Stanhope Financial
Head of Card Operations
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Location: UK
Employment Type: Full-time
About SH
SH Financial provides multicurrency accounts, international payments, and card issuing services to businesses operating globally. As a Visa Europe Principal Member, we support debit and prepaid card programmes across the UK and Europe.
About the Role
The Head of Card Operations will lead SH Financial’s end-to-end card operations, covering programme implementation, daily performance, partner onboarding, supplier management, settlement, and scheme compliance.
This is a senior, hands-on role requiring strong technical card knowledge and the ability to build scalable processes while managing complex operational issues.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day operation and performance of SH Financial’s card programmes, ensuring processes are completed within agreed SLAs.
- Oversee the full card lifecycle, including issuance, authorisation, 3DS, clearing and settlement, refunds, fraud, disputes, and chargebacks.
- Provide second-line operational support and manage complex escalations, incidents, and root-cause analysis.
- Lead new card programmes from kick-off through testing, client approvals, training, go-live, and ongoing change management.
- Manage relationships with Visa, payment processors, card manufacturers, personalisation bureaus, and other key suppliers.
- Lead projects including BIN implementation, tokenisation, 3DS, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
- Coordinate card design, chip certification, testing, production, and stock management.
- Work with Product and Technology to improve systems, controls, and operational efficiency.
- Work with Finance on settlement, reconciliation, third-party invoice validation, and partner invoice reviews.
- Support Compliance, AML/CTF, and Risk teams and ensure adherence to scheme rules, operational requirements, and reporting obligations.
- Prepare and present management information to senior management covering transaction performance, declines, fraud, chargebacks, service levels, and programme costs.
- Build and manage the Card Operations team as the business grows.
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Experience and Skills
- At least five years’ experience in card operations within banking, fintech, a card issuer, or programme manager, including management or senior-level responsibility.
- Strong end-to-end knowledge of debit and prepaid card operations.
- Experience implementing card programmes and working directly with processors, card manufacturers, and card schemes.
- Good understanding of BIN sponsorship, 3DS, settlement, reconciliation, fraud, disputes, and chargebacks.
- Experience with tokenisation and Apple Pay or Google Pay implementation.
- Experience using Visa Access, including Visa Online, and VCLM.
- Strong operational, analytical, and supplier-management skills.
- Commercial awareness and experience reviewing programme performance and costs.
- A hands-on approach with the ability to work at both strategic and operational levels.
- Excellent English and confidence communicating with partners, suppliers, and senior management.
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