Head of PayShap

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

Job summary

PayInc seeks a seasoned leader to drive the PayShap scheme's development, governance, and sustainability. You will define strategy, engage regulators and banks, and lead scheme growth initiatives across onboarding, compliance, and commercial models.

You will oversee membership criteria, risk management, and brand guidelines while shaping product roadmaps to deliver value to participants and end users across South Africa's payments ecosystem.

Qualifications

• Appropriate tertiary/business-related qualification preferred (Commerce, Legal)
• Master's Degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration or Digital Transformation (advantageous)
• Banking, regulatory framework, payment industry knowledge, strategy development and implementation

Responsibilities

• Ownership of the scheme and product strategy, plan and management there-of internally and externally; engage and lead internal cross-functional teams where needed to deliver on scheme components (e.g. product and operational specifications)
• Engage the SARB, PASA and member banks as required on scheme strategy
• Develop scheme membership criteria as the market / regulation changes (types, criteria, responsibilities, governance)
• Define documented operational standards, SLAs, onboarding/off-boarding, reporting, and compliance remedies
• Lead fraud and risk mitigation, data protection standards
• Develop brand/marketing guidelines and strategy for the scheme brand
• Develop product/innovation roadmap to fit scheme strategy
• Set and manage commercial constructs (pricing, fees, growth objectives)

Skills

Scheme leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory knowledge

Commercial strategy

Governance

Education

Tertiary qualification

Master's degree (advantageous)

Job description

Description

PayInc is a purpose-driven payments provider building on over 50 years of trusted history in South Africa's payments ecosystem. Our mission is to connect people, businesses, and economies through secure, efficient and inclusive digital payments infrastructure and be a catalyst for financial inclusion and economic growth. From EFTs and cards to PayShap, PayInc provides the backbone that enables money to move safely across the economy. At our core, we exist to make great connections, empowering participation, enabling growth, and ensuring no one is left behind.

PayInc is a purpose-driven payments provider building on over 50 years of trusted history in South Africa's payments ecosystem. Our mission is to connect people, businesses, and economies through secure, efficient and inclusive digital payments infrastructure and be a catalyst for financial inclusion and economic growth. From EFTs and cards to PayShap, PayInc provides the backbone that enables money to move safely across the economy. At our core, we exist to make great connections, empowering participation, enabling growth, and ensuring no one is left behind.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this role is to lead the development, growth, governance, and sustainability of the PayShap scheme, ensuring it delivers value to participants, end users, and the broader payments ecosystem. The role is accountable for defining and executing the scheme strategy, driving adoption and commercial success, overseeing scheme governance and compliance, and leading the evolution of PayInc's scheme ownership capability. Initially focused on PayShap, the role will support the expansion and management of future payment schemes within the organization.

You will engage with the following stakeholders:

• Banks/Scheme participants
• Regulators (SARB,BASA)
• Financial service providers outside banks (e.g. insurance and assurance providers)
• Industry bodies and entities within the payments ecosystem (e.g. FinTechs, retailers)
• Internal business units and Executive Management

Your key responsibilities include:

Scheme Ownership and Leadership

• Ownership of the scheme and product strategy, plan and management there-of internally and externally; engage and lead internal cross-functional teams where needed to deliver on scheme components (as listed below e.g. product and operational specifications);
• Engage the SARB, PASA and member banks as required on scheme strategy;
• Demonstrate thought leadership and understanding of market opportunity the scheme serves; Roadmaps and plans; identify opportunities for growth.

Develop and define the scheme membership criteria as the market / regulation changes

• This includes membership types, minimum criteria and requirements, expectations and responsibilities, member access to documentation, scheme reporting, member structures, member agreements, legal and regulatory requirements, governance frameworks; member and scheme rules.

Operational And Compliance Requirements For Product And Scheme

• Define and ensure documented operational standards, requirements, SLAs, member onboarding and off-boarding processes; dispute and arbitration processes; internal and external reporting; monitor compliance across scheme requirements and ensure non-compliance remedies; billing processes are in place in line with scheme rules.

Fraud and Risk Management

• Work with relevant the Fraud SME and lead to ensure documented fraud and risk mitigation, prevention requirements, procedures, processes and remedies are in place; ensure data protection standards and requirements are in place.

Brand and Marketing

• Ensure documented brand, communication and marketing guidelines / requirements / standards are in place.
• Develop the strategy with marketing to build brand equity in the scheme brand; act as spokesperson and champion of the scheme bands (including media and conference representation).

Product and Solutions

• Ensure all specifications, requirements, definitions, rules, mandates and standards are documented; develop the product and innovation roadmap with the product team to fit scheme strategy.

Commercial Construct

• Set and manage the commercial constructs of the scheme (e.g. pricing and fees; membership fees based on type; minimum volume or value growth objectives; compliance and related penalties; joint customer / industry marketing or launch funding).

Qualifications / Knowledge

• Appropriate tertiary/business-related qualification preferred (Commerce, Legal)
• Master's Degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration or Digital Transformation (advantageous)
• Banking, regulatory framework, payment industry knowledge, strategy development and implementation

Experience

• Experience in Payments/Banking/Financial Services industry
• Minimum 10-15 years in banking, payments or financial services.
• Team leadership and senior management ability
• Ability to present with confidence and act as spokesperson
• Demonstrable commercial acumen
• Operational, market knowledge of financial services, payments regulatory environment