Cards Acquiring Specialist - Payments Consulting Firm - MENA Region - Contractual

At Outsized, we match clients in financial services and management consulting to high-quality independent consultants and boutique/specialist firms for the execution of their key projects.

Our client, a leading payments firm, is seeking a dedicated operations professional with 10 years of payment acquiring experience to be contracted exclusively for a 12-month tenure, which is extendable. This role involves comprehensive management of the client's acquiring business operations, including strategy development, program assessment, and implementation.

Key Responsibilities

Program Assessment and Planning:

- Strategic Insight and Analysis:

- Develop a deep understanding of client business priorities and the dynamics of the local market (UAE).

- Assess client-specific opportunities and risks, particularly regarding scheme pricing and interchange management.

- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Technology, Operations, Sales Channels, and Compliance to define and map out product operations and frameworks.

- Own the product strategy, profit & loss management, strategic partnerships, and revenue generation for the Acquiring business.

- Develop business cases for new products/processes from ideation to launch, ensuring alignment with broader business goals.

- Deployment and Implementation of Initiatives

Operational Execution:

- Implement priority value realization activities with a focus on client impact, maintaining rigor and discipline.

- Deploy an optimal mix of Payment Scheme products and services to enhance the client's business performance.

- Coordinate with internal resources, payment schemes, clients, and third parties to ensure the sustained quality of client activities, including deliverables and timelines.

- Ensure compliance with scheme mandates and regulations.

- Provide insights and recommendations based on data analysis and collaborate with the team to optimize pricing strategies.

- Review profit and loss lines for the Acquiring business to ensure financial feasibility.

- Actively and efficiently liaise with Mastercard Product and Account Management functions with feedback.

- Monitoring and Ongoing Analysis of Progress

- Performance Tracking and Decision Support:

- Continuously track the performance of relevant target portfolios, products, and services.

- Create value visibility for priority initiatives across relevant metrics and KPIs with an action-driving dashboard.

- Set up and manage a client control tower to improve the speed and quality of decision-making.

Qualifications and Experience

- Experience: 10 years of professional experience in payment acquiring, with a strong background in product management, strategic planning, and business development within the payments industry.

- Skills:

- Profound knowledge of payment scheme operations and financial management.

- Strong analytical skills with the ability to generate insights from data and translate them into actionable strategies.

- Excellent collaboration and communication skills, capable of working effectively with cross-functional teams and external partners.

- Proficient in compliance and regulatory matters related to payment acquiring.

Location & Term

- Location: Dubai, UAE

- Duration: 12 months, extendable

This role is an excellent opportunity for an experienced professional to lead and expand a sophisticated acquiring operation, driving significant impact within a leading global payments firm.