Global Head of Payments

They will serve as the company's top executive responsible for commercial growth, regulatory compliance, operational excellence, and stakeholder trust. The role demands a rare combination of fintech domain expertise, regulatory intelligence, and commercial drive — capable of managing CBN relationships, scaling merchant acquisition, and executing on Paysure's international expansion strategy. The MD will work closely with the Co-Founders, the Board, and senior leadership across both the Nigeria and UAE entities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Direction & Growth

• Define and execute Paysure's growth strategy across merchant acquiring, payment orchestration, and cross-border settlement.
• Drive the company's expansion into the UAE and broader African markets, including ADGM licensing and partnership development.
• Lead development of new revenue streams including PFaaS, virtual account services, and stablecoin-enabled settlement products.

Regulatory & Compliance Oversight

• Serve as principal liaison with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other relevant regulators on licensing, compliance, and policy matters.
• Maintain and renew Paysure's PSSP and PTSP licences; ensure ongoing compliance with CBN guidelines, AML/CFT policies, and PCI-DSS standards.
• Oversee compliance with UAE/ADGM regulatory requirements as the international entity matures.
• Manage regulatory risk and proactively monitor for policy changes affecting the Nigerian and regional payments landscape.

Commercial & Merchant Acquisition

• Drive merchant acquisition strategy across key verticals including iGaming, SaaS/EdTech, e-commerce, and enterprise merchants.
• Oversee strategic partnerships with payment orchestrators, acquirers, card schemes (Mastercard, Visa), and alternative payment method providers.
• Lead negotiations with acquirer banks, technology partners, and international payment networks.
• Manage existing acquirer relationships (e.g., Zenith Bank) and develop new acquiring channels for Visa and additional card schemes.

Operations & Technology Oversight

• Oversee day-to-day payment operations, transaction monitoring, incident management, and settlement operations.
• Ensure technical resilience, uptime, and cybersecurity posture across payment infrastructure.
• Work closely with technical teams on product roadmap for payment orchestration, virtual accounts, and multi-currency acquiring.

Financial Performance & Investor Relations

• Manage P&L, drive revenue growth, and ensure efficient capital allocation across the business.
• Lead fundraising efforts and represent Paysure to investors, strategic partners, and sovereign/institutional capital where relevant.
• Prepare Board reporting, financial performance dashboards, and strategic updates on a regular cadence.

Stakeholder & Ecosystem Management

• Represent Paysure at industry events, regulatory forums, government engagements, and international conferences.
• Build and maintain relationships with key ecosystem participants: banks, card schemes, switches, mobile money operators, and fintechs.
• Collaborate closely with Teflonhub and other portfolio entities to drive cross-entity opportunities and synergies.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 10 years of experience in fintech, payments, banking, or financial services, with at least 5 years at a senior management level.
• Deep understanding of Nigerian payment infrastructure, including CBN licensing frameworks, NIP/NIBSS, card schemes, and POS/PTSP operations.
• Demonstrable experience working with or navigating CBN regulatory processes, licensing requirements, or compliance frameworks.
• Prior experience managing merchant acquiring, payment orchestration, or cross-border payment operations.
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Engineering, or related field. MBA or relevant postgraduate degree is preferred.
• Familiarity with ADGM, FSRA, or other international financial regulatory frameworks is a strong advantage.
• Existing network within the Nigerian banking, fintech, or payments ecosystem is essential.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Executive gravitas and credibility with regulators, banks, card schemes, and institutional partners.
• Strong strategic thinking — able to balance short-term commercial execution with long-term market positioning.
• Commercially driven with a relentless focus on merchant growth, transaction volume, and revenue.
• Deep understanding of payment risks — fraud, settlement, FX, and counterparty risk — and how to manage them.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-moving, highly regulated, and competitive payments environment.
• Exceptional communication and negotiation skills across cultural and regulatory contexts.

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