Cards Technical Implementation Lead Job Riyadh area,Riyadh Region Saudi Arabia,IT/Tech

Job Title: Cards Technical Implementation Lead

Term: 12 months

Location: Riyadh, KSA- onsite

Division: Cards & Payments/ Retail Banking

Relevant experience:10+ years in paymentstechnology,cardissuing/processing, and technical implementation

Mandatory requirements:

Hands-on end-to-end technical implementation experience acrossconsumer and commercial card programs (credit + wallet/prepaid)

Direct experience with principalmembership setup and ICA enablementwith a major card scheme

Processor integration experience (e.g.tier-1 issuer processor)

Knowledge of SAMA regulatoryframework for card issuance and consumer finance licensing

Fluent English; immediately available orwithin 30-day notice

Purpose of Project:

A BNPL platform launching mass consumer credit cards, wallet-linked prepaid cards, and commercial card products.

This role embeds a dedicated specialist within the client's KSA technology and product teams to drive the fulltechnical implementation and productionisation of card programs. The KSA market operates under a principalmembership model with the Processor — requiring BIN request and setup, ICA assignment, scheme certification, and physical/digital card launch. For the right candidate, this is a rare opportunity to lead a greenfield card launch for ahigh-profile fintech, directly shaping how card products reach millions of consumers.

Key

Activities Core Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Lead the full technical delivery lifecycle across consumer credit, wallet linked, and commercial card programs forthe KSA market — developing and maintaining comprehensive project plans covering BIN request/setup, ICAassignment, CMS integration, processor connectivity, and Mastercard scheme certification — measured by on?time milestone delivery 90%

Drive principal membership enablement, coordinating ICA assignment, membership documentation, and regulatory submissions to SAMA — ensuring membership is operationally active within the first 8 weeks

Oversee card productionisation and digital issuance from card design and personalisation through production,fulfilment, and digital provisioning — ensuring integration with NI processing platform personalization bureau perscheme requirements

Execute digital wallet and tokenisation launch (Apple Pay, Google Pay, xPay) including MDES setup, tokenisationservices deployment to production, 3DS authentication configuration, and end-to-end digital provisioning flowvalidation

Lead scheme certification and quality assurance including MIP testing, parametrisation workbook completion,package configuration, SIT/UAT, performance testing, and security testing — ensuring 100% of P1/P2 defectsare resolved prior to go-live

Manage authorisation, authentication, and dispute management configuration — ensuring post-launchoperational readiness including production incident management, initial stabilisation, and comprehensivehandover documentation for BAU operations teams.

Coordinate across all parties —Processor, personalization bureaus, and the client's product, technology, and compliance functions — facilitating workshops, solution design sessions, and weekly/monthly governance cadence

KPIs (indicative)

Card programs technically launch-ready (BIN setup + scheme certification within first 3 months)
Project milestones delivered on-time (Against agreed project plan)
Critical defects resolved pre-launch / Prior to go-live
Digital wallet (xPay) provisioning live / Apple Pay, Google Pay minimum
Weekly status reporting & monthly Steer Co cadence
Stakeholder satisfaction (client feedback) - Quarterly feedback from client Head of Personal Banking

Knowledge and Experience Domain Expertise:

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field
10+ years in payments technology, card issuing/processing, and technical implementation program management
Proven track record delivering card product launches (credit, wallet/prepaid, commercial) across multiplemarkets, ideally in the GCC/MENA region
Deep understanding of card management systems (e.g., PowerCARD, Way4, VisionPLUS, Cortex, Prime), issuerprocessing, and card lifecycle (issuance authorisation clearing settlement disputes)

Technical…