Head of Payments Strategy & Portfolio

Network Finance; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Network Finance invites an accomplished executive to lead the South African payments strategy, steering a large portfolio toward sustainable revenue growth and market leadership. You will oversee regulatory engagement, industry partnerships, and the delivery of innovative payment solutions across the organization.

This executive role requires deep knowledge of the SA payments ecosystem, a track record of strategic growth, and strong leadership to drive transformation initiatives with executive

Qualifications

• Senior-level experience in payments or transaction banking.
• Proven track record driving business strategy and growth in regulated environments.
• Exceptional leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute South African payments strategy aligned with market opportunities and growth objectives.
• Lead a large and complex payments portfolio ensuring revenue growth and market competitiveness.
• Drive development and adoption of innovative payment solutions across the business.
• Shape client value propositions responsive to market trends and customer needs.
• Lead large-scale transformation programmes across stakeholders and regulators.
• Build strong relationships with regulators, industry bodies, market infrastructures, and executive teams.
• Leverage market intelligence to drive competitive advantage and execution excellence.

Skills

Executive leadership

Payments strategy

P&L management

Regulatory engagement

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Commerce/IT

Job description

This executive role offers the opportunity to influence the future of payments by shaping market strategy, driving commercial performance, enhancing client value propositions, and leading engagement with regulators, industry stakeholders, and executive decision-makers.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and execute the South African payments strategy, aligning business priorities with market opportunities and long-term growth objectives.
• Lead a large and complex payments portfolio, ensuring sustainable revenue growth, profitability, and market competitiveness.
• Drive the development and adoption of innovative payment solutions across the business.
• Shape compelling client value propositions that respond to evolving customer needs and market trends.
• Lead strategic initiatives and large-scale transformation programmes across multiple stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with regulators, industry bodies, market infrastructures, and executive leadership teams.
• Leverage market intelligence, industry developments, and emerging technologies to drive competitive advantage.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, innovation, and execution excellence.

What We're Looking For:

• Degree in Business, Commerce, Information Technology, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience within payments, transaction banking, or a related financial services environment.
• Demonstrated success leading payments portfolios with significant commercial accountability.
• Proven experience driving business strategy and growth initiatives within complex, regulated environments.
• Strong track record of managing P&L responsibility and delivering sustainable commercial outcomes.
• Experience engaging with regulators, executive leadership teams, and key industry stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of the South African payments ecosystem, market infrastructure, and industry trends.
• Exceptional leadership, stakeholder management, and strategic execution capability.

Why This Opportunity?

• Executive-level leadership role.
• Significant influence over the future of payments in South Africa.
• Exposure to strategic decision-making, innovation, and market-shaping initiatives.
• Opportunity to work at the intersection of commercial strategy, client value creation, technology, and regulatory engagement.

? If you have a proven track record in payments leadership and are passionate about driving innovation, growth, and industry impact, we'd love to have a confidential conversation.