Job Summary

• The Card and Payments Operations Manager is responsible for operational oversight, optimization, and governance of the bank’s card and payment operations across ABSA Africa Regions countries.
• This role ensures operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and superior customer service while managing an inbound contact center and email support function for credit card service requests.
• Additionally, the role plays a key part in optimizing card settlement processes, including FX netting and liquidity management, to minimize costs and maximize efficiency.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities  

Operational Oversight & Optimization  

• Provide oversight of end-to-end card operations (issuance, authorization, settlement, chargebacks) across African markets.  
• Optimize processes to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer experience.  
• Ensure compliance with Visa, Mastercard, and local payment scheme rules, as well as central bank regulations in each country.  

Customer Service & Query Management  

• Manage and optimize the inbound contact center and email support handling credit card service requests for 5 African countries.  
• Monitor service level agreements (SLAs), call quality, and resolution times to ensure high customer satisfaction.  
• Implement self-service and automation solutions to reduce manual query handling.  

Settlement & FX Optimization  

• Oversee card settlement processes, ensuring timely and accurate reconciliation.  
• Work with Treasury and Finance teams to optimize FX netting positions, minimizing currency exposure and costs.  
• Identify inefficiencies in cross-border settlement flows and recommend improvements.  

Fraud, Disputes & Risk Management  

• Monitor fraud trends and ensure fraud prevention measures are effective.  
• Oversee dispute resolution and chargeback processes, ensuring compliance with card scheme rules.  
• Conduct root-cause analysis on operational risks and implement mitigation strategies.  

Stakeholder & Vendor Management  

• Liaise with local country operations teams, IT, Product, Compliance, and Risk teams to align on best practices.  
• Manage relationships with card issuance vendors, third-party processors, card schemes (MasterCard, VISA, Union Pay etc.), and fintech partners.  
• Drive vendor performance reviews to ensure cost efficiency and service quality.  

Process Improvement & Reporting

• Identify inefficiencies, implement automation and process improvements.  
• Generate performance reports on card transactions, fraud, and dispute metrics.  
• Ensure SLA adherence with processors and third-party vendors

Minimum Academic Requirements  

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.  

Professional certifications** such as:  

• Visa/Mastercard certifications (e.g., Visa Dispute Resolution, Mastercard Chargeback)  
• Payments or Card Operations certifications (e.g., AAP/APRP from NEACH, ICPS)

Minimum Experience Requirements  

• 6+ years in card operations, payments, or banking operations, with at least 3 years in a managerial oversight role.  

Proven experience in:  

• Managing card operations across multiple African markets.  
• Overseeing customer service/contact centers for card-related queries.  
• Optimizing settlement processes, FX netting, and liquidity management.  
• Deep knowledge of Visa/Mastercard rules, dispute management, and fraud prevention.  
• Experience working with card processors, fintechs, and treasury functions.  

Key Competencies & Skills  

• Strategic mindset – Ability to optimize processes and drive operational excellence.  
• Strong analytical skills – Expertise in settlement reconciliation, FX optimization, and cost reduction.  
• Customer-centric approach – Experience managing high-volume contact centers.  
• Stakeholder management – Ability to influence cross-functional teams and vendors.  
• Regulatory & compliance awareness – Knowledge of African banking regulations.  
• Project management – Lean/Six Sigma or Agile experience is a plus.  

Performance Metrics  

• Operational Efficiency: Reduction in processing time, cost savings from FX optimization.  
• Customer Service: Contact center resolution rates, customer satisfaction scores (CSAT).  
• Risk & Compliance: Fraud reduction, chargeback resolution time, audit findings.  
• Settlement Accuracy: Reconciliation errors, FX exposure reduction.  

Additional Requirements  

• Willingness to travel across African markets as needed.  
• Fluency in Portuguese is a strong advantage.  

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)

End Date: June 27, 2025