Senior Manager Card Operations

Main Purpose of the Job:

• The Senior Manager Card Operations has 70% responsibility relating to Card Operations and 30% to Card IT.
• On the Operations side, he is responsible for overseeing & managing the operations function, ensuring efficiency, security, and compliant processing of all debit & credit card activities, delivering high service levels across card issuance, transaction processing, dispute handling, reconciliation, and vendor management, while ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, card scheme rules (e.g., Visa, Mastercard), and internal risk and control frameworks.
• On the Card IT part, the job holder is responsible for leading the end-to-end management, development, and operational support of the Bank’s Card Management Systems, including issuing, acquiring, and switching platforms as well as ensuring seamless integration of card systems with internal & external platforms, maintaining high availability, performance, security of payment services, oversee system development lifecycle, compliance with regulatory standards (e.g. PCI-DSS, ISO frameworks), ensure strong controls over card data risks & operational resilience, lead technical teams, coordinate with vendors to deliver system enhancements, regulatory changes, and launching new card products aligned with business requirements.
• The incumbent will need to drive process optimization, operational resilience, and support strategic initiatives such as digital transformation and outsourcing arrangements.
• Act as the key point of contact for card related audits, risk management, and performance monitoring across Bank and Group entities.Minimum Qualifications Required:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Banking, Finance, Business Administration, or a related fieldOR
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Information Systems or related field
• Strong understanding of card schemes (Visa, Mastercard) rules and compliance frameworksPreferred
• Professional certifications in banking operations, payments, or risk management (e.g., ACAMS, CISA, PRINCE2)
• Certifications in ITIL, PMP or Payment Switching technologies
• Knowledge of PCI-DSS, ISO 8583, ISO 27001 or related frameworks
• Knowledge of Core Banking Applications (for e.g Finacle, etc.)
• Sound knowledge of regulatory requirements applicable to banking and payment operations.Minimum Experience/Knowledge Required:
• Minimum 5 years in card operations
• Proven experience in managing card lifecycle processes (issuance, activation, transaction processing, settlement, dispute resolution, and fraud monitoring)
• Strong knowledge of card systems architecture, APIs, databases and integration with payment networks and financial institutions
• Experience in managing 24/7 critical systems and handling incident management, root cause analysis and system recovery
• Understanding of switching technologies, encryption, key management, and card network operations
• Knowledge of IT infrastructure (UNIX/Linux/Windows), databases (Oracle, SQL), and development environments (Java, .NET)
• Ability to lead system upgrades, testing, deployment, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Strong knowledge of card management systems (CMS), switch operations, and integration with core banking platforms
• Good understanding of risk, compliance, and fraud prevention frameworks within card operations
• Familiarity with reconciliation processes, chargeback handling, and scheme compliance requirements
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skillsOperational processes
• Manage delivery process of cards created/ replaced for both debit and credit cards
• Handle undelivered debit and credit cards, ensuring proper tracking, control, and resolution
• Perform card stock count and accurate recording in financial statements
• Oversee document management processes, including filing and scanning of card applications post-processing
• Manage stop list maintenance, including removal of stop listings and PIN tries reset for debit and credit cards
• Exercise oversight on monthly credit card statement generation ensuring accuracy and timely delivery
• Conduct reconciliation of card embossing vs. requests across debit and credit card creation/replacement.
• Execute card cancellation and destruction controls for debit and credit cards in line with compliance requirements
• Support MCIB reconciliation processes and ensure card data integrity
• Monitor ATM uptime and outages, ensuring timely escalation and tracking of downtime incidents
• Maintain accurate logs of ATM outages to support quarterly regulatory reporting
• Primary point of contact for card related regulatory or scheme reporting
• Primary point of contact for outsourced vendors and Cards Business for all operational related activities
• Perform control testing on processes outsourcedIT
• Lead technical teams and coordinate with vendors to deliver system enhancements, regulatory changes, and new card products aligned with business requirements.
• Act as the key point of contact for card systems audits, risk management, and performance monitoring across Bank and Group entities
• Understanding of switching technologies, encryption, key management, and card network operations
• Manage end-to-end operations of Card Management Systems including authorization, settlement, and switching processes
• Ensure 24/7 system availability and coordinate incident management and resolution across stakeholders
• Oversee implementation of mandate received from schemes, system upgrades, enhancements, and regulatory implementations
• Ensure compliance with PCI-DSS, ISO standards and internal control frameworks
• Monitor system performance, conduct root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions
• Maintain system documentation, configurations, and audit readiness
• Monitor third-party vendor SLAs and performance to ensure value deliveryCustomer
• Ensure timely and accurate processing of card-related requests, including activation, replacement and cancellations
• Maintain service quality standards by ensuring minimal turnaround time for customer instructions
• Support resolution of customer-impacting issues related to card issuance, activation, and transactions
• Ensure reliability of customer card services, including ATM availability monitoring
• Ensure appropriate business recovery plans in placeFinancial
• Ensure accurate stock reconciliation and financial recording of card inventory
• Minimize operational losses through strong reconciliation controls and exception management
• Support cost optimization by improving process efficiency in card production and stock management
• Contribute to financial accuracy through proper handling of card issuance, cancellation, and destruction records
• Provide analytics to Cards Business on Cards issuing and acquiring cost and revenue driversLearning and Growth
• Identify opportunities to automate and improve card operations processes
• Strengthen team capability through knowledge sharing on card systems, reconciliation processes, and controls
• Participate in process improvement and operational efficiency initiatives
• Ensure awareness and adherence to regulatory and internal control frameworks (BOM, audit, compliance)Closing Date: 22 September 2026Management reserves the right to call only the best candidates for an interview. If you have not received any communication after the deadline, feel free to call us for any query.