Payments SME

PwC South Africa; Johannesburg; On-site; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

PwC South Africa is seeking a Senior Manager in strategy across our Payments business. You will lead strategic initiatives, partner with senior leaders, and coach junior analysts to deliver high‑impact outcomes.

A strong payments background, senior stakeholder engagement, and an MBA are essential. The role combines analytical rigor with team leadership, driving cross‑functional projects and shaping medium‑ and long‑term strategy.

Qualifications

• 6–10+ years’ experience in strategy, consulting, corporate strategy, or commercial roles.
• Strong understanding of the payments value chain and economics.
• Proven ability to lead complex, ambiguous workstreams and deliver high‑quality strategic outputs.
• Advanced analytical and financial modelling skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to senior audiences.
• Demonstrated people‑management or team‑lead experience.
• MBA or postgraduate qualification in Business, Finance, or Strategy.

Responsibilities

• Strategy & Commercial Analysis: Lead strategic assessments across payments and market ecosystems.
• Develop market, competitor, and ecosystem analyses to inform decisions.
• Build financial and commercial models to evaluate products, partnerships and investments.
• Support medium- and long-term payments strategy, including pricing and operating model considerations.
• Execution & Delivery: Translate strategy into actionable initiatives with milestones and KPIs.
• Drive end‑to‑end delivery of strategic projects with executive-level recommendations.
• Identify risks and propose mitigation plans; partner with Product, Tech, Risk, Compliance and Ops.
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management: coach junior analysts and engage senior stakeholders.

Skills

Strategy consulting

Payments knowledge

Leadership

Financial modelling

Executive communication

Education

MBA

Job description

Line of Service Industry/Sector Specialism Management Level Senior Manager Job Description & Summary

At PwC, our people in strategy consulting focus on providing strategic guidance and insights to organisations. They analyse market trends, assess business performance, and develop recommendations to help clients achieve their goals. These individuals work closely with clients to identify opportunities for growth, optimise operations, and enhance overall business performance. As a corporate and business strategy consultant at PwC, you will analyse client needs, provide consulting services across different strategic areas, and offer guidance and support to help clients develop and implement effective strategies that align with their business objectives and drive growth. Growing as a strategic advisor, you leverage your influence, expertise, and network to deliver quality results. You motivate and coach others, coming together to solve complex problems. As you increase in autonomy, you apply sound judgment, recognising when to take action and when to escape. You are expected to solve through complexity, ask thoughtful questions, and clearly communicate how things fit together. Your ability to develop and sustain high performing, diverse, and inclusive teams, and your commitment to excellence, contributes to the success of our Firm. Examples of the skills, knowledge, and experiences you need to lead and deliver value at this level include but are not limited to: Craft and convey clear, impactful and engaging messages that tell a holistic story. Apply systems thinking to identify underlying problems and/or opportunities. Validate outcomes with clients, share alternative perspectives, and act on client feedback. Direct the team through complexity, demonstrating composure through ambiguous, challenging and uncertain situations. Deepen and evolve your expertise with a focus on staying relevant. Initiate open and honest coaching conversations at all levels. Make difficult decisions and take action to resolve issues hindering team effectiveness. Model and reinforce professional and technical standards (e.g. refer to specific PwC tax and audit guidance), the Firm's code of conduct, and independence requirements.

Job summary:

We are seeking a highly motivated Strategy Analyst at Manager grade to support and lead strategic initiatives across our Payments business. The role requires strong analytical capability, commercial acumen, and deep understanding of the payments ecosystem. You will work closely with senior leaders to define strategy, assess growth opportunities, and drive execution across complex, cross‑functional initiatives. This role combines hands‑on strategic analysis with team leadership and stakeholder management, making it ideal for a candidate with a strong background in payments and experience operating at manager or engagement‑lead level.

Key responsibilities:

• Strategy & Commercial Analysis Lead strategic assessments across payments (e.g. cards, digital wallets, real‑time payments, acquiring, issuing, cross‑border, billing, or embedded finance)
• Develop market, competitor, and ecosystem analyses to inform strategic decision‑making
• Build robust financial and commercial models to evaluate new products, partnerships, and investments
• Support the definition of medium‑and long‑term payments strategy, including growth, pricing, and operating model considerations
• Execution & Delivery Translate strategy into actionable initiatives with clear milestones, KPIs, and success measures
• Drive end‑to‑end delivery of strategic projects, from hypothesis development to executive‑level recommendations
• Identify risks, dependencies, and trade‑offs, and proactively propose mitigation plans
• Partner with Product, Technology, Risk, Compliance, and Operations teams to ensure feasibility and alignment
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management Manage and coach junior analysts, providing guidance on analytical approach, storylining, and problem solving
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, including Payments leadership and executive management
• Facilitate workshops, steering committees, and decision forums with confidence and clarity
• Influence decision‑making through clear, concise, and data‑driven insights
• Thought Leadership & Continuous Improvement Stay current on payments trends, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies
• Contribute to thought leadership on the future of payments and implications for the business
• Continuously improve strategic frameworks, tools, and ways of working within the strategy function

Skills and competencies:

• Essential 6–10+ years’ experience in strategy, consulting, corporate strategy, or commercial roles, with significant exposure to Payments
• Strong understanding of the payments value chain and economics
• Proven ability to lead complex, ambiguous workstreams and deliver high‑quality strategic outputs
• Advanced analytical and financial modelling skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting to senior audiences
• Demonstrated people‑management or team‑lead experience
• Desirable Experience in banking, fintech, payment networks, or consulting (payments‑focused)
• Exposure to digital transformation, platform strategy, or product‑led growth in payments
• MBA or postgraduate qualification in Business, Finance, or Strategy

Optional Skills

• Accepting Feedback
• Accepting Feedback
• Active Listening
• Analytical Thinking
• Business Analysis
• Business Opportunities
• Business Process Consulting
• Business Process Improvement
• Business Strategy
• Business Transformation
• Coaching and Feedback
• Communication
• Competitive Advantage
• Competitive Analysis
• Conducting Research
• Consumer Behavior
• Creativity
• Customer Experience (CX) Strategy
• Customer Insight
• Customer Strategy
• Data Analytics
• Embracing Change
• Emotional Regulation
• Empathy
• Go‑to‑Market Strategies

Education

Education (if blank, degree and/or field of study not specified) Degrees/Field of Study required: Degrees/Field of Study preferred: Certifications (if blank, certifications not specified)

Data protection notice:

By applying for this position, you consent to the collection, use, and storage of your personal information in accordance with PwC’s data protection policy. Your information will be used solely for recruitment purposes and will not be shared with third parties without your written consent.

Travel Requirements

Up to 20%

Additional Information

Available for Work Visa Sponsorship? No

Government Clearance Required? Yes

Job Posting End Date September 22, 2026

Join Us

Are you ready to make a difference? Want to unlock new value by applying your unique perspective and talents? You can grow exponentially at PwC. Here, you can uncover hidden talents, build lifelong relationships rooted in trust and empathy and turn challenges into opportunities for innovation. We’ll help you grow your skills through challenging, meaningful work so you can go further.