Payments Operations Lead - Card Schemes & Partners

EML; Kansas City (KS); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Health care and 401k benefits

Hybrid working culture

Take 5 extra annual leave

Birthday leave and volunteer leave

Fully paid parental leave (up to 12 w)

Job summary

EML is seeking a Payments Operations Manager to own operational activities across card schemes (Visa, Mastercard) and ecosystem partners. You will balance hands-on BAU with changes, ensure payments are reliable, compliant, and well-controlled, and serve as a go-to SME for scheme-related requests.

You’ll participate in governance, drive KPIs, and coordinate with Technology, Product, Compliance and external providers to deliver smooth go-live and stable BAU.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of and skills in card networks and payment ecosystems
• Operational project management with focus on execution and process improvement
• Strong stakeholder management and partner governance abilities
• Experience with regulatory and scheme requirements (Visa/Mastercard) preferred

Responsibilities

• Oversee regular operational activities for card schemes and payment ecosystem partners, including escalation handling and SME guidance
• Ensure adherence to scheme rules, standards, and mandatory change programs
• Support BIN setup, program configuration, and lifecycle management
• Monitor performance and risks, develop KPIs for leadership visibility
• Lead program readiness for launches, migrations, and technical changes across teams
• Manage escalations with card schemes and partners, coordinate incident resolution
• Provide governance inputs (MBRs/service reviews) and track follow-ups to closure
• Mentor junior colleagues and promote knowledge sharing
• Define and document operational payment processes aligned with rules and regulatory standards
• Oversee audits and assurance activities to ensure compliance
• Contribute to regulator- or scheme-driven initiatives

Job description

EML is seeking a Payments Operations Manager to own operational activities across card schemes (Visa, Mastercard) and ecosystem partners. You will balance hands-on BAU with changes, ensure payments are reliable, compliant, and well-controlled, and serve as a go-to SME for scheme-related requests.

You’ll participate in governance, drive KPIs, and coordinate with Technology, Product, Compliance and external providers to deliver smooth go-live and stable BAU.