Cards Portfolio Growth & Optimization Manager

Engagement details: Job Title: Cards Portfolio Growth & Optimization Manager Client: Global Cards & Payments Firm End-client: Leading Bank Employment type: Initial 12-month contract with strong potential for extension Location: Onsite in Doha, Qatar Experience level: 7+ years Role Overview: Our client, a Global Cards & Payments firm, is engaged with a leading bank in Qatar and is seeking to onboard a Cards Portfolio Growth & Optimization Manager who will be embedded in the bank's cards team, turning portfolio data into growth. This role sits at the center of the bank’s card performance. The person will find the levers that matter most, such as activation, usage, spend mix, cross-border spend and approval rates, and then deliver the work through the bank’s product, marketing, risk and operations teams. The results show up directly in the bank’s card performance, and there is real room to shape the growth agenda, not just carry it out. The role also requires strong hands-on experience across the digital acquisition, portfolio health and value creation agenda, spanning consumer products, analytics, marketing, operations, risk and compliance. The aim is to run always-on portfolio programs and put robust guardrails in place for sustainable growth. Key Responsibilities: Own the portfolio growth roadmap: rank initiatives by expected value, effort and time to impact. Diagnose portfolio performance using segmentation, cohort and lifecycle (month-on-book) analysis. Turn the findings into specific actions with a value attached. Lift activation, usage and spend through targeted campaigns, A/B tests and offer design, from issuance through to dormancy. Optimise product construction, customer value propositions and pricing levers so they fit each target segment. Improve customer experience and approval outcomes by working with risk, authorization and operations teams to cut friction that loses spending. Grow cross-border, e-commerce and digital-wallet spend by finding where the bank's share of customer spend can rise. Reportresults to senior stakeholders and build the bank's own capability through playbooks and knowledge transfer Knowledge and Experience 7 years + of experience in managing credit and/or debit card portfolios at an issuer, card scheme or advisory firm. Strong understanding of cards product, portfolio or customer-lifecycle management, including hands-on delivery of growth initiatives. Cards lifecycle management across acquisition, activation, usage, retention and reactivation, covering credit, debit, prepaid and ideally commercial cards. Data-driven portfolio management: segmentation, cohort analysis and test-and-learn. Analytics and BI tools (Excel, SQL, Power BI or Tableau); familiarity with campaign management and CRM platforms. Knowledge of card scheme products and services, loyalty and rewards, and digital wallets and tokenisation. Experience with GCC banks and familiarity with local regulation (preferred). Ability to influence across teams without formal authority, and to present clearly to senior leaders. Grounds decisions in evidence and judges success by measured client results. Works openly with the team, gives honest views and shares credit. Delivers quickly without cutting corners and owns results from start to finish. Hands-on cards portfolio analytics and growth delivery. Managing stakeholders at senior level inside a bank. Show more Show less