Program Manager, Issuer Partnerships

# Program Manager, Issuer Partnerships

**Remote**
**Bay Area, CA, US**

**Req ID:** R0006534
**Posted Date:** 06/12/26

## About Block

It all started with an idea at Block in 2013. Initially built to take the pain out of peer-to-peer payments, Cash App has gone from a simple product with a single purpose to a dynamic ecosystem, developing unique financial products, including Afterpay/Clearpay, to provide a better way to send, spend, invest, borrow and save to our 50+ million monthly active customers. We want to redefine the world's relationship with money to make it more relatable, instantly available, and universally accessible.

Today, Cash App has thousands of employees working globally across office and remote locations, with a culture geared toward innovation, collaboration and impact. We've been a distributed team since day one, and many of our roles can be done remotely from the countries where Cash App operates. No matter the location, we tailor our experience to ensure our employees are creative, productive, and happy.

## The Role

We're looking for a senior individual-contributor program manager to help scale Block's Issuing programs through best-in-class partner management. Sitting within the Issuing team and reporting to an Issuing leader, you will operate independently as the DRI for a portfolio of our issuer and processor relationships (bank partners, BIN sponsors, and card processors). You'll set program direction, own outcomes from partner onboarding through launch and into steady-state operations, and partner closely with Product, Engineering, Compliance, Legal, and Operations to deliver compliant, performant, and scalable card experiences for Block's customers. This is a high-autonomy role: you'll be expected to navigate ambiguity, make consequential decisions with limited oversight, and engage executive counterparts at our partners and internally.

## You Will

- Independently own a portfolio of issuer and processor relationships end-to-end: program governance cadences, escalations, contract negotiations and amendments, change requests, and quarterly business reviews—acting as the primary point of contact with partner executives.

- Drive partner onboarding and product launches: coordinate diligence, technical integration, BIN setup, network and bank approvals, pilot scope, and GA launch readiness across all stakeholders.

- Be the connective tissue across Product, Engineering, Compliance, Risk, Legal, Operations, and Finance: translate partner requirements (network rules, bank policies, local regulatory obligations) into actionable internal plans and accelerate decisions.

- Set and drive program execution against the Issuing roadmap: define milestones, surface and resolve risks early, make calls on tradeoffs, and keep partners and internal stakeholders aligned on timelines and dependencies without needing day-to-day direction.

- Build durable partner operating mechanisms: SLAs, oversight reporting, incident and SEV handling protocols, MSA-driven obligations, and audit-ready documentation that meet partner, network, and internal policy standards.

- Be a go-to expert on the issuing ecosystem at Block: stay current on regulatory developments, network mandates, and partner ecosystem changes; shape program strategy and advise senior leadership on partner selection, sequencing, and tradeoffs.

- Communicate with clarity and apply AI for leverage: deliver concise, action-oriented updates to executive stakeholders; escalate risks early with data-backed options; and use AI/LLM-powered tooling for partner reporting, diligence workflows, and document review to reduce cycle time.

## You Have

- 8+ years of program or product operations management in fintech, issuing, banking, or payments, with direct experience independently owning bank partner and/or card processor relationships at a senior level.

- Working knowledge of card issuing economics, BIN sponsorship models, network rules (Visa/Mastercard), and the regulatory landscape for consumer card products.

- Demonstrated track record of independently leading complex cross-functional programs through significant ambiguity—from partner onboarding through launch—with full ownership of strategy, timelines, scope, and risk.

- Experience independently designing and standing up scalable program operating mechanisms (governance forums, SLAs, oversight reporting, incident response, playbooks) in a regulated environment.

- Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills; adept at influencing without authority across executive partner counterparts and internal product/engineering/compliance teams.

- Track record of building partner trust at the executive level and operating with discretion and sound judgment across sensitive commercial and regulatory matters.

- A builder's mindset paired with senior judgment—comfortable with ambiguity, rapid iteration, and hands-on execution in a 0-to-1 product environment without needing structured direction.

## Nice to Have

- Experience launching consumer financial products with multiple bank or processor partners; deep familiarity with at least one Tier 1 issuing bank or processor.

- Background in compliance program management (KYC, AML, BSA, sanctions) or partner oversight in a regulated fintech.

## Compensation

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions.

- **Zone A:** $148,700 — $223,100 USD
- **Zone B:** $138,300 — $207,500 USD
- **Zone C:** $130,900 — $196,300 USD
- **Zone D:** $123,400 — $185,200 USD

## Benefits

Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering.

## Equal Opportunity

We're working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and "fair chance" ordinances.

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible.