Card Schemes Consultant Analyst

We are seeking an expert in transactional Card Schemes of major brands (Mastercard, Visa, and American Express). The main objective of this role is to monitor, analyze, and validate charges to ensure their accuracy, detect cost-saving opportunities, and optimize interchange fees. You will be part of a Center of Excellence operating this service, provided by Aquanima.

In this position you will be responsible for providing insights to Santander business and operational units. To do so, you will use your strong analytical skills to perform quantitative transactional and cost data analyses. From these analyses, you will present your recommendations and opportunities to solve errors and optimize related cost and interchange charges.

In this role, you will leverage your strong analytical and communication skills to deliver actionable insights and recommendations. You will work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders, ensuring compliance with card scheme mandates and promoting cost efficiency across operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Monitor and validate charges received from Card Schemes, ensuring correct application of fees and resolving discrepancies.
• Reconcile payments with issuer-provided reports and investigate discrepancies in tariff charges.
• Conduct detailed analyses of invoices, clearing files, and portfolio reports to identify errors, cost-saving opportunities, and potential efficiencies.
• Present observations, insights, and recommendations to internal business units and stakeholders.
• Stay informed of updates to Card Schemes’ tariffs and mandates, assessing and communicating their impact on operations.
• Prepare detailed reports and presentations on the financial impact of tariff changes.
• Support and train internal teams to understand Card Schemes’ fees and their operational implications.
• Create and maintain internal documentation, including standard operating procedures, tariff reconciliation guidelines, and best practices.
• Lead and facilitate workshops to identify cost-saving opportunities and define actionable strategies.
• Track the execution and impact of agreed recommendations and initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience:

• From 2 to 5 years of experience in roles related to Card Schemes’ processing, interchange fees, and cost optimization.
• Strong analytical, quantitative, and communication skills.
• Familiarity with payment platforms and banking systems for transaction processing.
• Proven ability to collaborate with local and regional teams, often in a remote environment.
• Management consulting experience is a plus.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish (Portuguese is a strong advantage).

Skills and Competencies:

Technical Skills:

• Proficiency in data analysis tools and dashboards such as SQL, Power BI, QlikView and advanced Excel.
• Knowledge of Card Schemes’ platforms and relational databases for information exploitation.
• Familiarity with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and their applications in data mining.

Soft Skills:

• Effective communication skills for engaging with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to interpret and present large data sets clearly and critically.
• Teamwork and project management experience.
• Ability to identify opportunities and drive the execution of cost-optimization initiatives.

This position offers a challenging and rewarding opportunity to drive meaningful cost efficiencies while supporting the strategic goals of the organization. This position will be based in Madrid.