Program Manager — Banking Payments & Program Delivery

About the Role We are hiring a Program Manager on behalf of our client, a global financial technology leader, to drive multi-stream execution for a high-priority banking payments initiative in downtown Toronto. This is a hands-on program leadership role where you will own end-to-end delivery across internal product teams, engineering streams, and major North American banking partners.

You are a delivery-focused Program Manager who understands complex banking payment infrastructure. Instead of learning banking rails on the job, you bring direct North American banking experience—specifically around wire transfers, SWIFT, and core payment processing—to structure execution, resolve cross-functional dependencies, and ensure on-time delivery.

Logistics & Rate

• Duration: 6-month rolling contract (~40 hours/week)
• Location: Hybrid — 3 days onsite in Downtown Toronto (200 Bay)

What You'll Own

• Program Delivery & Governance: Lead multi-stream execution across engineering, product, operations, and external bank partners, keeping complex payments programs aligned to critical milestones.
• Payments & Wire Domain Execution: Apply working knowledge of wire transfer systems (SWIFT, high-value payments, core payment processing) to anticipate delivery bottlenecks, rule updates, and operational handoffs.
• Bank Partner Alignment: Manage integration and delivery flows within North American banking environments (Big 5 Canadian banks or US financial institutions), maintaining alignment across compliance, risk, and bank-side oversight teams.
• Stakeholder Orchestration: Drive alignment across a broad stakeholder network (30–50+ people) spanning product management, risk, compliance, infrastructure, and executive leadership.
• Risk & Escalation Management: Establish clear dependency tracking, proactive risk mitigation plans, and structured escalation paths across technical and business functions.

What You Bring

• Program Management Track Record: 7+ years managing complex, multi-stream programs end-to-end within financial services or fintech.
• North American Banking Domain: Strong background working directly within or alongside major Canadian financial institutions or Tier-1 US banks.
• Payments Expertise: Proven experience delivering initiatives focused on wire transfers, SWIFT messaging, or large-value payment infrastructure.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Demonstrated capability leading large cross-functional teams (engineering, risk, compliance, operations) without direct authority.
• Delivery Rigor: Hands-on experience driving cadence, sprint/release alignment, dependency mapping, and risk reporting.

Nice to Have

• Direct experience with Payments Modernization initiatives (e.g., ISO 20022 messaging standards, Real-Time Payments/RTP).
• Exposure to card programs, cross-border payouts, or embedded banking platforms.