Head of Cards

About the job

Job Summary

The Head of Cards will lead the strategy, development, and management of the tiqmo's card products (MADA and premium cards). This role is responsible for driving card portfolio growth, optimizing card economics, strengthening scheme partnerships (particularly with Mastercard), and delivering innovative payment experiences aligned with the company’s fintech vision.

The role requires deep expertise in card issuing, scheme regulations, product lifecycle management, and digital wallet integrations within regulated environments.

Primary Duties and Key Responsibilities

Card Product Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Reporting to the Chief Revenue Officer within the business unit
• Define and execute tiqmo’s card strategy across MADA and premium cards.
• Own the end-to-end lifecycle of card products, from ideation and launch to optimization and sunset.
• Develop differentiated card propositions that drive customer acquisition, engagement, and monetization.
• Continuously analyze card performance metrics such as:
• Card activation
• Spend per active user
• Interchange revenue
• Cross-border transactions
• Card utilization

Scheme & Partner Management

• Manage the strategic relationship with Mastercard and other relevant payment schemes.
• Lead negotiations related to:
• Interchange and scheme fees
• Marketing incentives and growth programs
• Co-marketing initiatives
• Product certification and compliance
• Coordinate with issuing banks, processors, and scheme partners to ensure seamless operations.

Product Development & Innovation

• Lead the development of physical and virtual card programs, including premium and travel-focused cards.
• Collaborate with technology teams to deliver features such as:
• Tokenization
• Contactless payments
• Digital card provisioning
• Wallet integrations (Apple Pay / Google Pay)
• Identify opportunities for innovation in:
• Cashback and loyalty programs
• Cross-border payments
• BNPL card integrations
• Premium card benefits

Commercial Growth & Monetization

• Own the P&L of the card portfolio .
• Drive revenue streams including:
• Interchange
• FX margin
• Partnerships and merchant-funded offers
• Card upgrade programs
• Design campaigns to increase card usage, international transactions, and customer retention.

Compliance & Regulatory Alignment

• Ensure card products comply with payment scheme rules and local regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with compliance and risk teams to maintain adherence to fintech and payments regulations.
• Oversee scheme audits, certifications, and operational requirements.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with:
• Product
• Marketing
• Risk & Compliance
• Operations
• Technology
• Lead and develop the cards team across product, operations, and partnerships.

Requirements and Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in cards, payments, or fintech product management.
• Strong experience managing card issuing programs with Mastercard or other global payment schemes.
• Proven track record of launching and scaling card products in digital banking, fintech, or payment companies.
• Deep knowledge of:
• Card economics and interchange
• Scheme rules
• Card lifecycle management
• Digital wallet integrations
• Experience working with issuing banks, processors, and payment networks.

Preferred

• Experience in fintech, digital wallets, or neobanks.
• Experience launching premium or travel card programs.
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks in Saudi Arabia (Saudi payments’ ecosystem -SAMA regulations, Mada, local acquiring/issuing environment)
• Experience managing scheme incentive programs and partnership agreements.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and product leadership
• Strong negotiation and partner management skills
• Analytical and data-driven decision making
• Deep understanding of payments ecosystem
• Leadership and team-building capabilities

Success Metrics

• Growth in active card users
• Increase in card transaction volume
• Growth in international spend
• Improvement in interchange and card revenue
• Successful launch of new card products and partnerships

Job Benefits

• Competitive compensation packages
• Medical insurance coverage
• Flexible remote work options in accordance with the company's policy

Application Timeline

• Opening Date: 11 March 2026
• Closing Date: 05 April 2026