Engagement details:
Job Title: Cards Product Manager/Cards Portfolio Manager
Client: Global Cards & Payments Firm
Geography: Middle East (multiple locations), open to professionals globally
Employment type: Contractual role with potential for extension
Location: Onsite across Middle East markets
Experience level: 515 years
Role Overview:
Our client, a Global Cards & Payments firm, is partnering with leading banks and financial institutions in the Middle East and is looking to engage experienced Cards Product Managers and Cards Portfolio Managers for high-impact roles in the region.
These roles will involve working closely with client-side Cards, Payments, and Digital Banking teams to drive product innovation, portfolio performance, and strategic initiatives across the cards lifecycle.
Ideal consultants will bring hands-on experience across the cards and payments ecosystem, with a strong understanding of card products, portfolios, scheme rules, transaction flows, and regulatory considerations relevant to Middle East markets.
Key Responsibilities:
For Cards Product Management roles:
- Design, develop, and enhance cards products (credit, debit, prepaid) aligned with customer needs and business strategy.
- Own the end-to-end product lifecycle, from concept and requirements gathering through launch and post-launch optimization.
- Collaborate closely with IT, Operations, Marketing, Risk, Compliance, and external vendors to deliver product enhancements.
- Translate business requirements into clear functional specifications and support implementation of digital and card-based solutions.
- Monitor product performance using KPIs and customer insights to drive continuous improvement.
For Cards Portfolio Management roles:
- Manage and optimize cards portfolios, focusing on profitability, growth, risk, and customer engagement.
- Analyze portfolio performance across spend, activation, usage, delinquency, and attrition metrics.
- Support pricing, rewards, offers, and campaign strategies to improve portfolio outcomes.
- Work with analytics, risk, and finance teams to drive data-led decision-making.
- Identify value-creation opportunities across customer segments and card products.
Requirements:
- 515 years of relevant experience in cards product management or cards portfolio management within banking, payments, fintech, or consulting environments.
- Strong understanding of the end-to-end cards and payments ecosystem, including issuing/acquiring, transaction processing, scheme rules, and regulations.
- Proven ability to work with cross-functional stakeholders and senior client teams.
- Experience supporting Middle East markets is highly preferred (GCC exposure is a strong advantage).
- Strong analytical skills with hands-on experience using data to drive product or portfolio decisions.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and standard business tools.
- Flexibility to work onsite at client locations as required by the engagement
