Solution Architect - Issuer processing

About Us:
Network International is the largest Financial Technology company in Middle East and Africa. Payments is our core business where we provide services in more than 50 countries – UAE, Jordan, South Africa, Egypt are some of our key markets. Apart from payments, we provide services on Data and Insights, Lending, Insurance, Risk Solutions, etc. Our core customers are businesses at every scale and segment, though recently we are growing in direct to consumer card segment as well.
Our EVP's:
At Network International, we always stay ahead. . In the fast-paced world of financial services, we thrive on innovation, agility, and purposeful collaboration. We invest  first in our people, empowering you to make bold decisions, learn fast, and grow your expertise alongside industry leaders. Here, solving complex problems means more than using cutting-edge technology; it’s about creating meaningful value for our customers, together. We foster a culture where trust, accountability, and achievement go hand in hand—because success isn’t just a goal; it’s how we work, every day, as one team.
Job Description:
 We are seeking an experienced Solution Architect – Cards Issuer Processing to design, own, and evolve end-to-end architecture solutions across the card issuing value chain for Network Flex platform. The ideal candidate combines deep domain expertise in card issuing operations with strong technical breadth across issuer processing platforms, cloud technologies, and payment scheme ecosystems. This role requires the ability to translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and compliant architectures, while also engaging confidently with clients, business stakeholders, and board-level audiences.

Responsibilities:
 1. Cards Issuer Functionalities & Value Chain Expertise

• Own end-to-end solution design across the card issuing value chain, including card issuance, account management, authorization, clearing & settlement, dispute management/chargebacks, fraud & risk management, rewards/loyalty, and customer servicing.

• Design solutions covering the full product lifecycle: card onboarding, embossing/personalization, activation, transaction processing, statements, and card lifecycle events (renewal, replacement, closure).

• Ensure architecture supports multiple card products — debit, credit, prepaid, virtual cards, and commercial cards.

• Map functional requirements to system capabilities across issuer host, switch, and ancillary systems.

• Architect solutions leveraging core issuer processing platforms such as Way4 (card management/issuing) and Base24 (switching), including migration paths from legacy switches to modern card management platforms.

• Design and support Card Control (cardholder controls) capabilities as part of the digital issuing experience.

• Architect fraud and risk decisioning solutions using FICO Falcon Fraud Manager and FICO Blaze Advisor, and advanced acquirer-side fraud detection using solutions such as Brighterion AI.

• Design 3-D Secure authentication flows and integrate with scheme-mandated authentication services.

• Architect digital wallet solutions covering card issuance/management, tokenized credential storage, remittances, loyalty integration, and multi-factor/biometric authentication.

• Design tokenization and in-app provisioning flows (e.g., push provisioning to mobile wallets) and instant issuance capabilities.

• Provide architectural input on loyalty platforms, issuer analytics/BI dashboards, real-time data streaming, revenue enhancement, and scheme cost optimization tooling, as well as AI-driven card optimization tools.

• Oversee architecture for card procurement and personalization/embossing workflows and vendor integrations.

• Support architecture for value-added digital channels such as mobile SDKs, conversational/WhatsApp banking, and PIN-by-SMS services.

• Design integration patterns between core issuing platforms, switches, fraud/decisioning engines, digital wallets, and digital banking channels.

• Evaluate, configure, and recommend platform capabilities to meet business and regulatory requirements.

• Provide architectural oversight for platform upgrades, migrations, and modernization initiatives.

• Design cloud-native and hybrid architectures for card issuing platforms across public/private cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP, or private cloud).

• Define strategies for containerization, microservices, API-led connectivity, and cloud security for payment workloads.

• Ensure architectures meet resilience, scalability, disaster recovery, and data residency requirements specific to payments processing.

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of international and local card scheme mandates (Visa, Mastercard, and applicable domestic schemes).

• Translate scheme mandates, compliance bulletins, and regulatory changes into architecture and system requirements.

• Ensure solutions remain compliant with PCI-DSS, EMV, 3-D Secure, tokenization standards, and other relevant payment security frameworks.

• Lead or support certification processes with card schemes (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) and embossing/personalization vendors.

• Coordinate technical certification testing, documentation, and sign-off across internal teams and external vendors.

• Maintain certification roadmaps and ensure timely renewal/compliance with scheme certification requirements.

• Maintain strong working knowledge across the payments technology stack: core banking/issuer platforms, APIs and middleware, databases, messaging systems (ISO 8583/ISO 20022), containerization/orchestration, security and cryptography (HSMs, key management), and DevOps/CI-CD practices.

• Stay current with emerging technologies and trends across the cards and payments industry, including real-time payments, digital wallets, tokenization, and open banking.

• Apply enterprise architecture frameworks (e.g., TOGAF or equivalent) to ensure alignment between business strategy and technology solutions.

• Maintain architecture artifacts, standards, and governance documentation in line with enterprise architecture best practices.

• Hold and maintain relevant enterprise architecture certifications.

• Develop multi-year technology roadmaps and strategic architecture blueprints for the cards issuing business.

• Assess build vs. buy vs. partner options for emerging capabilities.

• Identify opportunities for platform consolidation, modernization, and cost optimization.

• Lead technical solutioning and architecture design for RFP/RFI responses related to card issuing processing.

• Partner with sales, presales, and product teams to craft compelling, technically sound proposals.

• Develop solution costing inputs, technical differentiators, and win themes for client pitches.

• Present architecture solutions, roadmaps, and business cases to internal stakeholders, clients, and board members.

• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, business-relevant narratives for non-technical audiences.

• Act as a trusted technical advisor in client-facing engagements, workshops, and steering committees.

• Architect data flows supporting issuer analytics, reporting dashboards, and real-time data streaming for portfolio and transaction insights.

• Ensure data architecture supports revenue enhancement, scheme cost optimization, and AI/ML-driven decisioning use cases.

• Define API management, gateway, and integration strategies connecting core issuing systems with digital channels, fintech partners, and third-party services.

• Champion API-led connectivity and event-driven integration patterns across the issuing ecosystem.

• Architect security controls including HSM/key management, encryption, tokenization, and secure card data handling in line with PCI-DSS and scheme security requirements.

• Ensure architectures address data residency and in-country processing requirements mandated by local regulators/central banks.

• Define architecture standards for CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, and release management for issuer processing platforms.

• Establish resilience, monitoring, and observability practices to meet high-availability requirements of payment systems.

• Manage technical relationships with core platform vendors, scheme partners, fraud/analytics providers, and embossing/personalization bureaus.

• Support vendor evaluation, due diligence, and contract/SLA negotiations from a technical architecture perspective.

• Ensure architecture decisions account for AML/KYC obligations, central bank regulations, and cross-border data protection requirements.

• Partner with risk, compliance, and legal teams to validate architecture against evolving regulatory obligations.

• Track and evaluate emerging trends such as real-time payments, open banking, embedded finance, BNPL/installment products, and digital currencies (e.g., CBDC-ready architectures).

• Recommend proof-of-concept initiatives to test emerging technologies before broader rollout.

• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to solution/technical architects and engineering teams.

• Foster architecture best practices, knowledge sharing, and continuous capability building across the team.

• Evaluate total cost of ownership across architecture options, including licensing, infrastructure, and operational costs.

• Identify opportunities for platform consolidation and cost efficiency without compromising resilience or compliance.

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field; Master's degree preferred.

• 10+ years of experience in payments/cards technology, with at least 5 years in a solution/enterprise architecture role.

• Hands-on experience with core issuer processing platforms (Way4, Base24, Card Control) and fraud platforms (Falcon) strongly preferred.

• Proven experience with cloud architecture and migration projects (AWS/Azure/GCP).

• Strong understanding of Visa/Mastercard scheme rules, EMV, PCI-DSS, and card personalization/embossing processes.

• Experience leading or contributing to scheme and vendor certification processes.

• Enterprise architecture certification (e.g., TOGAF 9+) required or in progress.

• Demonstrated experience contributing to RFP responses and client-facing presales activities.

• Excellent presentation and communication skills, with experience presenting to senior/board-level stakeholders.

• Knowledge of ISO 8583 and ISO 20022 messaging standards.

• Familiarity with API gateways, microservices architecture, and event-driven design.

• Experience with HSM and key management solutions.

• Exposure to digital wallets, tokenization services (e.g., Visa Token Service, Mastercard MDES).

• Prior consulting or systems integrator experience in the payments industry.

• Experience with fraud/decisioning platforms (e.g., FICO Falcon, FICO Blaze Advisor, or equivalent) and AI-based fraud detection tools.

• Familiarity with loyalty platforms, BI/analytics dashboards, and real-time data streaming architectures.

• Understanding of AML/KYC frameworks and data residency/regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

• Exposure to emerging payment trends: real-time payments, open banking, BNPL/installments, embedded finance, and digital currencies.

• Experience with DevOps/CI-CD tooling and site reliability practices for high-availability payment systems.

• Strategic thinking and solution design

• Stakeholder management across technical and executive audiences

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Ability to work across matrixed, cross-functional teams

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Network International is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, nationalities, and experience levels. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where innovation, diversity, and performance thrive.