Senior Product Manager

About the role

Kernel is growing We're looking for a Senior Product Manager who is strategic and hands-on, focused on building meaningful, user-centred financial products at scale. Working closely with our Head of Product, you'll take ownership of critical product areas and lead cross-functional teams to deliver an accessible and inclusive investing experience for all Kiwis.

You'll lead the launch and evolution of our mobile app alongside our web experience, influencing company priorities and collaborating closely with Design, Engineering, Go-To-Market, Operations, and Compliance.

Kernel is growing – and fast. We've doubled year on year for the past six years, now trusted by 40,000+ Kiwis with over $2B invested, and on track for another stellar 12 months ahead. You'll play a key role in shaping how we discover, build, and deliver products for Kiwis across the country.

About Kernel

We're a 100% Kiwi owned and operated fintech on a mission to make wealth accessible for every Kiwi. Our investment platform takes the guesswork out of investing – offering KiwiSaver, Managed Funds, US shares & ETFs, and Smart Saver accounts, all in one place with some of the lowest fees in the market.

We're at an exciting stage. Scaling fast, expanding our team of globally experienced financial professionals, and building the foundations for what's next. Our culture is collaborative, hands-on and ambitious – built on trust, innovation and saying it like it is. We value diverse perspectives, empower individuality, and believe the best ideas come from thinking together.

Things move quickly here, and every person plays a key role in shaping our future.

What you'll do

• Set the product direction and multi-quarter strategy for Kernel's core platform across mobile and web.

• Turn strategy into a clear roadmap that aligns teams and drives growth.

• Lead product discovery, define problem spaces, run research, validate solutions, and reduce delivery risk.

• Define success through measurable KPIs, set up dashboards, and run regular reviews to drive improvement.

• Write clear product briefs and PRDs outlining scope, edge cases, and risks for teams.

• Balance speed and quality, unblock teams, and make pragmatic trade-offs in a regulated environment.

• Champion accessibility, inclusion, and financial literacy, ensuring products are intuitive for new investors and valuable for experienced ones.

• Coordinate go-to-market efforts with Marketing, Customer Support, and Content to support feature launches.

• Mentor others in product thinking and contribute to Kernel's product practices

• Use Kernel's design system and platform capabilities to deliver consistent, scalable experiences.

You'll be great if you bring

• Proven experience delivering customer-facing products, ideally in fintech, wealth, payments, or regulated consumer domains.

• A track record of shaping strategy and moving key metrics, like activation, engagement, retention, AUM growth, or conversion.

• Strong discovery and delivery skills, turning insights into high-quality outcomes.

• Comfort working with data, designing experiments, and interpreting results.

• Clear communication and stakeholder leadership, aligning teams and presenting to senior leaders.

• Solid product fundamentals, including prioritisation, risk management, and roadmap communication.

• Experience building for web and mobile, with an understanding of accessibility and usability.

• High ownership, a structured approach to complex initiatives, and the ability to move quickly while maintaining quality.

• A genuine interest in improving financial outcomes for customers and contributing to Kernel's mission.

Bonus things you could bring along to the role

• Wealth management, KiwiSaver, investing platforms, or NZ market context.

• Hands-on experimentation (A/B testing, growth loops, onboarding optimisation, education-led engagement).

• Platform thinking, scaling multi-product ecosystems.

• Exposure to information security, privacy, and regulatory frameworks relevant to financial services.

Why You'll Love it at Kernel

• Influence Kernel's core product strategy.

• Shape investment products in a way no other fintech in New Zealand is approaching, connecting everyday financial goals with intuitive and customer centric design.

• Contribute to a platform trusted by tens of thousands of Kiwis, helping them feel more confident and in control of their money.

• Join a team built on trust, collaboration, and flexibility, where feedback is constructive and everyone has a voice.

• Competitive compensation package

• Flexible hybrid work and support for remote setups

• Health insurance, parental leave top-up, and professional development support

• Extra staff holidays, office snacks, coffee, and a dog-friendly environment

Join our team

Not sure you meet every requirement? We encourage you to apply. We value growth, impact, and mindset just as much as specific experience. If this opportunity sounds like you, send us your cover letter explaining why you're excited about the role and working at Kernel, along with your CV.

Visit our careers page for more on working at Kernel and follow us on LinkedIn & Instagram. to stay connected.