i. Why this role
Paymark sits at the exact intersection I've spent ten years preparing for — a critical platform, a real customer base, and a moment where the rules of payments are being rewritten by AI, agentic commerce, and open banking. The line in the JD — "if you love being in the work, not just adjacent to it" — is the role I'd write for myself.
ii. What I bring
At Global Dairy Trade, I'm leading the rebuild of a global multi-sided marketplace — onboarding through to post-event settlement — for one of the world's largest commodity platforms. At IAG, I shipped a real-time decision engine that cut digital claim handling time by 75%, plus integrated lodgement for Westpac and BNZ that now carries 20%+ of partner claims. Same operating model, different vertical.
Outside of GDT I run AI PM Briefing and PM Insights Weekly, and I'm experience lead for Product Aotearoa — the country's only PM conference. AI-first isn't a slogan I'd inherit; it's already how I work, write, and ship.
iii. How I'd start
- D01–D30 · Live in the backlog, the tickets, and three merchant calls a week. Map the gateway's real failure modes vs the roadmap.
- D31–D60 · Co-author a sharpened portfolio thesis with the Head of Online Payments. Stand up the AI-first operating rituals (see prototype below).
- D61–D90 · Ship one merchant-visible improvement; lock the FY investment case; have the team confidently leading its own ceremonies.
Ngā mihi,
Rahul.