VP, Product Research - Chevy Chase, MD

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:  Forbright is a nationwide full-service bank and commercial lender focused on helping to build a brighter future for our clients and the communities we serve. Forbright is committed to exceptional client service by providing seamless, innovative personal bank ...

Job description

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:  Forbright is a nationwide full-service bank and commercial lender focused on helping to build a brighter future for our clients and the communities we serve. Forbright is committed to exceptional client service by providing seamless, innovative personal banking services to depositors and creative financing solutions to visionary middle market businesses and investors in healthcare, technology, financial services, real estate, and other industries.    COMPANY CULTURE:  We are a dynamic, high energy, fun, and fast-paced organization that has an exciting growth trajectory, meaningful mission, and embedded responsible practices into our daily interactions. We offer our team members a culture of collaboration, inclusion, flexibility, recognition, and giving back. We look to hire individuals that are passionate about our mission, and who are motivated, customer and results-oriented, innovative, adaptable, and thoughtful.   COMPANY MISSION:  We are a mission-driven institution. We operate a sound dynamic institution that is well capitalized, liquid, profitable and uses best practices to manage risk and assure compliance with laws and regulations. We use Forbright's capital, capabilities, innovation, and expertise to help our clients succeed and contribute broadly to building a brighter future. 
JOB SUMMARY: The VP, Product Research & Strategy, Digital Banking is responsible for leading the strategic direction, research, and innovation of digital banking products for the consumer division. This role drives market analysis, competitive intelligence, and product vision to ensure the Bank's digital offerings are differentiated, customer-centric, and aligned with business objectives.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the development and execution of product research and strategy for digital banking products 
• Conduct market research, customer segmentation, and competitive analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and threats 
• Define and communicate the short-term and long-term product vision, strategy, and roadmap in alignment with organizational goals 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Product, Technology, Marketing, Compliance, Operations) to develop business cases and strategic recommendations for new product initiatives and enhancements, and drive product innovation and delivery 
• Evaluate emerging technologies, fintech partnerships, and industry best practices to inform product strategy 
• Monitor product performance metrics and customer feedback to inform continuous improvement 
• Present research findings, strategic plans, and recommendations to executive leadership 
• Mentor and develop junior team members in research and strategy disciplines 
• Perform other duties as assigned 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's Degree required; Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Marketing, or related field preferred 
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in product management, product strategy, or product research within digital banking, fintech, or financial services required; experience in consumer digital banking preferred 
• Experience with market research methodologies, data analysis, and strategic planning 
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and presentation skills 
• Ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel)   
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills   
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail    
• Outstanding problem-solving and time management skills   
• Self-motivated, self-directed, and results-oriented  
• Adaptable and able to multitask in a fast-paced environment   
• Can work independently and within a team; solution-oriented with a collaborative approach

The pay range for this position is below. The specific rate will depend on the successful candidate's qualifications and prior experience. $152,000 (entry level qualifications) to $190,000 (highly experienced).

POSITION REQUIREMENTS: We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees are capable of performing their job position. Work is primarily conducted in an office setting while certain positions may allow for remote work through the use of technology at management discretion. The functions described below are representative of those to successfully perform duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable employees to perform the essential functions. While performing duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required for extended periods of time to:
• Remain in a stationary position
• Use hands and fingers 
• Utilize a computer monitor with visual acuity
• Operate technology or other office machinery such as printers, scanners, etc.
• Communicate clearly verbally and/or in writing with others
ADDITIONAL DUTIES: For Forbright Bank to remain efficient and nimble as a growing organization, team members are expected to exhibit a high level of flexibility regarding any duties that may be situationally assigned outside of this job description. 
PERKS/BENEFITS:
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• 4 weeks PTO
• 401k + company match
• Metro SmartTrip benefits ($50/mo)
• Remote or hybrid work schedules for most positions
• Incentives for purchasing solar panels, electric vehicles, biking to work, etc.
• Paid subscriptions to Veterans Compost, Capital Bikeshare, Imperfect Foods reimbursement, and more
• Best Workplaces for Commuters 2023 & 2024 winner
• The Washington Post Top Workplaces 2023, 2024, and 2025 winner
• American Banker Best Banks to Work For 2023 winner
CORE PRINCIPLES:
• Excellence: Excellence is not a goal, but a standard, reflected in the precision of our work and the quality of our decisions. Excellence is a discipline that compounds over time and creates lasting value; it must be measured and managed. 
• People: Our people are our greatest strength. We foster a culture of respect, inclusion, and ambition - where everyone matters. We celebrate collaboration and teamwork and prize loyalty - to one another, the company, our mission, and values.   
• Innovation: We invest boldly in technology, harnessing innovation not for its own sake but to make banking and lending better, faster, and smarter for our clients, more efficient for our team, and more profitable for our shareholders.  By combining human insight with technological excellence, we strengthen our ability to serve, to adapt, and to succeed in a changing world.  Innovation is a continuous investment in new ideas. 
• Sound Practices: Our foundation rests on prudence, care, integrity, and discipline. We manage credit and business risk with rigor and fundamentals-based judgment, act with transparency, and uphold the highest standards of corporate governance and regulatory compliance to ensure sustainable growth and enduring financial strength.   
• Distinct Value: We focus our energy where we add value. We avoid the commoditized and the ordinary, choosing to compete through insight, specialization, technology and service. By concentrating on areas where expertise matters and relationships endure, we create differentiation that is defensible and lasting. 
• Clients: We exist to advance our clients' success and to help them grow. We listen deeply, think creatively, and deliver solutions that solve problems, drive impact and add value. Every client relationship is built on partnership, performance, and purpose. 
• Shareholders: We are committed to creating exceptional value for our shareholders. We invest for the long term and view our shareholders as partners – not observers - in value creation. We allocate capital wisely, execute with precision, and continuously adapt our business model to pursue the most attractive, risk-adjusted returns. We work to make rational decisions, avoid unnecessary complexity, maintain strong liquidity and capital, and communicate with clarity and honesty. We measure success both by current performance and by the durability and quality of the long-term value we build.  
• Communities and the Environment: We believe prosperity and responsibility go hand in hand. We invest in inclusive opportunity and environmental stewardship. Our goal is simple - to do our part build a brighter, more sustainable future for the communities we serve and the world we share. 
It is the policy of Forbright Bank to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals and to administer all aspects and conditions of pre-employment and employment without regard to protected characteristics.
Employment with Forbright Bank is at-will, which means that either you or the Company may terminate the relationship at any time.
By applying, you acknowledge that you have reviewed our CCPA Privacy Notice. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, assessing responses, and interview recording, transcription, and summarization. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.