The BFSI career map is expanding and technology is the driver
Written by By Aatash Shah, SVP & Business Head, Manipal Academy of BFSI
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Embedded finance revolutionises the BFSI landscape by integrating payments, lending, and insurance into non-financial apps, shattering career boundaries beyond traditional banks. Everyday interactions, like adding Re. 1 insurance during ticket bookings or BNPL at e-commerce checkouts, signal this shift, propelling BFSI talent into retail, mobility, and healthcare. Retail firms now recruit for embedded wallets and instant merchant financing; mobility companies need fleet management and driver payment experts; healthcare demands patient financing and clinical payment innovators. This expansion taps India's digital surge, creating jobs where finance fuels non-bank growth.
Hybrid Roles Bridge Worlds
Complex integrations create hybrid roles at the finance-technology-customer experience (CX) intersection, requiring "bilingual" pros versed in code, compliance, and user journeys. Digital Integration Specialists sync partner platforms with bank systems via robust APIs, minimizing downtime. FinTech Product Managers guide embedded products from concept to launch, juggling adoption, scalability, and regulations. Embedded Finance Strategists pinpoint revenue streams, like in-app loans boosting engagement in core apps. These roles demand holistic thinking, blending BFSI rigor with tech agility
Skills Powering the Shift
Demand surges for product integration wizards who embed finance frictionlessly; API managers securing data flows; fintech partnership scouts forging ecosystem alliances; and digital CX architects crafting seamless journeys. API expertise ensures compliant, real-time exchanges, while partnership skills vet collaborators for mutual growth. CX pros erase divides between financial and non-financial touchpoints, delivering intuitive experiences that outshine legacy banking. Upskilling in these areas,via certifications in AWS, RegTech, or Python, positions candidates for premium roles in a competitive market.
UPI, Lending, Insurtech Spark Profiles
UPI's instant ecosystem creates payment processors, fraud analysts, and large-scale volume managers handling trillions in transactions. Digital lending fuels credit risk modelers and AI/ML engineers automating underwriting with alternative data. Insurtech pioneers parametric insurance designers for event-triggered payouts and telematics analysts leveraging IoT for personalized policies. These innovations drive India's fintech workforce toward 475,000 jobs by 2030, with specialized profiles growing 20% annually.
Data-Driven Operations Emerge
BFSI ditches manual operations for AI-fueled, data-centric functions, where analytics predict risks and personalise services. Data scientists replace clerks, optimizing portfolios via big data; cloud-blockchain stacks enable agile compliance. Predictive models power fraud detection and lending, shifting focus from transactions to insights. This tech pivot demands continuous learning, unlocking paths to leadership in a $150 billion embedded finance arena by 2028.
As 2026 unfolds, tech disruptions will refine these roles further. BFSI professionals thriving amid this evolution embrace hybrid skills, propelling India's $1 trillion digital economy. The future favors adapters who fuse finance's precision with technology's speed.
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Views expressed are author's own.
