Cards Product Manager (Sub-Saharan Africa) at Citi

• As a Senior Product Manager for Cards, you will be instrumental in driving the strategic growth and P&L performance of our Cards business, primarily in South Africa, with extended responsibility across key Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) markets, notably Kenya, and occasional involvement in broader MEA initiatives
• This role requires a dynamic professional with a deep understanding of card products, market dynamics, and a proven ability to lead end-to-end product lifecycle management from strategy and development to commercialization and risk oversight. You will leverage your expertise to identify new opportunities, enhance existing offerings, and ensure robust governance, contributing significantly to the overall success and expansion of our cards portfolio in a critical growth region

Key Responsibilities

Product Strategy & P&L Ownership:

• Drive the strategic direction and P&L performance for the South Africa Cards business, extending to other SSA markets, particularly Kenya, and contributing to broader MEA Cards initiatives
• Lead the end-to-end product management lifecycle, including product governance and commercialization of new capabilities
• Partner with Relationship Managers (RMs) and sales teams to drive origination, pipeline growth, and ramp-up of existing deals
• Collaborate with global and regional product teams to develop and refine product strategies, go-to-market approaches, and delivery models

Product Development & Delivery:

• Oversee the development and rollout of new product capabilities and functionalities, ensuring timely, cost-effective, and high-quality delivery
• Work closely with Technology, Operations, and Coverage teams to execute product solutions and coordinate launch activities
• Partner with Finance to evaluate product development investments, monitor billing/revenue, control expenditure, and track benefits realization

Market Insight & Client Engagement:

• Actively monitor market trends, competitive landscape, and emerging technologies to identify growth opportunities and inform product roadmap decisions
• Gather Voice of the Client (VOC) feedback, develop action plans to address insights, and partner with cross-functional and coverage teams for execution
• Understand the demands of White-Label clients and ensure their needs are integrated into product solutions

Risk Management & Governance:

• Ensure strict adherence to all relevant product documentation (e.g., product approval programs) and processes, embedding them into the management fabric of the product business
• Appropriately assess and mitigate risks in business decisions, safeguarding the firm's reputation and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
• Demonstrate sound ethical judgment, manage, and report control issues with transparency

Experience

• Relevant experience in product management within the cards or electronic banking channels, with a strong understanding of corporate banking practices.
• Proven experience in end-to-end product lifecycle management, P&L ownership, and driving business growth
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute product strategies, including new product development and commercialization
• Strong understanding of business analysis, data analysis, and system analysis
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and diplomacy skills, with the ability to influence and guide diverse stakeholders, including internal colleagues and external customers
• Highly organized, self-directed, and capable of managing multiple priorities and delivering high-quality work consistently in a fast-paced environment.
• A recognized technical authority in a relevant area, with strong commercial awareness
• Ability to appropriately assess risk and drive compliance in a highly regulated financial environment

Education

• Bachelor’s/University degree required; Master’s degree preferred