Senior Project Manager (Fintech / Payment Systems)

PM Connection; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 1 000 000 - 1 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fintech company is searching for an experienced Senior Project Manager to oversee the delivery of complex payment systems and technology initiatives. The role involves managing the full project lifecycle, coordinating between cross-functional teams, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Candidates should have 8-10 years of experience in fintech or technology environments and proven delivery within payment ecosystems. Strong governance, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills are essential for success.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years of experience as a Senior Project Manager within FinTech or Payments.
• Proven delivery experience across payment systems and digital financial products.
• Strong experience working with product teams and technology delivery squads.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple complex projects across fintech and payment systems.
• Own full project lifecycle delivery including initiation, planning, and execution.
• Manage scope, timelines, budgets, risks, and dependencies.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Project governance

Risk management

Communication skills

Job description

SUMMARY

The Senior Project Manager will lead the end-to-end delivery of complex fintech, payment systems, and technology-driven initiatives. This role requires strong project governance, deep experience in payment ecosystems, and solid product knowledge to successfully deliver scalable, secure, and compliant solutions aligned to business and regulatory requirements.

ROLE PURPOSE

• The Senior Project Manager will lead the end-to-end delivery of complex fintech, payment systems, and technology-driven initiatives. This role requires strong project governance, deep experience in payment ecosystems, and solid product knowledge to successfully deliver scalable, secure, and compliant solutions aligned to business and regulatory requirements.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

PROJECT & PROGRAMME DELIVERY

• Lead and manage multiple complex projects across fintech, payment systems, and technology platforms.
• Own full project lifecycle delivery (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure).
• Manage scope, timelines, budgets, risks, and dependencies to ensure successful delivery.
• Drive delivery across cross-functional teams including Technology, Product, Compliance, Operations, and Vendors.

PAYMENTS & FINTECH DOMAIN

• Deliver projects involving payment systems such as card payments, EFT, real-time payments, digital wallets, switching, settlement, and reconciliation.
• Work with payment gateways, acquiring/issuing platforms, APIs, and integrations.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory, compliance, and security standards (PCI-DSS, AML, KYC, POPIA, etc.).

PRODUCT & STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

• Partner closely with Product Owners and Business Stakeholders to translate product vision into executable project plans.
• Support product lifecycle initiatives including new product launches, enhancements, and platform upgrades.
• Facilitate workshops, steering committees, and executive-level reporting.
• Manage third-party vendors and technology partners.

GOVERNANCE & RISK

• Apply strong project governance and delivery frameworks (Agile, Scrum, SAFe, Waterfall, Hybrid).
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and issues proactively.
• Ensure change management and adoption across impacted business units.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

EXPERIENCE

• 8–10+ years’ experience as a Senior Project Manager within FinTech, Payments, or Technology environments.
• Proven delivery experience across payment systems and digital financial products.
• Strong experience working with product teams and technology delivery squads.

TECHNICAL & DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE

• Solid understanding of payment processing, transaction flows, and integrations.
• Experience working with APIs, cloud-based platforms, and modern digital architectures.
• Strong product knowledge within fintech or payment ecosystems.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Strong stakeholder and executive communication skills
• Commercial and product-driven mindset
• Delivery-focused, resilient, and adaptable
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to work in fast-paced, regulated environments

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience in start-up or scale-up fintech environments
• Exposure to international payment schemes and cross-border payments
• Experience with regulatory bodies or compliance-led projects