Product Management (Payments)

Job Title: Product Management- Payments

Term: 12 months

Location: Athens, Greece

Relevant experience: 4-6 years

Mandatory requirements:

Fluency in Greek and English, payments processes and lifecycle knowledge, scheme expertise, stakeholder management skills, ability to work from client premises.

Purpose of Job:

We are seeking an experienced Product Management PM (Payments) to lead and oversee complex projects, driving the successful delivery of innovative payment solutions. As a member of our local Advisors Program Management (APM) team, you will collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders and work on-site with our client's Cards Department Stream, joining a dynamic group of digital payments professionals.

Ideal candidates for this role have solid, hands-on experience in the payments industry and a strong understanding of the end-to-end payment ecosystem. This includes card scheme operations, digital payments, transaction processing, and industry regulations. You will be responsible for coordinating Mastercard-related projects, supporting daily operational activities, providing strategic insights and ensuring alignment between internal Mastercard teams and client objectives. Strong communication, analytical thinking and project coordination skills are key to success in this position.

TASKS

Core Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Design, implement, and continuously optimize innovative payment solutions with a strong focus on customer needs
• Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders (e.g., IT, Marketing, Sales, Operations) to gather, specify, and efficiently implement product requirements
• Analyze user data and KPIs to identify optimization opportunities and maximize product performance
• Management of multiple client programs and projects related to Mastercard Products (e.g. Smart Data) and Services (e.g. Mastercard Send) - involving implementations of complex IT solutions in the area of digital payments and financial services
• Effective project planning in line with business priorities as well as associated cost and timeline boundaries.
• Establishing appropriate stakeholder management/communication plans and effective governance, in line with the needs of the program / project
• Ensure that the program goals are realistic, the correct delivery structure is created to support the scope of work and clear lines of accountability are established.
• Support the client in establishing and maintaining high standards of project accounting and financial reporting.
• Effective evaluation, planning and management of contingency. Identification and management of risks/issues/actions to ensure satisfactory completion and delivery to project milestone plans, deploying effective escalation where required.
• Identifying, analyzing and prioritizing with the client value creation possibilities related to Mastercard products and services (e.g. Secure Card on File – SCOF) to expand business levels.

Knowledge and Experience 

• 4-6 years of experience in product management or a similar role, ideally with a focus on payment solutions and collaboration with development teams 
• In-depth understanding of payment systems, technologies, and processes (e.g., payment gateways, card solutions, wallets). Knowledge of industry-specific regulations (e.g., PSD2) is desirable. 
• Ability to accurately collect and analyze data to create sound, data-driven decision-making foundations. 
• Present business case requirements, Program & Project goals and progress at senior management 
• Experience of managing large-scale software implementation projects essential & demonstrable experience of delivering projects in a technology environment 
• Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to influence and engage the stakeholders at all levels 
• Self-supportive with a high degree of initiative and enthusiasm, requiring minimal management 
• Proven ability to manage and deliver in a multi-project, matrix managed environment 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills 
• Project or program management experience in a client-facing or consulting capacity 
• Ability to manage multiple work streams in a structured and organized way 
• Skilled communicator who can simplify complex topics for a range of audiences 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and other business tools 
• Experience with Mastercard platforms, tools, and programs is a plus 
• Formal project management certification (e.g., PMP, Prince2) is considered an advantage

Mandatory Skills** 

• Fluency in Greek and English is required 
• Proven knowledge and experience in the payments industry is required (e.g., card schemes, transaction processing, issuing/acquiring, regulations) 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and other business tools