Program Manager – PMO (cards launch, acquisition and growth)

Job Title: Program Manager – PMO (cards launch, acquisition and growth)

Term: 6/ 12 months

Location: Pakistan

PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT

The Program Manager will be responsible for managing the end-to-end delivery of card programs, from product definition to launch and scale. This role sits at the intersection of product, technology, risk, compliance, and operations and requires strong business analysis capabilities combined with hands-on program management experience.

The ideal candidate will own Business Requirements Documents (BRDs), function as a Business Analyst where needed, and ensure seamless execution across internal and external stakeholders to deliver high quality card products to market.

Core Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Card Program Delivery & Launch:

• Lead end-to-end card program launches (debit, prepaid, or credit), including onboarding flows, transaction processing, and lifecycle management.
• Own program timelines, milestones, dependencies, and risks to ensure on-time and high-quality launches.
• Coordinate with issuing partners, processors, networks, and internal teams to ensure smooth go-live and post-launch stabilization.

Business Analysis & Requirements Management:

• Lead the creation and maintenance of BRDs, functional requirement documents (FRDs), and user stories.
• Translate business, regulatory, and customer requirements into clear and actionable technical requirements.
• Function as a bridge between business teams and technology teams to ensure requirement clarity and alignment.

Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management:

• Work closely with Digital/Product, Technology, Risk, Compliance, Operations, and Customer Support teams.
• Ensure regulatory, risk, and compliance requirements are embedded into product design and implementation.
• Manage external stakeholders including vendors, processors, and partners.

Growth & Post-Launch Support:

• Support growth initiatives post-launch, including feature enhancements, scaling, and optimization.
• Track production issues, lead root-cause analysis, and work with teams to drive timely resolution.
• Continuously improve processes, documentation, and delivery playbooks for future launches.

Governance & Reporting:

• Establish strong program governance, including status reporting, RAID logs, and executive updates.
• Proactively identify risks and dependencies and drive mitigation plans.
• Ensure documentation standards and delivery best practices are followed.

Knowledge and Experience:

• 10-15 years in Program Management, Business Analysis, or Product Delivery.
• Strong experience working on card programs (issuer processing, card lifecycle, transactions, reconciliation, onboarding flows).
• Hands-on experience writing BRDs, PRDs, FRDs, and managing end-to-end requirement lifecycles.
• Previous experience working cross functionally with technology, digital/product, risk, compliance, and operations teams.
• Strong understanding of fintech, payments, or card ecosystem.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Mandatory Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Technology, or a related field (Master's preferred).
• Previous experience within Banking, Digital Payment & Card solutions, or the FinTech industry.
• Regional experience, including working in a faced-paced matrix organisation.
• Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, and presentation) in English.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in fintech startups or fast paced product environments.
• Familiarity with agile delivery models and tools (Jira, Confluence, etc.).
• An understanding of regional regulations across financial services or payment networks.
• The ability to analyse data, troubleshoot payment issues, optimize processes, and make data-driven decisions.