Assistant Manager – Group Card Business Support_293

Role Overview

This position is responsible for driving the growth and performance of the card portfolio across I&M subsidiaries, with a focus on debit, credit, prepaid, and commercial card products. Working at the intersection of strategy, product management, and regional market support, you will help country teams implement initiatives that increase card usage, improve profitability, and strengthen the bank's competitive position. Day-to-day, you will analyse portfolio metrics, coordinate with internal and external partners, and ensure that card operations remain compliant with payment scheme and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and execution of card business strategies for assigned markets, including setting targets for issuance, activation, and transaction growth.
• Monitor key portfolio indicators such as card issuance, active card counts, transaction volumes and values, interchange and fee income, and overall profitability, flagging variances and recommending improvements.
• Act as the primary regional support for I&M subsidiaries, advising country teams on card initiative implementation, local market dynamics, and tailored solutions to meet business targets.
• Coordinate country-level campaigns, product launches, and portfolio enhancement programs, ensuring alignment with regional objectives and customer needs.
• Identify and evaluate opportunities for new card features, co-branding, merchant partnerships, and alternative revenue streams, and support negotiations with external partners.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with payment schemes, processors, fintech vendors, and other ecosystem partners such as Visa and Mastercard, supporting regional initiatives and commercial agreements.
• Prepare monthly performance reports and management presentations that translate data into actionable insights for leadership and country teams.
• Support audit, risk, and compliance reviews, ensuring card products and processes adhere to scheme rules, regulatory standards, and internal policies, while coordinating timely resolution of operational issues.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Economics, or a related discipline. Additional professional certifications in payments, product management, or project management are an advantage.
• 4–7 years of experience in card business, payments, retail banking, or digital financial services, with a strong grasp of card issuing, acquiring, payment schemes, and digital payments.
• Experience working across multiple African markets is highly desirable, along with an understanding of regional regulatory and market nuances.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret portfolio data and generate clear, actionable business recommendations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication abilities, enabling effective collaboration with country teams, internal functions, and external vendors.
• Self-directed and organised, comfortable managing multiple priorities and delivering results in a dynamic, cross-border environment.