Head of Payments at Absa Bank Limited

Job Description

Job Purpose

The purpose of this job is to own the payments strategy within the bank through delivery of an integrated payments solutions, leveraging on strategic partnerships, eco-systems, data insights and APIs.

Create a strategic vision to grow the payments business within the bank. Identify, understand, and articulate customer needs, competitor propositions and market dynamics that present opportunities and threats.

Drive in-depth understanding of the customer to deliver a ‘one customer’ view with respect to payment solutions including identifying customer pain points, gathering customer feedback/input on payment solutions etc.

Drive collaboration between stakeholders (Change, Technology teams, Risk, Channels, Products etc.) to identify, define, specify, and deliver solutions that meet customer needs.

Understand and review the relevant industry/sector trends, regulatory policies, and legal requirements, including scheme updates, alternative payment technologies and developing a robust network.

Similarly, collaboration with strategic partners (financial intermediaries, telcos etc.) is an integral part of this role to enrich customer experience across the customer lifecycle for payments solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• P&L management, strategic planning, commercial performance, and forecasting.
• Identify opportunities for strategic relationships with external parties e.g., Fintech’s, Telco’s, etc. In addition, manage the day-to-day relationship with the partners and negotiate new contracts where required.
• Be responsible for the commercial and technical payments road map, collaboratively preparing business cases with finance colleagues where needed.
• Monetize all payment initiatives including APIs and collaborate with marketing teams to create winning go to market strategic plans
• Manage expenses and budgets. Support with financial management of Product budget and allocation of funding to ensure spend is maximized to achieve key business goals that drive business growth.
• Provide support for payment strategy, benefits realisation whilst adhering to proper governance to maintain an exemplary control environment.
• Development of strong influential and respectable relationships with both Local and Central teams.
• Support with achievement of business targets; this includes transaction volumes, card growth, remittances growth, merchant growth, digital usage and overall growth on payments Non-Funded Income etc
• Drive efficiency across all payment channels and processes

Knowledge & Experience

• Minimum of 8-10 years in financial services, retail banking, Telco’s, fintech’s or related field.
• Experience in rolling-out digital technologies and businesses with a strong customer orientation.
• Expertise and experience in defining and building out payment strategies and roadmaps.
• Proven ability to apply technology solutions to solving complex business problems and communicating solutions effectively.
• Proven ability to address and persuade multiple constituencies including senior executives.
• Demonstrate understanding of the end-to-end payments process from origination to fulfilment and the underlying system components.
• Conversant with payment platforms and processes such as scheme rules, regulators etc

Technical

• Analytical experience with insight and understanding of segmentation and other product management principles
• Ability to support and develop business case financial models
• Exposure to digital products and digital product management
• Extremely competent with computer-based programs including PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook, and the Internet
• Strong project management and execution skills

Business

• Exceptional customer /stakeholder communication and management skills, capable of influencing cross-functional teams.
• Commercially aware, with appreciation of sales proposition and customer experience
• Ability to create, own and deliver business and financial plans.
• Superior people skills
• Good business analytical skills
• Strong relationship management skills
• Entrepreneurial skills and ability to take initiative
• Self-driven, highly motivated team player

Education

Bachelor's Degree: Information Technology