Head of Cards

Charterhouse is working with a leading financial institution that is looking to hire an experienced Head of Cards to lead the end-to-end cards business, including product strategy, portfolio growth, P&L management, and the cards technology ecosystem.

About the Role

The Head of Cards will oversee product development, card operations, fraud and disputes management, and vendor partnerships while driving innovation across digital payments and enhancing the overall customer experience. The role will develop and execute the Cards strategy to grow portfolio acquisition, activation, and spend. The role will also lead the full product lifecycle including new card propositions, rewards programs, co-branding, and instalment solutions.

Responsibilities will also include managing the cards P&L and drive profitability and cost optimisation. The role will oversee card systems and integrations with payment networks (Visa/Mastercard), as well as digital payment innovations such as tokenisation and mobile wallets. In addition, the role will ensure strong governance across risk, compliance, fraud management, and operational performance. The role will lead and develop cross-functional teams while managing key internal and external stakeholders.

About You

The ideal candidate will hold a Degree in Business, Finance, IT, or a related field, with an MBA preferred, and will have 15+ years’ experience in cards and payments within a bank or financial institution with strong knowledge of card schemes, card management systems (CMS), and digital payments. Additionally, the candidate will have proven leadership experience and the ability to deliver complex product and technology initiatives.