Head of Cards at Kuda Bank

Description

About Us:

Kuda is a full-service digital bank. Our mission is to make banking accessible, affordable and rewarding for all Africans. Kuda is free of ridiculous banking charges and great at helping customers budget, spend smartly and save more. We raised the largest seed round recorded in Africa, and completed Series A and B funding rounds in 2021, led by some of the world's most respected institutional investors.

We’re a lively, diverse, and collaborative international Tribe, with offices in London (our HQ), Lagos and Cape Town (with more locations soon to be announced). We are growing rapidly and fast becoming a recognised leading challenger bank for Africans.

Learning opportunities, a clear career development path and competitive benefits are just a few of the benefits you’ll enjoy as a member of the Tribe.

Role Overview:

We are looking for a proactive and delivery-focused Head of Cards to take ownership of our Card Services and deliverable. This role will be a critical operational link between internal stakeholders, card schemes (VISA, Mastercard) and our customers to ensure the smooth delivery of Kuda’s card issuing programmes. Reporting to the Group CTO, this role will also work closely with Product, Growth, Marketing and Project Management.

We are seeking someone with excellent communication skills who can interface directly with internal and external stakeholders in order to support, administer and enhance the systems and processes accordingly. The ideal candidate will be the subject matter expert for operational knowledge relating to card-issuing programmes, launching across the different markets. You will provide hands-on support to internal stakeholders across Product, Business Development, Growth, Marketing, Project Management and Compliance to ensure a smooth launch of card programmes to our customers at different locations.

This role will work closely with Visa and Mastercard Account Managers/Implementation Managers to ensure that necessary approvals are obtained, prepare "PIF" and "TPA" forms for submissions (if required), and constantly engage with card schemes to negotiate card fulfilment and card design requirements. You will also offer critical support to the Group CTO on matters pertaining to Card Operations, updating on the status and progress of issuing projects.

Requirements

Requirements:

The responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• A proven leader with experience in successfully managing, motivating and inspiring a team of diverse people ranging from Gen X, Millennials to Gen Zs.

• A proven track record of successful delivery of card issuing programmes

• Hands-on experience of working with card scheme providers (Visa, Mastercard)

• A deep understanding of card issuing product offerings

• A delivery focussed team player who can offer high levels of support to internal and external stakeholders, and provide excellent customer service to our customers

• Maintain the card Programmes activities and deploy strategic initiatives

• Maintain existing external Issuing Programmes and Clients’ relationships

• Responsible for the Cards and Issuing P&L and growth initiatives

• Coordinate daily operations with relevant stakeholders

• Manage external partners relationship (schemes, issuers, processors, manufacturers)

• Ensure Programme compliance with local regulators and schemes

• Creating/leading the reporting procedures

• Determining and describing the need for improvements; communicating them internally and externally (with the respective providers)

• Help with launching new Programmes, extend to new geographies where opportunities are in line with industry trends

• Preparing reports and recommendations for improvement of UX and increasing our revenues

• Follow up on our metrics and KPIs on a daily basis

• Support Finance with: Invoices validation, forecast, budget, purchase orders

• Support Marketing roadmap and campaigns activities

• Supporting ad-hoc projects

Experience:

• Previous experience in a challenger/disruptive FinTech and/or Financial Services (desirable but not mandatory)

• Strong knowledge and background within the online payments industry with a focus on the prepaid cards and issuing sectors

• Advanced level of communication, negotiation, and the ability to influence and motivate at all levels

• Proven experience in successfully managing and launching new innovative products

• Proven experience in leading, motivating and managing a team to deliver to deadlines.

• A good technical and project management understanding of how complex products are developed

• Strong analytical capabilities with finance, data and statistics, the ability to evaluate and interpret complex data

• 5 years of experience in working as a card Programme manager, project manager, business analyst, product manager, or similar roles

• Experience with internal & external partners management

• Experience in leading projects and operations management

• Business, IT or Analytical degree

• Strong skills in Microsoft Excel & PowerPoint

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (must love interacting with people and working collaboratively)

• Passionate about cards

• Basic understanding of Data Protection regulations as it pertains to the role

• Good analysis, problem-solving and decision-making skills

• Detail-oriented and self-starter with strong written and interpersonal skills

• Computer literate and proficient in standard office applications Word, Excel and Outlook

• Well organised with effective time and activity management skills

• Proactive with great organisation and time management skills

• Excellent attention to detail

Benefits

Our benefits include:

• Competitive annual leave entitlement

• Pension

• Private Medical Insurance

• Life Assurance

• Bespoke training options

• Exposure to senior executives and knowledge experts