The Company
A leading financial institution in the Middle East, this organisation offers a comprehensive range of retail, corporate, and private banking services, driven by innovation and a customer-focused approach. Renowned for its stability and growth, it provides an outstanding platform for career development, with a strong emphasis on employee well-being and professional advancement. Firmly rooted in the local economy while maintaining a global perspective, it is an excellent choice for candidates seeking dynamic opportunities in the banking sector.
The Role
The Head of Cards leads the bank’s card strategy, covering product innovation, portfolio management, and customer acquisition across various channels and segments. This role is pivotal in driving cardholder growth, targeting retail clients, POS systems, and payment platforms. Key duties include managing card issuance, enhancing customer support, mitigating fraud, and ensuring adherence to regulatory standards. There will be direct responsibility for the management of all vendor relationships.
Key Objectives
Acquisition and Growth Strategy
Develop and execute a strategy to expand the cards customer base through channels like digital platforms, branch networks, direct sales, and third-party partnerships.
Collaborate with marketing to deliver targeted campaigns that drive card portfolio growth.
Forge partnerships with retail and digital payment platforms, FinTechs, and other stakeholders to enhance acquisition efforts.
Product Development & Management
Oversee the entire product lifecycle for card offerings, ensuring competitiveness, profitability, and alignment with customer needs.
Drive digital transformation, including virtual card issuance and integration with digital wallets (e.g., Apple Pay, Samsung Pay), to improve user engagement.
Cards Issuance
Manage the end-to-end issuance process, ensuring efficiency, regulatory compliance, and security standards (e.g., PCI-DSS, KYC).
Oversee inventory to ensure timely reordering and availability of card stock and materials.
Risk Management & Compliance
Implement fraud prevention measures and ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
Stay informed on regulatory updates and industry trends, ensuring all processes meet local and international standards.
Analytics & Portfolio Optimization
Track and analyse portfolio performance, optimising conversion rates, profitability, and operational efficiency.
Provide regular reports on KPIs and market trends to guide strategy adjustments.
Vendor & Stakeholder Management
Maintain strong relationships with card vendors and external partners to ensure service quality and alignment with strategy.
Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., marketing, IT, risk) to support cards business objectives.
Team Leadership and Development
Lead, coach, and develop the cards team, ensuring resource needs are met and team members contribute effectively to objectives.
Foster teamwork, communication, and project management, creating partnerships to achieve exceptional outcomes.
Bank-wide Collaboration
Support broader organisational goals as required, acting as a role model for professionalism and collaboration.
Experience
10+ years of experience in banking or financial industry with focus on Cards
Demonstrate experience in managing a team and leading relevant card projects to successful completion
Experience of managing and influencing stakeholders & sponsors across the bank
Deep understanding of regulatory requirement and risk management policies
Demonstrate experience of managing vendor relationships to achieve the banks objectives
High competent in the use of Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, MS Projects. Visio Preferred
Skillful at prioritizing and planning multiple activities and then delivering agreed outcomes on time
Qualification & Certificates
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance or related fields
Professional Qualification in project Management would be good to have
MBA with focus on business strategy would be good to have