remain aligned with evolving business needs, particularly from customer care, finance, compliance, and risk perspectives.

• User Journey & Design Coordination:

• Collaborate with UX/UI designers, product owners, and business heads to refine the app’s user journey, ensuring it delivers a seamless and intuitive experience for microfinance customers.

• Review design prototypes and mockups, coordinating feedback from stakeholders across the organization to ensure alignment with project goals.

• Facilitate user testing and feedback sessions, involving key teams such as customer care, to identify potential improvements in the user experience.

• Sprint Management & Progress Reporting:

• Oversee sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives, ensuring that the technical team follows agile practices and stays on track.

• Monitor development progress, track sprint metrics, and ensure that any blockers or issues are promptly addressed.

• Report regularly to the Business Director and other key stakeholders (e.g., finance, compliance) on project status, including progress updates, risks, and any deviations from the project plan.

• Performance Monitoring & Quality Assurance:

• Ensure that all app features and updates meet quality standards, coordinating user acceptance testing (UAT) and addressing any feedback from the compliance and risk teams.

• Track and analyze key performance metrics related to app development and user experience, providing insights for continuous improvement.

• Ensure that the app remains compliant with regulatory requirements, working closely with compliance and risk heads to address any legal or operational concerns.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication:

• Provide regular updates to the Business Director and key stakeholders, including business heads, customer care, finance, compliance, and risk teams on project status, challenges, and next steps.

• Coordinate feedback from stakeholders, ensuring that it is incorporated into the development process.

• Facilitate decision-making by presenting options and recommendations based on project progress and business objectives.

• Risk Management & Issue Resolution:

• Identify potential risks to the project timeline, scope, or budget, and proactively work with relevant teams (e.g., compliance, risk) to mitigate them.

• Resolve any project-related issues by coordinating with business heads and relevant departments, escalating when necessary to ensure timely resolution.

• Agile Methodology Implementation:

• Champion agile practices within the project, ensuring the development team follows processes like daily stand-ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives.

• Facilitate agile ceremonies and encourage continuous improvement practices throughout the development process.