Senior Programme Manager

Senior Programme Manager

Location: Milano, Milano, Italy

Job ID: R-10399429

Category: Technology

Onsite

Posting Start Date: 31-August-2026

Posting End Date: 30-November-2026

Calling all innovators – find your future at Fiserv.

We’re Fiserv, a global leader in Fintech and payments, and we move money and information in a way that moves the world. We connect financial institutions, corporations, merchants, and consumers to one another millions of times a day – quickly, reliably, and securely. Any time you swipe your credit card, pay through a mobile app, or withdraw money from the bank, we’re involved. If you want to make an impact on a global scale, come make a difference at Fiserv.

Job Title Senior Programme Manager

About your role: This role suits a seasoned delivery leader (15–20+ years' experience) who can own the client relationship at executive level, shape programme direction where clarity is lacking, and drive teams toward outcomes in complex multi-stakeholder environments. The ideal candidate will combine deep payments domain expertise with a forward-thinking approach to AI-enabled delivery — leveraging automation, agentic AI, and data-driven decision-making to transform programme execution.

What you’ll do

• Strategic Client Leadership

• Own and develop the client relationship at executive level — acting as a trusted strategic partner, not just a delivery manager.

• Lead governance forums, steering committees, and executive reviews with authority and credibility.

• Anticipate client needs, proactively shape engagement strategy, and identify opportunities to deepen the relationship and expand scope.

• Navigate complex client politics and competing priorities, building consensus and driving alignment at senior levels.

• Use AI-supported insights to strengthen client communications, forecasting, and strategic decision-making.

• Manage escalations with composure and judgement, maintaining trust even under pressure.

• Programme Delivery & Governance

• Lead multiple concurrent BAU, change, and transformation programmes with varied scope and complexity — taking full accountability for outcomes.

• Own the full delivery lifecycle from initiation through closure, with particular expertise in large-scale card issuing data migration programmes.

• Drive migration strategy, rehearsals, cutovers, and rollback planning with rigour and attention to operational risk.

• Operate confidently in ambiguous environments — structuring unclear programmes, making decisions with incomplete information, and adapting approach as understanding evolves.

• Drive adoption of AI-enabled delivery approaches including automated status reporting, predictive risk and dependency analysis, and data-driven capacity planning.

• Ensure all deliveries meet Fiserv quality standards, contractual commitments, and regulatory obligations.

• Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Build, lead, and motivate cross-functional delivery teams — setting clear expectations and fostering a culture of ownership and accountability.

• Mentor and develop project managers and delivery leads within the team.

• Champion consistent use of automation and AI tooling across delivery teams to reduce manual effort and improve quality.

• Lead by example in adopting modern delivery practices and continuous improvement.

• Cross-Functional Coordination

• Orchestrate delivery across global, onshore, and offshore teams — ensuring alignment and removing blockers at pace.

• Coordinate effectively across Product, Technology, Architecture, Operations, Compliance, and Integration functions.

• Work with payment schemes (Visa, Mastercard), third-party vendors, and regulators where required.

• Drive cross-programme dependency management and resource optimisation across the portfolio.

• Risk, Issue & Change Management

• Proactively identify and manage delivery, regulatory, operational, and migration-specific risks — with strong judgement on escalation vs resolution.

• Apply AI-assisted risk identification and trend analysis to stay ahead of emerging issues.

• Manage scope changes, CRs, and client expectations through robust governance and clear communication.

• Ensure compliance with Fiserv standards and regional regulatory frameworks (CBUAE, SAMA, etc.).

• Financial & Commercial Accountability

• Own programme P&L — tracking budgets, resource utilisation, margin, and commercial exposure.

• Use automation and AI-driven analysis to improve forecasting accuracy and cost transparency.

• Lead SOW development, effort estimation, and contract negotiations.

• Partner with sales and commercial teams to identify growth opportunities within existing accounts.

• Manage commercial risk and ensure programmes remain within agreed financial parameters.

Experience you’ll need to have:

• 15–20+ years of experience in programme or project management within payments, card processing, or financial services technology.
• Deep expertise in payments processing, particularly credit card issuing and platform migrations.
• Proven leadership of large-scale, multi-stream data migration programmes in the card issuing domain, including card portfolios, customer/account data, transaction and balance migration, cutover planning, parallel runs, and post-migration stabilisation.
• Extensive experience managing enterprise clients at C-suite and VP level, with a consultative, trusted-adviser approach.
• Strong delivery track record in credit card issuing and large-scale data migration programmes — multiple successful migrations delivered.
• Practical experience using AI and automation to streamline delivery, governance, and reporting — beyond assistive tooling into embedded and agentic AI.
• Strong understanding of card issuing platforms (VisionPLUS / FirstVision), data flows, and migration risks.
• PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, MSP, or equivalent programme management certification.

Experience that would be great to have:

• Experience across multiple card processing platforms (FirstVision, CMS, TSYS, Cortex).

• Knowledge of ISO 8583 messaging, card scheme certification, and service-based integrations.

• Prior experience in management consultancy or professional services delivery.

• Experience managing programmes with budgets exceeding $5M.

• Familiarity with portfolio management and PMO leadership.

• Salary starting at €77,670 - negotiable depending on experience