Card Scheme Compliance Specialist (Fintech/Payments), Cape Town

Our client is a technology company solving payments problems for businesses. Their mission is to help businesses in Africa become profitable, envied, and loved. They provide a suite of products to help businesses accept payments online and offline, manage their operations, and grow their business. Our client is driven by a commitment to excellence, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

Role Overview The Card Scheme Compliance Manager owns end-to-end compliance across Visa, Mastercard, and other applicable card schemes. Acting as the central subject-matter expert on scheme rules, releases, and compliance programs, this role ensures network requirements are embedded into products and operations in a pragmatic way that protects the business while maintaining commercial momentum. You will work cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Risk, Legal, Operations, and Finance, and directly with card networks to adhere to card scheme rules, anticipate regulatory change, and drive efficient delivery of scheme mandates across the organisation.

Job Type:

Consultant (6 month contract)

Location:

Cape Town

Workplace:

Hybrid

Requirements

7+ years’ experience in payments, with deep knowledge of card schemes, compliance, acquiring platforms, and payment flows.

Previous experience working in a PSSP, acquirer, card network, or high-growth fintech.

Proven ability to build processes and frameworks from the ground up.

Strong analytical, risk awareness, and problem-solving skills.

Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with high agency.

Bonus points if you have

previous experience working for a leading card scheme (e.g. Visa, Mastercard)

Responsibilities Card Scheme Compliance&Oversight

Own end-to-end compliance with card scheme rules, mandates, and compliance programs (e.g. Visa, Mastercard).

Proactively identify and interpret new and existing card scheme requirements and assess their impact on products, processes, and controls.

Translate card scheme obligations into clear, actionable requirements for internal teams, including policies, procedures, and operational controls.

Maintain oversight of first-line execution and support remediation of identified gaps.

Card Network Releases&Mandate Management

Lead the review and analysis of card scheme release bulletins (e.g. biannual releases), identifying initiatives with material business impact.

Establish and run a structured mandate intake, prioritisation, and tracking process, including timelines, dependencies, and ownership.

Partner with Product and Engineering to ensure mandates are appropriately scoped, prioritised, and delivered.

Manage waiver, extension, and clarification requests with card schemes where appropriate.

Program&Process Development

Design and implement scalable frameworks for monitoring ongoing compliance with scheme rules.

Develop release management and change management processes aligned to card scheme expectations.

Create and maintain dashboards, metrics, and reporting to provide visibility of compliance status, risks, and upcoming obligations.

Drive continuous improvement to reduce operational friction and compliance risk.

Stakeholder Management&Influence

Act as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert to senior stakeholders across Compliance, Risk, Product, Engineering, Legal, and Operations.

Represent the business in engagements with card schemes, including forums, councils, and regular strategic discussions.

Serve as an advocate for the business with the card schemes, ensuring our operating model and constraints are understood and considered.

Handle escalations and complex compliance issues, balancing regulatory, network, and commercial considerations.

Governance, Audit&Documentation

Support internal and external audits, scheme reviews, and regulatory interactions related to card networks.

Ensure accurate documentation of compliance activities, decisions, and communications with schemes.

Maintain appropriate access and oversight of card scheme portals and tools.

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