# Program Manager, Issuer Partnerships

**Company:** [Square](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/square)
**Location:** Remote
**Role:** Technical Program Management
**Salary:** $123k – $223k/yr
**Experience:** 8+ years
**Skills:** Program Management, Fintech, Card Issuing, Bin Sponsorship, Visa, Mastercard, Regulatory Compliance, Stakeholder Management, Contract Negotiation, Cross-Functional Collaboration
**Posted:** 2026-06-12

> Senior individual-contributor Program Manager to own a portfolio of issuer and processor relationships, driving partner onboarding, product launches, and scalable program operations for Block's card issuing programs.

## Job Description

## 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.

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