Deputy/Assistant Director, Payments Development, Scheme & Governance (Contract)

[What the role is]

You will be part of a dynamic team driving the next generation of digital payment solutions and enhancements to Singapore's national payment schemes. Through policy and scheme governance and infrastructure projects with the industry, you will help anchor Singapore's position as a global payments hub.

[What you will be working on]

You will work at the centre of Singapore's national payments policy, scheme governance, and infrastructure — shaping how Singapore pays locally and across borders:

• Shape the rules and architecture of Singapore's national payment schemes — You will work on the establishment of Singapore Payments Network (SPaN), the single entity consolidating the governance and administration of schemes such as PayNow, FAST and SGQR. This includes developing risk and governance frameworks and refining scheme rules. In practice, this means consulting key stakeholders such as industry working groups, banks and payment service providers, and translating policy intent into operational scheme requirements that the ecosystem can implement.

• Contribute to a significant chapter in Singapore's payments evolution — The PayNow Generation 2 project is exploring enhancements that will improve how consumers, merchants, businesses, and government agencies pay and receive payments. You will work on initiatives spanning PayNow-NETS QR interoperability, deep-linking within PayNow QR codes for smoother online checkout, larger-value public sector PayNow transactions, and expanded payment capabilities such as request-to-pay, structured data fields for automated reconciliation, and a micropayments rail.

• Help shape Singapore's approach to the future of payments — AI-driven commerce is beginning to reshape how payments are initiated globally. Singapore is taking a deliberate approach to this shift: laying the groundwork for these capabilities while putting the right governance, consumer safeguards, and scheme rules in place first. You will contribute to frameworks, scheme rule amendments and pilot designs to explore how Singapore's national payment rails can best harness agentic payments.

• Drive scheme initiatives from policy to implementation — You will manage end-to-end delivery of payment scheme projects. A significant part of this is stakeholder management: aligning banks, payment service providers, and merchants on scheme changes (e.g. bringing acquirers and issuers around a common QR interoperability standard), and resolving competing commercial and policy interests to reach outcomes that work for the ecosystem.

[What we are looking for]

Education and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Technology, or a related discipline

Experience

• Experience in payments, financial services, fintech, or a related field — whether in a bank, payment service provider, scheme operator, or regulator

• Hands-on exposure to payment scheme operations, product development, policy, or infrastructure projects is advantageous

• Familiarity with instant payment systems, QR payment schemes, or cross-border payment corridors is a plus

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong understanding of local and global payments landscape, financial technology and infrastructure, and banking industry trends would be an advantage

• Ability to translate complex technical and commercial payment concepts into clear policy positions, scheme rules, and stakeholder communications

• Strong written communication skills — you will be writing policy papers, briefing senior leadership, and engaging external stakeholders regularly

• Proven stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage and influence across technical teams, senior leadership, and external industry participants

Attributes

• Comfortable operating with autonomy and owning outcomes, while working collaboratively within a broader team

• Intellectually curious about where payments are heading — you follow global developments, form views, and bring them to the table

• Motivated by public impact: you want the work you do to matter to the people and businesses that use Singapore's payment system every day

• Able to navigate the rigour of a regulatory environment, while maintaining a drive and commercial instinct on par with the industry

You will be working in a fast-paced environment that would require the ability to manage multiple priorities and needs of stakeholders, as well as the agility to respond to changes and developments. As part of the shortlisting process for this role, you may be required to complete a medical declaration and/or undergo further assessment. This is a 2-year contract.

All applicants will be notified on whether they are shortlisted or not within 4 weeks of the closing date of this job posting.