Lead Product Owner - Java

About The Role

This position requires the successful candidate to work on a W2 directly with FDM. We cannot accept C2C, 1099 or employment sponsorship (e.g. H1-B) for this position.

FDM is a global business and technology consultancy delivering client and industry driven solutions through our 5 core specialist Practices; Software Engineering, Data & Analytics, IT Operations, Change & Transformation, and Risk, Regulation & Compliance.

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FDM is seeking a Product Owner/Feature Lead (Java) located in Charlotte to support a project in the Financial Services sector. Involvement in this project is anticipated to last initially 18 months but may be extended.

This role will be hybrid with requirements to be in office 3 days per week.

Role Overview

FDM is seeking a Feature Lead / Product Owner with strong technical (Java) competency to help drive delivery of key features within the ACH modernization roadmap. This role blends product leadership, technical oversight, and hands-on capability, supporting a large-scale rewrite while working closely with engineers, architects, vendor contractors, and business stakeholders.

This is an ideal role for someone who understands product ownership but is also deeply technical capable of reading code, understanding Java-based architectures, and jumping in quickly to support the platform build-out.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the Feature Lead for major ACH modernization initiatives within the CashPro platform.
• Act as the Product Owner for assigned features: define requirements, prioritize backlog, create user stories, and ensure clear acceptance criteria.
• Work closely with the Senior Java Developers, architects, and vendor engineering teams to translate requirements into technical execution.
• Participate in solution design discussions and validate feasibility of approaches based on system architecture and Java-based implementations.
• Coordinate delivery across internal and vendor teams to ensure alignment with modernization goals and timelines.
• Support the platform rewrite, ensuring features are delivered with consistency, scalability, and compliance.Partner with QA, DevOps, and engineering to drive end-to-end feature completion through testing and deployment.
• Collaborate directly with a highly experienced technical manager and participate in technical interviews for additional contractors.

Required Qualifications

• Strong technical background, ideally with previous Java development experience or the ability to understand Java-based systems.
• 5–10 years of experience in Product Owner, Feature Lead, Technical BA, Scrum Lead, or similar roles in technology-heavy environments.
• Proven ability to operate in highly technical domains and support engineering teams building backend payment systems.
• Experience working in large-scale enterprise modernization or platform rewrite initiatives.
• Strong understanding of Agile methodologies and feature delivery processes.
• Ability to quickly absorb complex system logic and “hit the ground running.
• ”Must work on-site in Charlotte, NC (required) (Hybrid).

Preferred Skills

• Background in payments, banking, or ACH systems.
• Experience partnering with vendor development teams.
• Familiarity with enterprise integration, microservices, and API-driven architect
• ure.Hands-on experience writing or reviewing user stories with technical depth (e.g., APIs, data models, service interactions).
• Ways of Working
• On-site presence required in Charlotte, NC (hybrid).Technical team conducts all technical interviews.
• Close collaboration with a technical manager and engineering-heavy team focused on modernization and delivery.

About Us

FDM powers the people behind tech and innovation. We spot trends, find top talent, and help businesses stay ahead.

With 35 years of experience, we coach, mentor, and launch fresh thinkers from diverse backgrounds into world-class careers. Partnering with top global companies, we deliver the right talent at the right time—while guiding our people toward exponential growth.🌍 Global impact – 19 centers across North America, APAC, the UK, and Europe🚀 25,000 careers launched – and counting🤝 300 trusted client partners.

Committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Tech careers should be for everyone. With 80 nationalities represented, FDM thrives on diversity, fuels innovation through unique perspectives, and celebrates success together. As an Equal Opportunity Employer and FTSE4Good-listed company, we ensure every qualified applicant gets a fair shot—no barriers, just opportunities.