Lead Project Manager – Cards & Payments

Lead Project Manager – Cards & Payments

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE (Onsite)Contract: 12 MonthsWe are looking for an experienced Lead Project Manager – Cards & Payments to lead card product launches, payment transformation initiatives, and regulatory and scheme-related programmes for a leading banking client in Abu Dhabi.The ideal candidate will have strong experience in card issuing, portfolio optimisation, and end-to-end project delivery within the banking or payments industry.

This role requires excellent stakeholder management, structured project governance, and the ability to coordinate multiple teams and vendors to deliver projects successfully.Key ResponsibilitiesLead end-to-end credit card product launches, including product and BIN setup, card production, digital wallet readiness, and go-live activities.Establish and manage the PMO for the cards change portfolio, maintaining integrated project plans, RAID logs, and governance frameworks.Coordinate with banking stakeholders, technology teams, payment processors, card schemes, and third-party vendors to ensure successful project delivery.Manage scheme certification, regulatory mandates, technical dependencies, and production sign-offs within agreed timelines.Support domestic scheme card rollout and migration programmes, including customer communications, reissuance, and activation tracking.Analyse and optimise the card acquisition journey, focusing on application conversion, approval rates, onboarding, and activation.Monitor post-launch performance, including card activation and spending metrics.Prepare steering committee presentations, executive reports, project updates, and risk escalations.Ensure project milestones, deliverables, and compliance requirements are achieved within agreed timelines.Mandatory RequirementsProven experience delivering at least one end-to-end card issuing programme at a bank or payments provider, including a card product launch, migration, or scheme mandate.Strong understanding of card portfolio optimisation and the customer journey from acquisition to activation.Excellent project management skills, including project planning, RAID management, governance, and stakeholder coordination.Professional fluency in English, with the ability to prepare executive reports and present to senior stakeholders.Must be immediately available to start in the UAE.Preferred Qualifications & ExperienceBachelor's degree in Project Management, Engineering, Technology, or a related field.PMP or equivalent project management certification.Experience managing complex banking and payments programmes across multiple markets.Working knowledge of card management systems, payment processors, scheme certification, tokenisation, and digital wallet provisioning.Experience with Agile or hybrid project delivery methodologies.Strong analytical, problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills.Arabic language proficiency is an advantage.