Cards Product Management

Role Purpose

Own the lifecycle, strategic direction and commercial performance of consumer and business/corporate card products. Lead product design, feasibility, delivery and optimization of prepaid, debit, payroll/WPS, virtual and commercial card programs and associated electronic money services, subject to applicable authorization.

Product Strategy & Portfolio Development

• Set and implement multi-year product strategies and roadmaps for Consumer Cards and Business / Corporate Cards, aligning customer propositions with commercial and regulatory objectives.
• Design, enhance and launch card products and features from concept through feasibility, requirements, testing, commercialization and post-launch review.
• Lead customer and market segmentation, competitor benchmarking, product positioning and prioritization of product enhancements.
• Develop products and propositions for prepaid cards, debit cards, virtual cards, payroll/WPS cards, corporate expense cards and electronic money-linked payment solutions.
• Design and improve cashback, loyalty, rewards, benefits, digital servicing and other value-added programs, including their financial viability.

Pricing, Planning & Financial Performance

• Develop and periodically update business plans, card portfolio strategy, product budgets and annual financial targets.
• Prepare feasibility studies, business cases, cost and revenue models, transaction forecasts and commercial recommendations for new initiatives.
• Own product-level pricing, fee structures, unit economics, revenue optimization and profitability analysis in coordination with Finance.
• Monitor card issuance, activation, active usage, load values, transaction volumes, portfolio mix, cost-to-serve and retention for both segments.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly product performance reports, product P&L reviews, budgets, forecasts and management presentations; recommend corrective actions.

Visa, Mastercard & Product Governance

• Work directly with BOTH Visa and Mastercard product and scheme teams on product eligibility, market initiatives, product rules, new programs and feature rollouts.
• Own product requirements and coordinate scheme approvals, product configuration, BIN/product setup, certifications and mandate-driven changes with Operations and Technology.
• Coordinate product-related scheme reporting, portfolio analysis and periodic Visa / Mastercard submissions with accountable operational and compliance teams.
• Support product-related regulatory applications, feasibility submissions, explanatory letters and launch approvals through the Compliance / Regulatory Affairs function.
• Partner with Risk, AML/CFT, Finance, Operations, Security and Technology to embed controls, customer disclosures and scheme/regulatory requirements in product design.

Go-to-Market & Customer Experience

• Work with Business Development and Marketing on propositions, campaigns, cardholder activation, retention and portfolio engagement.
• Own the product customer journey for both consumer and business cardholders, including digital onboarding, card controls, servicing and user experience.
• Review customer feedback, complaints themes, analytics and service-performance data to improve products and eliminate friction.
• Coordinate with partners, processors and internal delivery teams to meet product launch milestones and improve existing services.

Mandatory Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience in card issuing, banking card businesses, or issuer-side payment services. This is a non-negotiable requirement.
• Documented, direct, hands-on working experience with BOTH Visa and Mastercard, with demonstrable engagement with their respective scheme teams (not solely through third-party providers).
• Proven experience across BOTH Consumer Cards and Business / Corporate Cards, with an understanding of the distinct product, operational, servicing, and commercial needs of each segment.
• Previous hands-on experience at an issuing bank, licensed issuer, or directly responsible issuer-side payment institution.
• Proven ownership of card product strategy, financial feasibility, pricing, launches and portfolio management in both consumer and commercial card products; practical knowledge of scheme product frameworks.
• Bachelors degree in Business, Finance, Banking, Technology, or a relevant discipline (aligned to the role).

Candidates whose experience is limited to merchant acquiring, POS, or payment gateways, without issuer-side card experience, do not meet the minimum criteria.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Direct involvement in Visa and Mastercard card program launches, product upgrades, BIN/product configurations and regional scheme initiatives.
• Knowledge of GCC card markets, Qatars regulatory environment, payroll products, prepaid programs and card-linked digital services.
• Strong business-case modelling, analytical, stakeholder management, communication and product governance skills.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-time, compliant card product launches and enhancements.
• Consumer and corporate portfolio growth, card activation and transaction usage.
• Product revenue, contribution margin, pricing performance and budget achievement.
• Product adoption, retention and customer experience improvements.

Role Boundaries & Governance

Accountable for product strategy and economics; not the approver of AML/KYC decisions, transaction monitoring alerts, operational settlement release, or independent control exceptions.