Lead_ Card Modernization & Growth

Owethu Managed Services (OMS); Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Owethu Managed Services (OMS) is seeking an experienced Card Transformation Lead to drive large-scale card, payments, banking and fintech transformation. You will translate business objectives into executable roadmaps, align senior stakeholders and ensure delivery outcomes that boost customer experience, scalability and commercial value.

The role requires strategic leadership, governance discipline and extensive experience overseeing multi-stakeholder programmes in regulated financial services.

Qualifications

• Proven delivery of complex business and technology modernisation initiatives.
• Strong background in card issuing, acquiring, payments and/or digital banking.
• Experience leading programmes with multiple internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic thought leadership to shape transformation across card and digital payments value chain.
• Define and manage the programme vision, strategy and roadmap with clear delivery plans and budgets.
• Lead design and execution of the Card Modernisation transformation programme.
• Drive outcomes that improve customer experience, scalability and commercial objectives.
• Manage stakeholders, vendors, and contractual obligations.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Delivery governance

Stakeholder management

Regulatory/compliance awareness

SAFe Agile

Transformation leadership

Banking/Payments domain knowledge

Tools

SAFe Agile

Job description

Employment Type: 12-Month Contract (Renewable)

Role summary

We are seeking an experienced Card Transformation Lead to drive large-scale card, payments,

banking and fintech transformation. The successful candidate will lead business and

technology change programmes, including enterprise platform implementation, digital

capability build-out and platform modernisation within a highly regulated financial services

The role requires a strategic leader who can translate business objectives into an executable

roadmap, align senior stakeholders, manage delivery risk and ensure transformation

outcomes support customer experience, scalability, integration, commercial value and

Key responsibilities

Strategic leadership

• Provide strategic thought leadership to shape and execute business-led transformation across the card and digital payments value chain.
• Ensure an understanding of card and digital payment processes and practices to drive strategic vision and alignment across the value chain
• Define and manage the programme vision, strategy and roadmap, translating them into clear delivery plans, objectives, budgets, timelines and measurable outcomes.

Programme delivery and business outcomes

• Lead the design and execution of the Card Modernisation transformation programme.
• Ensure business value, customer experience, scalability, integration and commercial objectives are clearly defined, validated and achieved.
• Drive outcomes that support investment, improve customer experience and contribute to sustainable growth for the card division.

Stakeholder, vendor and commercial management

• Build alignment and consensus across internal and external stakeholders.
• Support commercial negotiations and contracting activities where required.
• Hold vendors accountable for agreed delivery commitments, performance measures, timelines, budgets and contractual obligations.

Change and transformation management

• Promote a transformation mindset and support operational transition into business-as-usual structures for card and digital capabilities

Required experience and qualifications

• Proven delivery of complex business and technology modernisation initiatives, including multi-million-rand strategic programmes.
• Strong background in card issuing, acquiring, payments and/or digital banking.
• Experience leading programmes with multiple internal and external stakeholders across business, technology, risk, governance and vendor teams.
• Strong understanding of governance, risk, regulatory and control requirements within
• Knowledge of SAFe Agile methodology, agile delivery practices and product-led
• Minimum of 5 years' experience leading large-scale banking, card, payments or fintech transformation programmes.

Preferred

• Experience in digital bank start-ups, fintech partnerships, core banking transformation, enterprise technology platforms or platform modernisation programmes.
• Experience operating in high-growth or scaling environments, including transitioning solutions from proof of value to enterprise-scale deployment.
• Scheme experience with Visa and/or Mastercard.

Candidate profile

• Strategic, commercially minded and outcome-focused.
• Able to simplify complexity and communicate clearly across executive, business, technology and vendor stakeholders.
• Comfortable working in regulated environments with strong governance, risk and delivery discipline.
• Collaborative leader with the ability to influence, align and mobilise cross-functional teams.

Why this role matters

• This role offers the opportunity to shape the future of card and digital banking through strategic transformation, technology-led innovation and measurable customer and