Senior Programme Manager - Payments & Card Issuing

About the role

Fiserv, a global leader in fintech and payments, is looking for a Senior Programme Manager in Milan. The role suits a seasoned delivery leader (15-20+ years of experience) who owns the client relationship at executive level, shapes programme direction and drives teams in complex, multi-stakeholder environments. It combines deep payments expertise with an approach to AI-enabled delivery, using automation, agentic AI and data-driven decision-making.

Key responsibilities

• Own and develop the client relationship at executive level, leading governance forums, steering committees and executive reviews, anticipating client needs and handling escalations.
• Lead multiple concurrent BAU, change and transformation programmes, with particular expertise in large-scale card issuing data migration (migration strategy, rehearsals, cutovers, rollback planning).
• Drive adoption of AI-enabled delivery such as automated status reporting, predictive risk and dependency analysis, and data-driven capacity planning.
• Build and lead cross-functional delivery teams, mentor project managers and delivery leads, and champion automation and AI tooling.
• Coordinate global, onshore and offshore teams, and work with Product, Technology, Architecture, Operations, Compliance and Integration, as well as payment schemes, vendors and regulators.
• Manage delivery, regulatory, operational and migration risks, scope changes and change requests, and ensure compliance with regional frameworks (e.g. CBUAE, SAMA).
• Own the programme P&L, track budgets and margins, lead SOW development and effort estimation, negotiate contracts and partner with sales and commercial teams.

Required profile

• 15-20+ years of experience in programme or project management within payments, card processing or financial services technology.
• Deep expertise in payments processing, especially credit card issuing and platform migrations, with a proven track record of large-scale data migration programmes.
• Experience managing enterprise clients at C-suite and VP level, with a consultative, trusted-adviser approach.
• PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, MSP or equivalent programme management certification.

Required skills

• Strong understanding of card issuing platforms (VisionPLUS / FirstVision), data flows and migration risks.
• Practical experience using AI and automation in delivery, governance and reporting.
• Nice to have: experience across multiple card processing platforms (FirstVision, CMS, TSYS, Cortex), knowledge of ISO 8583 and card scheme certification, prior management consultancy or professional services delivery, programmes with budgets over $5M, portfolio management and PMO leadership.

Salary starts at EUR 77,670, negotiable depending on experience. Apply through the company's application process with your legal name and a completed profile and resume.