Head of Domestic Payments Product - AU & NZ, SVP - SYDNEY

Role Summary

The Head of Domestic Payments, Australia & New Zealand is responsible for the strategic direction, commercial performance, product development and lifecycle management of Citi’s domestic payments franchise across Australia and New Zealand.

The role has end-to-end accountability for the domestic payments product portfolio, including real-time payments, account-to-account payment solutions, direct entry schemes and emerging domestic payment capabilities. The incumbent will drive revenue growth, client adoption, product innovation and market competitiveness while ensuring Citi remains compliant with evolving regulatory, industry and scheme requirements.

The role serves as Citi’s senior representative across industry bodies, payment schemes, regulators and market infrastructure providers, influencing industry outcomes and ensuring Citi’s strategic interests are represented. The individual will partner closely with Sales, Coverage, Operations, Technology, Risk, Compliance, Legal and Finance teams to deliver market-leading payment solutions and commercial outcomes for clients.

The position leads a team of product managers and is accountable for product strategy, financial performance, commercialization, governance and execution of strategic initiatives across Australia and New Zealand.

The overall objective of this role is to drive growth, profitability and client adoption of Citi’s domestic payments franchise while maintaining industry leadership and delivering innovative payment solutions that meet evolving client and market needs.

Responsibilities

Product Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Define and execute the Domestic Payments strategy for Australia and New Zealand, aligned to Citi Services objectives and overall franchise strategy.
• Own the domestic payments product portfolio, including product roadmap, investment priorities and lifecycle management.
• Identify emerging market trends, client needs, competitive developments and industry shifts, translating these into actionable product strategies.
• Develop and maintain multi-year strategic roadmaps that balance revenue growth, client value, regulatory obligations and technology modernization.
• Drive product innovation through collaboration with Technology, Operations and regional/global partners.

Commercial Management & P&L Ownership

• Own revenue, profitability, growth targets and financial performance for the Domestic Payments portfolio.
• Develop and execute commercialization strategies that increase client adoption, payment volumes and market share.
• Lead pricing strategy, commercial structuring and business case development for product investments and enhancements.
• Partner with Sales, Coverage and Client Solutions teams to support strategic client opportunities, RFPs and complex solution discussions.
• Monitor portfolio performance and identify growth opportunities through new capabilities, market expansion and client penetration strategies.
• Ensure products deliver sustainable commercial returns while meeting client and regulatory expectations.

Product Development & Innovation

• Lead development, enhancement and launch of domestic payment products, features and capabilities.
• Lead strategic transformation initiatives from concept through implementation, launch and commercialization.
• Drive adoption of modern payment capabilities including real-time payments, account-to-account payment solutions, API-enabled services and data-rich payment experiences.
• Partner with Technology and Operations teams to prioritize development activities and ensure successful delivery of strategic initiatives.
• Define go-to-market strategies for new products and capabilities, including client segmentation, positioning and value proposition development.

Industry, Scheme & Regulatory Engagement

• Represent Citi across payment schemes, industry bodies and market infrastructure providers, including industry working groups and strategic forums.
• Influence industry outcomes and advocate for Citi’s strategic interests in the evolution of domestic payment infrastructure.
• Lead Citi’s response to industry-wide initiatives, regulatory reforms and scheme mandates.
• Maintain strong external relationships with industry participants, payment networks, market operators, fintechs and strategic partners.
• Monitor regulatory developments and industry changes, ensuring Citi is well-positioned to respond to evolving market requirements.

Client Engagement & Market Leadership

• Act as the senior product representative for strategic clients for key domestic payments opportunities.
• Develop thought leadership and market perspectives on domestic payment trends, innovation and industry developments.
• Ensure client feedback is incorporated into product strategy and roadmap prioritization.

Risk, Governance & Controls

• Ensure products operate within Citi’s risk appetite and comply with all applicable laws, regulations, scheme requirements and internal policies.
• Oversee execution of regulatory, compliance and industry-mandated initiatives.
• Drive strong governance, controls and risk management practices across the product portfolio.
• Identify, escalate and manage product risks, operational issues and control gaps in a timely manner.
• Promote a culture of accountability, transparency and sound risk management.

Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner effectively with Technology, Operations, Risk, Compliance, Legal, Finance, Sales and Coverage teams to deliver business objectives.
• Influence strategic decision-making across senior stakeholders within Australia, New Zealand and global product organizations.
• Lead prioritization, resource allocation and execution across multiple initiatives and competing stakeholder demands.
• Navigate complex organizational environments to drive alignment and achieve commercial and strategic outcomes.

People Leadership

• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing team of product professionals.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in payments, transaction banking, product management or financial services.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex payments products or platforms within a financial institution, payments provider or related industry.
• Proven track record of developing and executing product strategies that drive revenue growth and client adoption.
• Experience managing product P&Ls, financial performance and investment decisions.
• Deep understanding of domestic payment ecosystems and payment infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand.
• Experience engaging with regulators, payment schemes, industry bodies and market infrastructure providers.
• Strong understanding of transaction banking clients, treasury operations and corporate payment workflows.
• Experience delivering large-scale product, technology or infrastructure transformation initiatives.
• Strong understanding of payments risk management, regulatory frameworks and governance requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional teams in a matrix environment.
• Experience building, leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to balance commercial objectives, client outcomes, regulatory obligations and risk considerations.

Preferred Experience

• Expertise in real-time payments and account-to-account payment solutions.
• Understanding of emerging payment technologies, APIs, digital identity and open banking ecosystems.
• Knowledge of data-rich payment standards and payment modernization initiatives.
• Experience participating in industry working groups, scheme forums or regulatory consultation activities.
• Experience developing commercialization strategies and launching new payment products in market.
• Strong knowledge of global payments trends, fintech developments and competitive market dynamics.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Technology, Engineering or a related discipline.
• MBA, Master's degree or equivalent advanced qualification preferred.

Success Measures

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Achievement of domestic payments revenue and profitability targets.
• Delivery of strategic product roadmap initiatives.
• Growth in client adoption and payment volumes.
• Successful execution of regulatory and industry-mandated programs.
• Strength of relationships with key clients, industry bodies and stakeholders.
• Development and engagement of the domestic payments product team.
• Maintenance of a strong risk and control environment.
• Citi's market position and influence within the Australian and New Zealand payments ecosystem.

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Job Family Group:

Product Management and Development

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Job Family:

Product Management

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Time Type:

Full time

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Most Relevant Skills

Please see the requirements listed above.

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Other Relevant Skills

For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.

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