Program Manager, Issuer Partnerships

You Will

• Independently own a portfolio of issuer and processor relationships end-to-end: program governance cadences, escalations, contract negotiations and amendments, change requests, and quarterly business reviews—acting as the primary point of contact with partner executives.
• Drive partner onboarding and product launches: coordinate diligence, technical integration, BIN setup, network and bank approvals, pilot scope, and GA launch readiness across all stakeholders.
• Be the connective tissue across Product, Engineering, Compliance, Risk, Legal, Operations, and Finance: translate partner requirements (network rules, bank policies, local regulatory obligations) into actionable internal plans and accelerate decisions.
• Set and drive program execution against the Issuing roadmap: define milestones, surface and resolve risks early, make calls on tradeoffs, and keep partners and internal stakeholders aligned on timelines and dependencies without needing day-to-day direction.
• Build durable partner operating mechanisms: SLAs, oversight reporting, incident and SEV handling protocols, MSA-driven obligations, and audit-ready documentation that meet partner, network, and internal policy standards.
• Be a go-to expert on the issuing ecosystem at Block: stay current on regulatory developments, network mandates, and partner ecosystem changes; shape program strategy and advise senior leadership on partner selection, sequencing, and tradeoffs.
• Communicate with clarity and apply AI for leverage: deliver concise, action-oriented updates to executive stakeholders; escalate risks early with data-backed options; and use AI/LLM-powered tooling for partner reporting, diligence workflows, and document review to reduce cycle time.

You Have

• 8+ years of program or product operations management in fintech, issuing, banking, or payments, with direct experience independently owning bank partner and/or card processor relationships at a senior level.
• Working knowledge of card issuing economics, BIN sponsorship models, network rules (Visa/Mastercard), and the regulatory landscape for consumer card products.
• Demonstrated track record of independently leading complex cross-functional programs through significant ambiguity—from partner onboarding through launch—with full ownership of strategy, timelines, scope, and risk.
• Experience independently designing and standing up scalable program operating mechanisms (governance forums, SLAs, oversight reporting, incident response, playbooks) in a regulated environment.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills; adept at influencing without authority across executive partner counterparts and internal product/engineering/compliance teams.
• Track record of building partner trust at the executive level and operating with discretion and sound judgment across sensitive commercial and regulatory matters.
• A builder’s mindset paired with senior judgment—comfortable with ambiguity, rapid iteration, and hands-on execution in a 0-to-1 product environment without needing structured direction.

Nice to Have

• Experience launching consumer financial products with multiple bank or processor partners; deep familiarity with at least one Tier 1 issuing bank or processor.
• Background in compliance program management (KYC, AML, BSA, sanctions) or partner oversight in a regulated fintech.