Scheme Relations Manager

Rapyd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Rapyd is seeking a senior professional to own scheme strategy and manage relationships with Visa, Mastercard and Amex. The role coordinates cross-functional delivery across Product, FinOps and Operations to ensure scheme-driven changes are implemented on time and within policy.

You will convert mandates into actionable project plans and drive commercial opportunities. The successful candidate will bring 5+ years in scheme-facing roles, proven project management discipline, and strong stakeholder

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a scheme-facing role at an acquirer, issuer, PSP, or card scheme.
• Deep working knowledge of acquiring and issuing scheme rules and memberships.
• Experience managing waiver applications with schemes.
• Ability to translate scheme rule changes into internal actions across functions.
• Strong project management across Product, Finance and Operations.

Responsibilities

• Own scheme relationships with Visa, Mastercard and Amex.
• Maintain the scheme change calendar and deadline tracking.
• Coordinate cross-functional delivery of scheme-driven changes.
• Represent Rapyd in regular status meetings and QBRs with the schemes.
• Prepare Rapyd’s position and coordinate input across the business.

Skills

Scheme strategy

Relationship management

Project management

Commercial awareness

Stakeholder management

Job description

Rapyd has unified payments, payouts and fintech on one worldwide platform, and we’re assembling the world’s best team to liberate global commerce. With offices in Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Singapore, Iceland, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, and the U.S., the opportunities at Rapyd are limitless.

We believe in straight talk, quick decisions, strong execution and elegant solutions. Rapyd is where hard work pays off and careers take off. Join us and let’s build the future of fintech together.

Rapyd is a Visa acquirer and a principal member of Visa, Mastercard and Amex across the UK, Europe, LATAM, Israel, Hong Kong and Singapore. How Rapyd manages those scheme relationships — commercially, strategically and operationally — is a direct driver of how the business competes and grows.

This role sits inside the Collect & Issuing Business Unit and is Rapyd’s dedicated owner of scheme strategy, scheme relationships and scheme project management across Visa, Mastercard and Amex for both Issuing and Acquiring. You will be Rapyd’s primary point of contact with the schemes and the person who connects Rapyd’s commercial ambitions to what the schemes make possible.

You will report to the Senior Director of Commercial, Collect and have direct executive visibility to the General Manager of Collect & Issuing.

What you’ll own

Scheme strategy and commercial relationship

• Own and develop Rapyd’s scheme relationships across Visa, Mastercard and Amex, acting as the primary named point of contact with each scheme’s account teams
• Drive Rapyd’s commercial positioning within scheme programs, identifying and pursuing incentive, rebate and volume-linked opportunities
• Manage escalations with the schemes — knowing when to elevate, how to frame it, and what outcome to drive toward
• Lead waiver applications end-to-end, from building the case to managing approved waivers through to resolution

Horizon scanning and mandate management

• Monitor scheme bulletins, rule changes and announcements across all active memberships and assess their relevance and impact on Rapyd’s business
• Translate incoming scheme mandates into clear, prioritize action items for internal stakeholders — particularly Product & R&D and FinOps — and track them through to delivery
• Identify commercial and product opportunities embedded within scheme changes before they become compliance deadlines

Scheme project management

• Own the scheme project management function: coordinating cross-functional delivery of scheme-driven change across Product, FinOps, Operations, Risk and Compliance
• Maintain the scheme change calendar, own implementation deadline tracking, and ensure Rapyd’s commitments to the schemes are met
• Manage Rapyd’s participation in scheme working groups, pilots and programs

QBRs and regular scheme engagement

• Represent Rapyd in regular status meetings and Quarterly Business Reviews with Visa, Mastercard and Amex, alongside colleagues from FinOps
• Prepare Rapyd’s position ahead of these meetings, co-ordinate input from across the business, and own follow-up actions

BIN and CID scheme structures

• Work with Product and FinOps to define and maintain Rapyd’s BIN and CID structure across legal entities, ensuring it reflects current product capabilities, business requirements and geographic membership positions

Who you’ll work closely with

Internally: the Senior Director of Commercial, Collect (your line manager), the General Manager of Collect & Issuing, and counterparts in Product & R&D, FinOps, Payment Operations, CompOps, and Risk.

Externally: account teams and program managers at Visa, Mastercard and Amex.

Requirements

What we’re looking for

• 5+ years in a scheme-facing role at an acquirer, issuer, PSP, or directly at a card scheme — with direct, named relationships at Visa and/or Mastercard
• Deep working knowledge of both acquiring and issuing scheme rules, programs and membership structures, including how the two sides interact
• Experience managing waiver applications, engaging with scheme monitoring programs, and handling compliance escalations directly with a scheme
• A proven track record of translating scheme rule changes into internal action across Product, Finance and Operations without direct authority
• Strong project management discipline: able to manage a dense, time-sensitive portfolio of scheme-driven deliverables across multiple functions simultaneously
• Commercial instinct — understanding the financial levers within scheme relationships, including incentive structures, fee frameworks and program participation
• Familiarity with BIN and CID management and the licensing and membership decisions that underpin them is a strong advantage

What success looks like

The person who thrives here treats the scheme relationship as a strategic asset rather than an administrative obligation. They read scheme bulletins the way a product manager reads the competitive landscape — looking for signal, not just compliance items. They know their counterparts at Visa and Mastercard by name and have earned their trust. When a waiver is needed, they know how to build the case. When a mandate lands, they have it translated into a project plan before the deadline conversation starts. And when Rapyd sits across the table in a QBR, they make sure Rapyd shows up as a strong, organized, forward‑looking partner — not just a compliant one.