Project Manager

Role Overview

Core Cards Product Manager

The role serves as the primary owner of the core card processing platform and its integrations with core banking, payment hubs, and treasury systems, ensuring end-to-end accuracy, compliance, and efficiency.

You will drive initiatives to modernize the bank’s card infrastructure, enhance authorization performance, expand payout capabilities (push-to-card, Visa Direct, Mastercard Send), and support new product innovations in debit, credit, and prepaid portfolios.

Key Responsibilities

1. Core Card Processing & Operations

• Oversee the end-to-end card transaction lifecycle: authorization, clearing, settlement, dispute management, and reconciliation.
• Ensure operational stability of card platforms (issuer processor, acquirer gateway, and settlement engine).
• Manage BIN sponsorships, network setup, routing configurations, and interchange parameters.
• Supervise funds flow for merchant acquiring, payout orchestration, and cardholder disbursement use cases.
• Coordinate with network operators (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Amex) and processors for mandate adherence and certification updates.

2. Platform & Infrastructure Management

• Manage the core card management system (CMS), ensuring accurate mapping of product setups, MCCs, fees, and network configurations.
• Oversee integration between the CMS, core deposit systems, payment hub, and treasury ledger.
• Partner with IT and architecture teams to implement API-driven, ISO 8583 / ISO 20022-native orchestration layers.
• Drive optimization of authorization performance (approval rates, latency, routing).
• Maintain disaster recovery and high availability mechanisms across the card platform.

3. Settlement, Reconciliation & Treasury Coordination

• Own the daily settlement and reconciliation process for all card networks and acquirer partners.
• Monitor interchange income and network fee structures to maximize profitability.
• Ensure accurate posting of settlement entries across general ledger, merchant, and cardholder accounts.
• Partner with Treasury on funding requirements, dispute reserves, and reconciliation of network positions.

4. Regulatory & Compliance Governance

• Maintain compliance with PCI-DSS, Reg E, Reg Z, U.S. Durbin Amendment (Reg II), and network mandates.
• Oversee chargeback, fraud claim, and refund handling processes in line with regulatory timelines.
• Collaborate with Risk and Compliance on AML, sanctions, and transaction monitoring controls.
• Ensure readiness for network audits and annual certifications (Visa CAMS, Mastercard MRS, etc.).

5. Innovation & Product Enablement

• Lead initiatives for push-to-card, payout orchestration, and real-time settlement capabilities.
• Partner with Product and Engineering teams to deliver tokenization, contactless, and card-on-file innovations.
• Evaluate new schemes (e.g., Discover Global Network, UnionPay, local APMs) for acceptance and integration.
• Support the launch of new card products (debit, prepaid, virtual, corporate) from setup through production readiness.

6. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Manage relationships with card processors, gateways, acquirers, and network partners (e.g., FIS, Fiserv, Marqeta, Global Payments, Worldpay).
• Monitor vendor SLAs, transaction performance, and incident response effectiveness.
• Provide performance dashboards and analytics to senior management on volume trends, declines, and cost drivers.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, or Information Systems.

Experience

• 8–12 years of experience in card operations, issuing/acquiring management, or card payments technology.
• Deep understanding of card networks, interchange, settlement, and reconciliation.
• Prior experience with issuer processors or acquiring platforms (e.g., FIS, Fiserv, TSYS, Marqeta, Global Payments, Worldpay, ACI).
• Proven track record managing network certifications, BIN migrations, and regulatory compliance.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of ISO 8583, network message specs, and settlement file formats (Visa VSS, Mastercard MRS, Amex SEF).
• Proficiency in dispute lifecycle management, fraud mitigation, and fee optimization.
• Experience with API orchestration, tokenization, and card provisioning (Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.).
• Strong analytical, stakeholder management, and vendor governance capabilities.