Head of Payments and Card Operations

Absa Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading bank in South Africa seeks a dynamic Head of Payment and Card Operations to oversee payment operations and reconciliations. This senior leadership role requires strategic vision and a deep understanding of payment ecosystems, focusing on operational excellence and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• 9+ years in financial operations, with at least 8 years in a senior leadership role.
• Deep understanding of South African payment systems and international schemes.
• Expertise in SWIFT messaging and cross-border payments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the payment operations team, setting clear objectives and KPIs.
• Ensure daily reconciliation of payments against source systems.
• Drive operational excellence through automation and process optimization.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical Skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Commerce, or Management

Job description

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and a strong position as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future, and to shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Head of Payment and Card Operations responsible for payments operations and reconciliations. This includes oversight of local and ARO payment flows (such as EFT, DebiCheck, SWIFT, Mastercard & VISA debit card activities, treasury operations, and the management of exceptions, disputes, and investigations).
This is a senior leadership role requiring strategic vision, operational excellence, and a deep understanding of both South African and ARO payment ecosystems.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the payment operations team, setting clear objectives, KPIs, and performance metrics aligned with global standards.
• Ensure daily reconciliation of inbound and outbound payments against source systems and South African bank statements.
• Drive operational excellence through automation, process optimization, and implementation of best-in-class back-office strategies.
• Develop and maintain a fit-for-purpose operational framework with documented policies, procedures, controls, and KPIs.
• Lead investigations and resolutions for payment and card-related issues, chargebacks, and exceptions.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Risk, and Audit teams to ensure adherence to SARB, FSCA, and global regulatory requirements.
• Support the implementation of new technologies and payment innovations, including real-time payments and digital wallets.
• Coach and mentor team members to build a resilient, high-performing operations unit.

Required Skills & Experience

• 9+ years in financial operations, with at least 8 years in a senior leadership role within a bank or regulated FinTech (preferably with exposure to both South African and ARO markets).
• Deep understanding of South African payment systems and international schemes.
• Expertise in SWIFT messaging (MT103, MT101, MT202) and cross-border payments.
• Experience with Straight Through Processing (STP) and reconciliation between payment systems and bank statements.
• Strong knowledge of treasury operations, including FX, MM, and liquidity management.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks such as SARB and FSCA.
• Excellent analytical, leadership, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Finance, Economics, or Business Administration.

Education

Bachelor's Degrees and Advanced Diplomas in Business, Commerce, and Management Studies (Required)

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised.