Program Manager at Kunai

United States

Kunai builds full-stack technology solutions for banks, credit and payment networks, infrastructure providers, and their customers. Together, we are changing the world’s relationship with financial services. At Kunai, we help our clients modernize, capitalize on emerging trends, and evolve their business for the coming decades by remaining tech-agnostic and human-centered. Two large financial services companies are merging proprietary technologies to bring a next-generation Personal Loans product to market. This role will own governance, operational readiness, risk visibility, and the day-to-day bridge-building that keeps two organizations aligned, especially where accountability, communication, or handoffs are unclear. This role sits at the intersection of two organizations. You'll be the connective tissue translating across teams, surfacing risks before they become blockers, and keeping a complex multi-workstream program moving toward a durable operating model. WHAT YOU'LL OWN Integration Governance & Program Connectivity Define and run the integration governance model: decision rights, escalation paths, RAID log, status rhythms. Connect workstreams (pre-app, marketing channels, ops, tech) so nothing falls through the seams between organizations. Risk & Issue Management Proactively identify operational and compliance risks unique to a new-to-acquirer use case. Track issues across org boundaries and drive resolution before they block the program. Know when to escalate and to whom. Cross-Org Communication & Alignment Spot gaps before they become misalignments. Maintain a consistent narrative across both organizations at multiple levels from working teams to senior stakeholders. Ask the inconvenient questions early. Operational Readiness & Long-Term Operability Build for scale, not just launch. Own the operational readiness framework for account opening, loan servicing, and ops handoffs. Work with finance and ops partners to ensure the model runs sustainably post-integration. Architecture & Dependency Awareness Not a hands-on-keyboard role, but you need enough technical fluency to understand system dependencies, integration points, and the downstream ops implications of architectural decisions. Partner closely with the technical PM. WHAT YOU BRING Required: - Experience managing complex, multi-party integration programs at large financial services firms - Background in banking operations, including account opening, loan processing, or similar - Demonstrated ops and/or risk management orientation (not just delivery tracking) - Enough technical literacy to hold architecture conversations and understand dependency chains - Exceptional organizational skills, including comfortable running multiple workstreams simultaneously - Comfortable navigating ambiguity; able to create structure where none exists Strongly Preferred: - Prior experience in a merger/acquisition integration context - Personal loans product knowledge including originations, pre-app, marketing channel integrations - Finance business partnering exposure (budgets, resource tracking, reporting) - Track record building governance frameworks from scratch, not just inheriting them WHAT MAKES THIS ROLE DIFFERENT The technical program is being built. What's needed now is someone who can govern it, who asks "have we defined who owns this when it breaks?" and "does ops know what they're signing up for?" You'll work alongside a strong technical PM, not replace one. The value you add is connective: surfacing what's falling through the cracks, building the governance layer, and making sure the program is set up to run long after launch. Our success over the past 20 years is rooted in our exceptional team, which thrives in a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning. We are proud to offer our employees a range of benefits, including competitive compensation, professional development opportunities, and flexible work arrangements, all designed to help them thrive. As we continue to expand, we remain committed to cultivating an environment where people feel valued, have a voice, and are given the tools to grow—both personally and professionally—while pushing the boundaries of innovation in the fintech industry. Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor’s Degree, in lieu of a degree, demonstrating in addition to the minimum years of experience required for the role, three years of specialized training and/or progressively responsible work experience in technology for each missing year of college is required