Senior Manager, Financial Partnerships, Card Issuing & Acquiring, EMEA

The role

You will scale card issuing and acquiring businesses by building and managing partnerships with global card networks and regional schemes. You will lead market entry by coordinating licensing, regulatory requirements, and programme implementation.

What you will do

• Scale card issuing and acquiring businesses by building and managing partnerships with global card networks and regional schemes
• Lead entry into new markets by coordinating network licensing, regulatory requirements and programme implementation
• Identify and execute strategic opportunities with network partners
• Negotiate and structure partnership agreements
• Oversee obligations and delivery under partnership agreements
• Represent Airwallex at partner and industry events
• Work with Product, Legal, Compliance, Finance and Commercial stakeholders on strategic planning and business analysis

Required qualifications

• 7+ years of experience working with payment networks, card schemes, financial institutions or other organisations in the card issuing or acquiring industry
• Deep understanding of card network dynamics, issuing and acquiring business models and economics
• Proven track record of building and managing strategic partnerships in a fast-paced, technology-led environment
• Strong negotiation, relationship management and commercial agreement-structuring skills
• Experience working cross-functionally with Product, Legal, Compliance, Finance and Commercial teams
• International experience, including working across multiple markets or managing cross-border relationships
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
• Creative problem-solving skills

Nice to have

• Experience at a global, high-growth fintech or pre-IPO startup
• Experience building financial partnerships in a new geography
• Experience with merchant acquiring and/or card portfolio management, including pricing, interchange and product profitability
• Recognition as an industry thought leader, with experience representing your company at industry events

About the company

Airwallex is an AI-native financial operating system used by over 675,000 businesses to run financial operations or build financial products. The company provides financial infrastructure spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.