(Senior) Implementation Manager, Payments/Banking - UK (m/f/d)

Pliant; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a fast-growing fintech company as a (Senior) Payments Program Manager - UK. In this pivotal role, you'll drive success in card issuing and payment operations, optimize processes and ensure compliance with UK regulations while collaborating with key partners. Your expertise in payments and stakeholder management will be essential as you navigate the dynamic financial landscape.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Corporate benefits

Opportunity to work on cutting-edge payment products

Collaboration with industry leaders

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in payments, card issuing, or fintech.
• Deep understanding of UK payments regulations.
• Experience with Visa/Mastercard schemes and banking partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Oversee end-to-end management of card programmes in the UK.
• Ensure compliance with UK financial regulations.
• Manage relationships with card schemes and payment processors.

Skills

Payments Management

Stakeholder Management

Regulatory Compliance

Card Programme Strategy

Risk Management

Tools

SQL

APIs

Automation Tools

Job description

ABOUT US

Since 2020, Pliant has been on a mission to rethink credit cards and empower companies to grow by providing a smart way to pay that scale with their business. With our app and API-based solutions, Pliant allows companies to issue physical and virtual credit cards, automate payment processes, track spending, and seamlessly integrate these data into their finance stack.

Pliant is growing quickly. With our expansion into 30 international markets, we believe that people, passion, and diversity are the key ingredients to our future success. Our growing team of 160+ Plianteers come from 35 nationalities and work remotely or in a hybrid environment from our headquarters in the heart of Berlin. And we’re looking for more talented and committed people to join us on our journey!

About the Role

We are looking for a (Senior) Payments Program Manager - UK (m/f/d) to drive the success of our card issuing and payment operations in the UK. This role will focus on optimising payment processes, ensuring regulatory compliance, and managing relationships with card networks, issuers, and banking partners.

You will play a pivotal role in developing and scaling our UK-focused card programmes, ensuring smooth transactions, minimising fraud risks, and improving overall payment efficiency. You’ll also work cross-functionally with Payment Operations, Product, Finance, Compliance, and Engineering teams to enhance our payments infrastructure.

What You’ll Do UK Card Programme Management & Strategy

• Oversee the end-to-end management of card programmes, ensuring smooth issuance, processing, and settlement.
• Ensure compliance with UK-specific financial regulations, including FCA requirements, Open Banking, and PSD2.
• Manage relationships with card schemes, issuing banks, and payment processors to optimise authorisation rates.
• Lead initiatives to improve FX management, cross-border payments, and treasury operations.
• Monitor decline rates, fraud patterns, and operational inefficiencies, driving strategic improvements.

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for UK banking partners, acquirers, and payment processors.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Payment Operations, Product, Engineering, Finance and Compliance, to align payment strategies with business goals.
• Negotiate contracts and service-level agreements with card schemes and third-party providers.

Payment Operations & Risk Management

• Oversee and troubleshoot payment failures, declines, and processing delays, leveraging UK market insights.
• Work with fraud and compliance teams to ensure robust transaction monitoring and risk mitigation.
• Lead incident management efforts, including dispute resolution, chargebacks, and compliance audits.

Data-Driven Optimisation & Reporting

• Use SQL, APIs, or automation tools to extract and analyse UK payment trends.
• Provide regular performance reports, including transaction volumes, authorisation rates, and fraud trends.
• Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements to enhance UK payment operations.

What You’ll Bring

• 5+ years of experience in payments, card issuing, or fintech, with a strong focus on the UK market.
• Expertise in Visa/Mastercard schemes, payment processing, and banking partnerships.
• Deep understanding of UK payments regulations (FCA, PSD2, Open Banking, AML/KYC).
• Strong background in card programme strategy, BIN management, and operational risk management. Ability to troubleshoot payment issues, investigate fraud cases, and optimise payment flows.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with experience liaising with card networks, acquirers, and regulators.

Major Plus Points

• UK market experience is essential – familiarity with UK banks, issuers, and local regulations.
• Direct experience working with Visa, Mastercard, or card issuing/payment processing providers.
• Knowledge of SQL, APIs, or automation tools to enhance payment operations.
• Experience in FX management, treasury operations, and cross-border payments.

What We Offer

• Lead and shape UK payment operations in a fast-growing international fintech.
• Work on cutting-edge payment products with industry leaders.
• Collaborate with key players in the UK financial ecosystem.
• Competitive salary and corporate benefits.