Technical Architect

We are looking for a hands-on Cards Technical Architect with deep expertise in card issuing, acquiring, and processing systems to design and lead the implementation of next-generation card platforms for tier-1 banks and financial institutions. This is a high-impact client-facing role combining architecture leadership, solution design, and technical governance.Key ResponsibilitiesLead end-to-end technical architecture and design for card issuing and acquiring platforms (debit, credit, prepaid, virtual, commercial, fleet cards)Design scalable, high-availability, and PCI-DSS compliant card management systems (VisionPLUS, IST/Card, Cardlink, Way4, TSYS/TS2, Fiserv/FDR, Marqeta, Galileo, Stripe Issuing, or in-house platforms)Define integration architecture with core banking, payment gateways (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, UPI, local schemes), fraud engines (Falcon, FICO, Feedzai), 3DS, tokenization (MDES, VTS), and digital walletsOwn non-functional requirements: performance (sub-second transaction response), resilience, disaster recovery, and cyber-securityProduce high-quality architecture artefacts (HLD, LLD, interface contracts, data models, sequence diagrams) following TOGAF/Big 4 standardsAct as the technical design authority in client workshops, governance forums, and steering committeesGuide development and testing teams (onshore/offshore) and enforce architecture runway and quality gatesEvaluate and recommend modern card platforms, cloud-native issuing (AWS, GCP, Azure), microservices, event-driven architecture, and real-time processingSupport presales and RFP responses with technical solutioning and effort estimationRequired Experience & SkillsHands-on experience with at least two major card processing platforms (mandatory):VisionPLUS (FirstVision, CMS, CDM, CTA, TRAMS)TSYS (TS1/TS2)IST/Switch, Cardlink, Way4, OpenWay, Fiserv (FDR/First Data), or Marqeta/GalileoDeep knowledge of card lifecycle (embossing, PIN generation, authorization, clearing & settlement, chargebacks, disputes, rewards, instalments)Strong expertise in ISO 8583, EMV, contactless, tokenization (MDES/VTS), 3-D Secure 2.x, network rules (Visa/Mastercard/Amex)Experience migrating legacy card systems to modern/cloud-native issuing platformsProficiency in Java/J2EE or .NET ecosystems, microservices, Kafka/Event Streaming, REST APIs, and containerization (Kubernetes/Docker)PCI-DSS, data privacy (GDPR), and secure coding experience is mandatoryTOGAF, AWS/GCP/Azure Solution Architect certifications highly desirablePrior Big 4 or Tier-1 consulting background is a strong advantage