Open finance is changing what fintech product teams actually need from their people. The shift from open banking to a broader open finance model, where more account and product data can move with a customer's consent, means product work now sits at the crossroads of data, regulation and trust. That's a wider brief than the feature-focused product roles many teams were hiring for a few years ago.
The regulatory weight behind these roles shows in the hiring signals. Across financial services, recruitment is generally for more senior, higher-qualified positions: a 2026 GOV.UK Temporary Shortage List report found that in the Financial Services sector, recruitment was generally for Regulatory Qualification Framework (RQF) 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5 roles. For product teams, that points to demand for people who can hold regulatory nuance and product judgement at the same time.
The classic product manager job spec is stretching in three directions. First, data fluency: open finance runs on shared data, so product people need to understand what the data can and can't tell them, and where consent sits. Second, regulatory literacy: knowing how rules shape what you can build, and when to bring compliance in early. Third, customer trust: designing consent flows and permissions that people actually understand.
This tracks with the wider seniority signal in financial services. With recruitment leaning towards RQF 6+ roles rather than RQF 3 to 5 roles, per the GOV.UK report, fintech employers are hiring for depth and accountability, not just execution. The result is a hybrid product profile: part strategist, part data thinker, part customer advocate, comfortable working alongside legal and risk colleagues.
Start by rewriting the brief. If your job spec still reads like a standard product manager role, it won't surface the blended skill set open finance demands. Be explicit about the data, regulatory and customer-trust parts of the job, and name the compliance and risk colleagues the person will work with. A sharper brief attracts sharper applicants.
Speed matters here. The product people who can span data, regulation and customer experience are in demand, so a slow, vague process loses them. A clear brief plus a fast, well-structured process is your best advantage.
When you're hiring for a widening product brief, reach and speed both count. Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. Ready to build your open finance product team? Tell us about the role with Reed.ai and we'll get started today.
