Making an impact in a tech role can look different based on individual skills or the needs of a business. It can mean improving internal processes, fixing mission-critical bugs or being part of a successful launch. Increasingly, technologists are also becoming decision makers for purchases and overall development strategy for their companies. For many tech professionals, the type of impact they have will likely change over the course of a career.
For technologists at JPMorganChase, there are countless opportunities to grow their careers and make an impact for clients as they build complex solutions to power the world’s commerce.
“We offer the opportunity to test yourself against work that is relevant to folks’ day-to-day lives — and really have an impact,” said Jack Gibson, head of payments architecture, engineering and APIs at J.P. Morgan Payments. “Most people in the United States interact with our bank weekly, or even daily, and over 50 percent of e-commerce transactions in the United States pass through our platform. This level of size, scope and complexity creates a unique playing field for technologists to solve problems and innovate.”
“This level of size, scope and complexity creates a unique playing field for technologists to solve problems and innovate.”
JPMorganChase invested about $17 billion across the firm in 2024 to transform how companies and individuals interact with its technology. This tech investment empowers employees with opportunities across various roles, teams and lines of business.
One of the most exciting endeavors within the firm has been in J.P. Morgan Payments with the evolution of the Payments Developer Portal (PDP). The platform facilitates seamless integration with J.P. Morgan Payments’ robust suite of payment solutions, serving as a key resource for external developers. Through the PDP, clients have direct access to J.P. Morgan Payments’ APIs, allowing them to develop payment solutions while leveraging the bank’s extensive payments systems and vast infrastructure.
“The shift in financial services over the last 15 to 20 years has moved from bespoke relationships to a model where companies build on top of our platform,” Gibson explained. “We offer payments and other services that allow developers to create integrated solutions tailored to their business needs.”
This shift requires J.P. Morgan Payments to prioritize community-building with the developer audience, ensuring that developers can easily find and understand the services offered through the PDP.
Alan Lee, who plays a unique role as a developer advocate, highlighted the importance of engaging with the developer community.
“Developer relations sits at the intersection of technology marketing and customer success,” he explained. “I focus on building relationships with developers, showcasing what we offer, and bringing awareness to the different payment experiences they can build through the PDP.”
His efforts have generated excitement among developers, many of whom are surprised to discover the innovative technology-forward work being done at a large financial institution.
“They often express amazement that we have a developer advocacy team,” Lee noted. “Our presence at tech meetups and conferences is helping to change perceptions about what a bank can offer developers, in terms of both career paths and client work.”
“Our presence at tech meetups and conferences is helping to change perceptions about what a bank can offer developers.”
Empowering Developers with the PDP
Maria McParland, a lead software engineer, was one of the original team members behind the PDP and thrives in the cross-functional collaboration necessitated by the project.
“The PDP is still a relatively new project, just a couple of years old,” she said. “It requires collaboration from various teams — front-end developers, back-end support and product design — ensuring we minimize technical inefficiencies while delivering high-quality solutions.”
Gibson also emphasized the importance of making payments capabilities visible to developers: “By creating the PDP, we enable engineers to discover our solutions — like data validation and cross-currency transactions — before they even become clients.”
J.P. Morgan Payments’ approach to developer relationships sets it apart from traditional financial institutions. By investing in developer advocacy and creating accessible platforms for integration, the business is redefining what it means to be a leader in payments technology. Its focus on building a community of developers who can leverage its services not only enhances the user experience but also fosters innovation across the industry.
By investing in developer advocacy and creating accessible platforms for integration, J.P. Morgan Payments is redefining what it means to be a leader in payments technology.
Previously, developers had limited access to J.P. Morgan Payments’ offerings, often needing to become clients before they could explore integration options. Now, with open APIs and comprehensive documentation available through the PDP, developers can engage with J.P. Morgan Payments’ offerings without needing to establish a formal client relationship first.
The team’s commitment to open-source practices has also transformed the developer experience. McParland explained that they maintain external GitHub repositories, allowing developers to interact with code samples and applications directly.
“This open approach lets developers learn about J.P. Morgan Payments APIs in a hands-on way,” she said. “It’s an exciting moment for our team to see our code being utilized externally.”
Global Team, Collaborative Culture
At J.P. Morgan Payments, the technology team is characterized by a collaborative spirit.
“It takes hundreds of colleagues to build and run the PDP,” McParland remarked. “We’re organized into smaller, focused feature teams that allow us to work efficiently across different time zones.” This structure fosters an environment where developers can share knowledge and innovate together, contributing to a sense of community across the team.
The business’ global reach brings talented tech professionals onto the team from an array of geographic locations.
“My team alone is spread across 20 countries, with significant development centers in the United States, India, Singapore and the United Kingdom, among others. This enables us to leverage the best talent and create a culture of innovation that is truly unique in the financial services sector,” McParland said. “We have a huge focus on collaboration across our global footprint, which opens the door for a diverse range of talent and perspectives to contribute to our work.”
McParland, who has seen her career evolve within the firm, also highlighted the internal mobility opportunities available.
“I joined as a graduate developer and have transitioned through various roles. You don’t need to leave in order to find new challenges; the opportunities are endless here.”
Through initiatives like the PDP, J.P. Morgan Payments is not only transforming its approach to payments technology but also reshaping the broader perception of what it means to work at a financial institution. Through strategic alliances and innovative technologies, including fintech partnerships embedded in its solutions, J.P. Morgan Payments is enhancing the efficiency, reliability and security of global financial transactions. For developers seeking meaningful work that has a real-world impact, J.P. Morgan Payments offers a unique environment where creativity, collaboration and innovation thrive.
As Lee put it, “There’s a world of opportunities for developers here, and it’s exciting to be part of it.”
“There’s a world of opportunities for developers here, and it’s exciting to be part of it.”
As J.P. Morgan Payments continues to evolve and adapt to the demands of the tech landscape, its commitment to providing developers with resources, support and opportunities is more important than ever. The PDP stands as a testament to the business’ investment in technology and its belief in the power of collaboration.
“We offer the chance to solve complex problems at an unprecedented scale,” Gibson said. “Developers who join our team will have the opportunity to work on projects that impact millions of people worldwide.”
