Lucy’s Spotlight

Q&A with Lucy, Lead Digital Product Manager

Today, we’re talking to Lucy, a Lead Digital Product Manager who has spent five years growing her career here. From starting as a graduate to now leading the Open Banking agenda in our Acquisitions Department (the team focused on bringing in new customers through credit card offerings and digital growth), Lucy’s journey exemplifies what it means to own your impact. 

Q: Lucy, you’ve been with Capital One for over five years. What does "leading at scale" look like in your current role?

Lucy: I lead the Open Banking agenda so my role involves partnering across the business to set a long-term vision, which we then use to determine our yearly goals and areas of focus. I’m responsible for the strategy from the very beginning; starting with early-stage customer research; all the way through to making critical delivery decisions regarding scope and risk. It’s about owning the "Why" and the "How" for a technology that is changing the face of finance.

Q: What project has been the highlight of your time here so far?

Lucy: Definitely introducing our first journey using Open Banking data at acquisition last July. It was a brand-new, complex delivery aimed at helping a new audience segment. The pace was incredible, and the collaboration across teams was the best I’ve experienced. By using Open Banking data, we were able to create a smoother, more inclusive, and faster application experience, opening up access to financial products for a new group of people who needed them. That’s the kind of success that truly matters.

Q: You have the title "Manager," but you’re an Individual Contributor. How does that work at Capital One? 

Lucy: It’s a common question! At Capital One, our career paths recognise that you don't have to manage people to grow in seniority. My "Manager" title reflects my level of impact and accountability. I own the Open Banking strategy, a high-stakes, complex area, and I’m compensated and leveled for that expertise. It allows me to stay "in the work" I love while still having a seat at the leadership table. 

Q: Progressing from a Graduate to a Manager-level IC is a big step. What kind of support helped you get there?

I’ve had a fantastic manager who proactively helped me identify my strengths and carve out opportunities to develop new skills. Starting on the graduate scheme also allowed me to rotate through different roles within the product team, giving me a broad foundation early on. Beyond direct management, just working alongside experts in other fields has been a huge learning opportunity. Seeing how others approach problems and bring value through their specific styles has really shaped my own development.

Q: How has your definition of "impact" evolved as you’ve moved into more senior IC ownership? 

Lucy: As a graduate, impact was about what I individually contributed; my ideas and my ability to keep a project on track. Now, impact is about enabling the whole team. It means doing the heavy lifting to scope a project so that I and others can drive value, ensuring there’s a clear narrative for the team, and investing in our culture to keep everyone engaged.

Q: For a Product Manager looking to join us, how transparent is the path to seniority?

Lucy: It’s very clear. Capital One offers two promotion opportunities a year, and they are based on your performance as an individual, not just whether a specific role is available. We recently launched a competency framework for every level, so you always know exactly what you need to demonstrate to progress. My manager has been instrumental in helping me find space within my existing projects to prove those senior-level skills. 

Q: Finally, how does Capital One celebrate a major "win" like your Open Banking launch? 

Lucy: We were actually empowered to choose how we celebrated! For the core team, we started with party hats on "Go Live" day. Then we hosted a pizza party for the entire Acquisitions area "a slice to celebrate our first slice". We even did a business-wide learning session with a golf game to celebrate the "Open" in Open Banking. Being recognised in the business-wide download was the icing on the cake. 

Ready for your next challenge? Explore our open roles and build your career at Capital One.