Digital Channels Product Leader
*Position can sit anywhere in the M&T footprint
Overview:
M&T Bank is seeking a strategic and innovative Head of Commercial Digital Channels Product to lead the vision, strategy, roadmap, and delivery of the bank's commercial digital channels ecosystem. This executive-level product leader will be responsible for the digital experiences that commercial clients use to access treasury management, payments, liquidity, reporting, fraud management, and self-service capabilities.
The role oversees a team of product managers responsible for commercial digital channels, including online banking portals, API and developer experiences, ERP integrations, file transmission services, client connectivity, and digital servicing capabilities. The successful candidate will drive modernization, client experience improvements, digital adoption, revenue growth, and operational efficiency while ensuring alignment with the bank's broader commercial banking strategy.
This leader will partner closely with Technology, Sales, Treasury Management, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Information Security, Digital, and external fintech providers to deliver industry-leading commercial banking experiences.
Primary Responsibilities:
Digital Channel Strategy & Leadership
Define and execute the strategic vision for M&T's commercial digital channels platform.
Develop multi-year product roadmaps aligned with commercial banking growth objectives.
Lead product innovation initiatives that improve client acquisition, retention, engagement, and satisfaction.
Drive modernization of digital platforms, connectivity services, and client experiences.
Establish product performance metrics, adoption goals, and financial targets.
Commercial Portal & Client Experience
Own strategy and evolution of commercial banking portals and client-facing digital experiences.
Enhance usability, self-service functionality, entitlements, workflow management, and client administration experiences.
Guide platform evolution and vendor management activities related to commercial portal and mobile solutions.
Drive digital experience improvements based on client feedback, analytics, and market trends.
Risk, Compliance & Governance
Ensure all products comply with regulatory, legal, risk, and information security requirements. Partner with Risk, Compliance, Fraud, and Information Security teams throughout the product lifecycle. Maintain strong governance and third-party risk management practices.
Financial & Business Management
Develop business cases and investment recommendations for executive leadership. Manage product P&Ls, revenue targets, and investment budgets. Measure and communicate business performance through key product metrics and executive reporting. Identify opportunities to increase digital engagement and deepen client relationships.
Product Management Leadership
Directly manage a team of five Product Managers. Establish product management best practices, governance, and operating models. Coach, develop, and mentor product talent. Foster a culture of customer-centricity, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement. Lead prioritization and resource allocation across multiple strategic initiatives.
ERP & Ecosystem Integrations
Lead product strategy for ERP and financial software integrations; expand connectivity capabilities across leading platforms as defined by client needs. Partner with fintech providers and ecosystem partners to deliver integrated banking experiences. Improve implementation efficiency, client onboarding, and operational resiliency.
API & Developer Portal Capabilities
Define commercial API strategy and commercialization plans. Develop API monetization frameworks and adoption strategies. Partner with technology teams on API architecture, governance, standards, and security. Own product strategy for commercial developer portals and digital integration experiences. Improve onboarding and support experiences for corporate developers, fintech partners, and ERP providers.
Leadership Profile
The ideal candidate is a visionary product executive who combines deep commercial banking knowledge with modern digital platform expertise. They possess a strong understanding of commercial portals, APIs, developer ecosystems, ERP connectivity, and treasury management workflows, while demonstrating the leadership capabilities required to build and scale a market-leading digital channels organization at M&T Bank.
Education and Experience Required:
- Bachelor’s degree, and a minimum of 12 years’ experience in Business, Technology, Finance, Engineering, and/or relevant product line(s), or in lieu of a degree a combined minimum of 16 years’ higher education and/or work experience, including a minimum of 12 years’ experience in Business, Technology, Finance, Engineering, and/or relevant product line(s).
- 7 years’ managerial and/or project management experience in relevant product line(s).
- Strong financial analysis skills, including cash flow and components of product profitability.
- Excellent developmental, analytical and research skills.
- Extensive network of industry and client contacts on a national scale and extensive market intelligence.
- Industry-specific knowledge.
- Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong presentation skills.
- Demonstrated principled leadership skills with sound business ethics.
Education and Experience Preferred:
- MBA or advanced degree
- 12+ years of product management, treasury management, payments, digital banking, or financial technology experience.
- 5+ years leading and developing product management teams.
- Experience managing commercial digital banking portals and treasury management platforms.
- Experience with commercial portal solutions such as Bottomline, FIS, Fiserv, Q2, ACI, or comparable platforms.
- Experience developing and managing API products and digital connectivity services.
- Experience with ERP and accounting software integrations.
- Experience managing file transmission services, host-to-host connectivity, SFTP, and client integration solutions.
- Demonstrated success managing large-scale digital transformation initiatives.
- Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills.