Senior Product Manager (Card Issuing)

We are looking for a Senior Product Manager (Card Issuing) to lead a large-scale migration of existing card programs from one issuing platform to another. This is a hands-on product role for someone who genuinely understands card issuing — program structures, BIN sponsorship, product configuration, scheme requirements, and the operational realities of moving live cardholders and balances without disruption. You will own the product side of the migration end to end: defining target-state program setups, mapping current configurations to the new platform, sequencing cutover, and holding the line on scope, risk, and customer impact. Experience having run a card platform migration before is what we are most looking for.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own the product workstream for the migration of all existing card programs from the incumbent issuing platform to the target platform.

• Document current-state card program setups — BIN ranges and structures, product codes, card profiles, fee and limit configurations, authorization rules, and scheme parameters — and define the equivalent target-state configuration.

• Lead the gap analysis between incumbent and target platform capabilities, and decide where to replicate, simplify, or redesign existing behaviour.

• Work with BIN sponsors, schemes, and the target processor on BIN sponsorship arrangements, BIN migration or re-registration, licensing, and scheme approvals.

• Define and own the migration approach — phasing, program sequencing, portfolio segmentation, and the choice between re-issuance, re-carding, and in-place token and credential migration.

• Own the cardholder impact strategy: communications, reissuance timing, card-on-file and network token continuity, wallet re-provisioning, and minimising disruption to live customers.

• Define data migration requirements for card, account, balance, and transaction history, and the reconciliation and validation criteria for each.

• Build and maintain a clear, prioritised backlog with well-written requirements, acceptance criteria, and measurable success criteria.

• Partner with architects, engineers, and delivery leadership on technical feasibility, sequencing, dependencies, and cutover planning.

• Own migration readiness — test strategy, scheme certification, parallel running, dress rehearsals, go/no-go criteria, and rollback plans.

• Ensure the migrated setup meets regulatory and compliance obligations (PCI DSS, SCA/PSD2, scheme rules) and that controls are preserved or improved.

• Act as the senior product point of contact for client stakeholders across product, operations, risk, fraud, and technology, and present progress and decisions to executive audiences.

• Track post-migration performance — authorization approval rates, decline reasons, token continuity, fraud rates, and operational incidents — and drive remediation where needed.

Skills & Experience:

• Experience: 8+ years in product management, with a substantial portion in card issuing.

• Deep, practical knowledge of card issuing: card program structures, product and card profile configuration, BIN structures and BIN sponsorship, card lifecycle management, and issuer processing.

• Direct experience with card platform or processor migrations — ideally having led the product workstream on at least one completed migration of live card programs.

• Strong understanding of authorization, clearing, and settlement flows, and how issuing platform configuration drives them.

• Working knowledge of scheme rules and certification processes (Visa, Mastercard), including BIN registration, licensing, and mandated change.

• Familiarity with network tokenization and digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Click to Pay), and the implications of migration for existing tokens and credentials on file.

• Understanding of the regulatory environment relevant to issuing — PCI DSS, SCA/PSD2, and applicable local requirements.

• Strong technical fluency — able to engage substantively with architects and engineers on APIs, data models, file formats, and integration trade-offs, without needing to write the code.

• Demonstrated ability to define and defend prioritisation and scope decisions under commercial, technical, and regulatory constraint.

• Experience working directly with senior client stakeholders and managing competing expectations across business and technical teams.

• Experience with risk-managed delivery of high-consequence change, including cutover planning, rollback, and contingency.

• Practical experience using AI tools and LLMs in the product workflow — requirement drafting, configuration mapping, analysis, and documentation — with the judgement to validate their output.

• Ability to work effectively across geographies and time zones.

• Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience with one or more major issuing platforms or processors, whether as incumbent or target.

• Experience at an issuer, BIN sponsor, processor, program manager, or fintech running its own card programs.

• Experience across multiple card product types — debit, credit, prepaid, commercial, and virtual.

• Familiarity with ISO 8583, ISO 20022, EMV personalisation, and card production and fulfilment workflows.

• Experience with embossing, card bureau, and PIN management vendors and their migration implications.

• Experience in a consultancy or professional-services environment working across multiple clients.

• Background in engineering, operations, or technical consulting.

What we value?

• Strategic leadership – taking ownership of the product direction and influencing key stakeholders.

• Market awareness – understanding the payments landscape and anticipating client and industry needs.

• Entrepreneurial mindset – making informed, data-driven product decisions that balance innovation with delivery practicality.

• Collaboration – working seamlessly with clients, engineers, and partners to drive business outcomes.

• Accountability & ownership – seeing projects through from concept to launch with a focus on quality and client success.

About Payforge

Payforge is a specialist professional-services company focused exclusively on payments and fintech. We help clients deliver high-quality, scalable technology solutions in an evolving global financial landscape.

 

Equal Opportunity Statement

Payforge is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.