A Card Subject Matter Expert (SME) in IT should be a specialist with deep knowledge and expertise in the technology, processes, and systems involved in payment card solutions. Below are the key capabilities of a Card SME IT resource:

7+ years of experience in the same role:

1. Technical Expertise in Payment Card Systems

• Card Issuance and Management: Expertise in the lifecycle of card issuance, including credit, debit, prepaid, and corporate cards, from application to activation, usage, and closure.
• Card Schemes and Standards: In-depth knowledge of major card schemes (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX, etc.) and their respective protocols, including EMV (Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) standards, PCI-DSS compliance, and tokenization.
• Card Personalization and Printing: Knowledge of card personalization technologies, including embossing, magnetic stripe encoding, and chip programming, as well as integration with card manufacturers and printers.
• Transaction Processing: Understanding of transaction authorization, settlement, clearing, and reconciliation processes in real-time payment systems, including ATM and POS (Point of Sale) systems.

2. Integration and System Architecture

• API Integration: Skilled in integrating card systems with other enterprise systems (e.g., core banking, CRM, fraud detection, and mobile banking applications) via APIs, web services, and batch processing.
• Card Management Systems (CMS): Expertise in deploying, managing, and customizing CMS platforms for cardholder account management, transaction monitoring, and reporting.
• Payment Gateway Integration: Knowledge of integrating card systems with payment gateways to enable secure online and in-store payment processing.

3. Security and Compliance

• Ensures that card-related systems meet the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS), including implementing secure card storage, encryption, and access control protocols.
• Implements fraud detection and prevention systems, including real-time monitoring, AI-driven anomaly detection, and machine learning models to identify fraudulent transactions.
• Expertise in tokenization techniques for secure payment transactions and EMV chip card security standards to prevent card fraud.

4. Data Management and Reporting

• Ensures compliance with data protection laws like GDPR for customer data, especially for transaction records.
• Proficiency in generating detailed reports on cardholder behavior, transaction trends, and card performance, as well as using analytics to improve system performance and customer experience.
• Ensures accurate and consistent management of cardholder data across systems and processes.

5. Troubleshooting and Support

• Ability to diagnose and resolve issues related to card processing, system downtime, or security breaches.
• Provides technical support and guidance to both internal teams and external cardholders, ensuring that card programs run smoothly and efficiently.

6. Business and Regulatory Knowledge

• Stays updated on global trends in the payment card industry, including the introduction of new card features (e.g., virtual cards, biometric authentication) and evolving customer preferences.
• Familiar with regulatory requirements like PSD2 (Payment Services Directive) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) regulations affecting card systems.
• Ensures that card systems enhance customer experience by streamlining processes, ensuring security, and introducing customer-friendly features.