Product Strategist at Unknown Company in Oakland, CA

Company Overview

Promise modernizes how government agencies and utilities support people in financial difficulty. We build technology that makes it simple for residents to receive benefits, engage with assistance programs, set up flexible payment plans, and stay on track—while helping agencies increase efficiency, recover revenue, and deliver services with dignity. Our mission is to transform public systems so they work better for everyone, especially the most vulnerable.

Our team includes experts from companies like Palantir, Google, Stripe , and esteemed government leaders. We work hard and believe deeply in what we do. We're looking for excellent people to build innovative, resilient technology.

Backed by over $50 million in funding from top investors – such as Reid Hoffman, Howard Schultz, Michael Seibel, Y Combinator, 8VC, The General Partnership, First Round Capital, Kapor Capital, XYZ Ventures, and Bronze Investments – Promise has been recognized as one of Fast Company's "World's Most Innovative Companies of 2022,” “Forbes Next Billion-Dollar Startups 2024,” and Y Combinator’s #1 GovTech startup.

Overview

Promise is seeking a user and performance obsessed Product Strategist to lead the strategy and development of our flagship product PromisePay, a flexible payments platform for utilities and government agencies.

This role focuses on optimizing enrollment experiences and improving plan performance — ensuring that every customer, especially those from low-income or underbanked communities, has a dignified, low-friction way to repay past-due balances and maintain access to essential services.

You’ll work cross-functionally to drive enrollment growth, repayment success, and partner satisfaction, while navigating the operational and technical complexities of working with utility CIS systems and government IT environments.

What You’ll Do

Lead PromisePay Enrollment Experience

• Own the end-to-end user journey for enrolling in PromisePay payment plans.

• Identify and eliminate friction points that prevent billpayers from completing enrollment, with a focus on accessibility, trust, and usability.

• Partner closely with Design and Engineering to deliver fast, intuitive, mobile-first experiences that drive higher conversion rates.
  

Improve Plan Performance

• Design and launch features that boost repayment rates, reduce drop-offs, and increase recovery of missed payments.

• Use behavioral data and A/B testing to understand what drives plan success and implement interventions that support sustained repayment.
  

Partner with Clients and Stakeholders

• Collaborate with utility and government partners to ensure product features align with regulatory, compliance, and operational needs.

• Translate partner feedback and policy constraints into actionable product requirements that improve client outcomes — including higher revenue recovery and customer satisfaction.
  

Leverage Data & Insights

• Use analytics platforms like Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Fullstory to track and improve key metrics such as enrollment conversion, payment completion rates, and user satisfaction.

• Work closely with the Data and CX teams to identify insights that inform roadmap priorities and growth strategies.
  

Drive Operational and Ethical Excellence

• Ensure all payment experiences adhere to privacy, compliance, and ethical standards, maintaining Promise’s commitment to dignity, transparency, and trust.

• Partner with Engineering and Legal to ensure compliance with PCI DSS, privacy regulations, and local government requirements.

What Will Enable You

• 3–8 years of product management experience, ideally in FinTech, payments, or utilities.

• Proven track record of improving user flows, driving measurable product outcomes, and launching customer-facing features in complex environments.

• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset, with experience leveraging metrics to make decisions and demonstrate impact.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to translate between business, technical, and partner contexts.

• Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, design, operations, and partner-facing teams.

• Willingness to travel up to 25% to customer or partner sites.
  

Preferred

• Experience with regulated utilities, municipalities, or government programs.

• Familiarity with compliance and privacy standards in payments (e.g., PCI DSS, SOC2, HIPAA).

• Experience designing for low-income, underbanked, or public-sector populations.
  

About the Role’s Impact

As Product Manager for Payments, you will play a key role in helping millions of Americans avoid disconnection, penalties, or loss of access to essential services — while helping agencies recover revenue efficiently and ethically. Your work will directly influence how public institutions and utilities engage with their communities, turning complex systems into simple, human experiences.

Promise is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or military or veteran status. Additionally, the Company complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which it operates. Promise is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, pregnant individuals, and those with sincerely held religious beliefs, in accordance with applicable laws. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email accommodations@joinpromise.com.

Promise engages in US government contracts and restricts hiring to US persons, which includes US citizens and permanent residents (e.g., Green Card holders). Additionally, candidates must reside in the US.