Consumer Partnerships Manager

Job Description

At Regions, the Consumer Payment and Partnerships Manager develops and executes strategic plans for the development of the consumer card product line and has responsibility for merchant contract negotiations, payment strategies and alternative payments.

• Manages merchant contract negotiations, payment strategies and alternative payments
• Develops in depth understanding of Consumer payment products and serves as a subject matter expert
• Partners with cross functional teams and leaders across the bank to align growth, performance management, and risk management priorities and execution
• Surveys payment industry efforts and peer competitors to identify areas of opportunity
• Manages external vendors responsible for payments end-to-end operations, including processing services and technology providers, card networks, embossing and printing capabilities, and loyalty platforms
• Influences marketing strategies and positioning of products and payment capabilities
• Maintains visibility into industry trends, customer behaviors, new product offerings, new providers and regulatory trends, and areas of focus
• Ensures adherence to all of Regions’ compliance and regulatory standards, including product risk controls and monitoring

• Bachelor's degree
• Ten (10) years of experience in product management and development

• Management experience
• Financial services industry experience

• Ability to analyze data and derive facts
• Ability to influence others to effectively execute on strategic plans
• Ability to work with senior management
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Knowledge of the financial services industry, products, and services
• Strong problem‑solving skills

The Consumer Payments & Partnerships Manager is responsible for the strategic management, optimization, and governance of Regions’ consumer card network relationships and alternative payment rails. This role serves as the primary enterprise owner for card network partnerships, ensuring network economics, innovation, compliance, and customer experience objectives are achieved. The role combines network relationship management, payments strategy, contract negotiation, and cross‑functional leadership, acting as a bridge between product, technology, risk, compliance, operations, marketing, and external partners.

• Serve as the primary enterprise relationship owner for card networks, including Visa (credit and debit), Maestro, NYCE and any additional or emerging payment rails
• Lead network contract negotiations, including incentive agreements, pricing, rule changes, product amendments, and strategic initiatives
• Optimize network economics, including interchange structures, incentives, assessments, and long‑term commercial value to the bank
• Act as the internal authority on network rules, operating regulations, and compliance obligations, ensuring alignment with product design and operational execution

• Partner with Consumer Card Product, Digital Banking, and Payments teams to support end‑to‑end card and payments strategy, including traditional cards, mobile wallets, and emerging payment experiences
• Evaluate and influence adoption of network‑led innovations (e.g., tokenization, contactless, credentials‑on‑file, network analytics, risk tools, and digital provisioning)
• Maintain a forward‑looking perspective on payments industry trends, competitor activity, and fintech innovation to inform strategic decision‑making

• Serve as enterprise contact for digital wallet partnerships, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and other wallet or authentication platforms
• Oversee wallet compliance, provisioning enablement, certification requirements, and operational readiness in partnership with technology and operations teams
• Support evaluation and governance of alternative payment rails and network diversification strategies

• Act as a subject matter expert for card transaction data, interchange analytics, and network reporting…