Trade Finance Product Specialist Product Knowledge and Testing

Role & responsibilities

Role Overview:

We are seeking Trade Finance professionals with strong domain expertise who are passionate about transitioning into a software environment. This role bridges functional banking operations and technology by leveraging Trade Finance experience to enhance product quality, ensure functional accuracy, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

The ideal candidate will work closely with product management, development, and QA teams to provide deep product knowledge, perform functional validation, and support the end-to-end software testing lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

• Product Knowledge & Analysis

• Understand the Trade Finance product suite in-depth (e.g., Letters of Credit, Guarantees, Bills for Collection, Supply Chain Finance, etc.).
• Translate domain knowledge into product insights to support product managers and developers.
• Analyze business requirements and assess their impact on product features and functionality.

• Functional Testing & Validation

• Identify, document, and track functional defects; coordinate with development teams for resolution.

• Collaboration & Support

• Act as the domain expert during product design and enhancement discussions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (development, QA, implementation, and support) to ensure domain alignment.
• Assist in creating product documentation, training materials, and user guides.

• Continuous Improvement

• Suggest product enhancements based on industry best practices and regulatory updates.
• Stay updated on Trade Finance market trends, ICC guidelines (UCP, URDG, ISP, etc.), and customer needs to drive product innovation.

Qualifications & Skills:

• Domain Expertise:

• 2+ years of experience in Trade Finance operations (banking or financial institutions).
• In-depth knowledge of Trade Finance instruments, processes, SWIFT messaging standards, and compliance regulations.

• Technical & Analytical Skills:

• Basic understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC) and quality assurance processes.

• Soft Skills:

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and documentation skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work with cross-functional teams.
• Adaptability to transition from operations to a technology/product-oriented role.

Preferred candidate profile

• Any graduate with MBA in Finance
• Certification in Trade Finance (e.g., CDCS, CITF, CSDG) is a plus.
• Experience with Trade Finance software platforms
• ISTQB or similar testing certification (if experienced in testing- optional).
• Good communication and presentation skills