Payments Project Manager (Ref: 196046)

As an external recruitment partner, we connect premier financial services and fintech organizations with top-tier talent. Our client seeks to expand its Payments practice with a strategically focused role that drives card issuing, tokenization, and digital wallet initiatives. The organization prioritizes disciplined delivery, risk-aware governance, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver secure, scalable payments experiences across regulated environments.

The Payments Project Manager will collaborate with product, engineering, and operations teams to shepherd end-to-end delivery of digital wallet programs and card-issuing capabilities. Responsibilities include translating business needs into actionable technical requirements, aligning stakeholders across IT, compliance, and external vendors, and guaranteeing adherence to schedule, budget, and quality standards. A strong emphasis on governance, risk management, and a customer-centric approach will guide secure wallet and tokenization outcomes.

• Spearhead the deployment of digital wallet offerings (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Huawei Pay) within a regulated payments framework.

• Oversee tokenization initiatives and identity verification processes to protect account access and card security.

• Coordinate enablement and certification activities for new payment products across schemes and wallet ecosystems.

• Direct debit and credit card issuance, including BIN governance and configuration oversight.

• Collaborate with payment service providers and vendors to deliver robust API and ISO messaging integration programs.

• Manage wallet operations during card blocks or loss events, ensuring smooth token lifecycle management.

• Engage IT, Compliance, and external stakeholders to align regulatory obligations with technical standards.

• Extensive knowledge of wallet ecosystems supporting Bancomat variants (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Huawei Pay) and associated issuance capabilities.

• Deep expertise in digital wallets, tokenization, and card issuing (debit/credit).

• Experience with identity verification and authentication protocols (3DS).

• Understanding Bancomat constraints versus Visa/Mastercard for e-commerce and card-on-file use cases.

• Solid grasp of PSD2 and Bank of Italy regulations, including 3D Secure adoption trends and SMS OTP considerations for non-compliant scenarios.

• Knowledge of wallet implementation models (direct integration, ISO messaging, third-party APIs) and familiarity with wallet PSPs (Worldline or equivalent).

• Strong BIN management proficiency, including debit/credit product distinctions and product classification currency at BIN level.

• Insight into token behavior in wallets during blocks, theft, or loss (suspension, deletion, reactivation) and awareness of token migration processes with customer consent.

• Market-competitive compensation commensurate with experience.

• Flexible work patterns and a collaborative, inclusive culture.

• Opportunities to shape payment strategy within a high-growth environment.

• Access to an extensive network of fintech and banking clients through a leading consultancy.

Our client operates as a premier advisory firm delivering strategic support to financial services organizations, with emphasis on payments, risk management, and technology modernization. This external recruitment profile highlights how the role advances client outcomes and overall organizational success.