Chargeback & Disputes Subject Matter Expert (SME) - 10+ Years Experience

Navigating the FinTech Leadership Landscape: Inside the Chargeback SME Role at Art Technology and Software

The Indian FinTech ecosystem is undergoing a seismic shift. As digital payment volumes explode—crossing 131 billion transactions in FY 2023-24 according to NPCI data—the operational backbone of this revolution, the dispute and chargeback mechanism, has moved from a back-office function to a strategic boardroom priority. It is within this high-stakes environment that Art Technology and Software, a key player in the payment technology stack, is hunting for a Chargeback & Disputes Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Kochi, Kerala. This is not merely a vacancy; it is a call for a veteran architect who can turn revenue leakage into recovered assets and operational chaos into streamlined workflows.

Industry Context: With the RBI's tightening guidelines on payment aggregators and the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Act, the cost of non-compliance in dispute management has never been higher. A single mishandled arbitration case can cost lakhs; a systemic failure can cost crores.

Why This Role Represents a Pivotal Career Inflection Point

For a professional with a decade of battle scars in the payments arena, the next move must be strategic. This position offers a rare convergence of technical depth, strategic autonomy, and geographic advantage. Kochi is rapidly emerging as a credible FinTech hub, hosting development centers for global giants and homegrown unicorns alike, offering a quality of life that metros struggle to match without the compensation penalty.

Art Technology and Software operates at the intersection of art (user experience design) and technology (transaction processing). An SME here doesn't just follow Visa and Mastercard rulebooks (VCR, Mastercom); they interpret them to build product logic. You are expected to be the "Final Word" on:

• Complex Arbitration Strategy: Deciding when to accept liability vs. fight through pre-arbitration/arbitration cycles based on ROI modeling.
• Product Influence: Collaborating with engineering teams to embed dispute intelligence into the transaction lifecycle—preventing disputes before they are filed via Order Insight, Consumer Clarity, or Ethoca alerts.
• Regulatory Navigation: Ensuring dispute workflows align with RBI Master Directions on Payment Aggregators/Gateways and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules.

Deconstructing the 10+ Year Mandate: What "Expert" Actually Looks Like

The "10+ Years" requirement is a proxy for pattern recognition. The ideal candidate has lived through the migration from magnetic stripe to EMV, the rise of tokenization, the nightmare of friendly fraud, and the advent of 3DS 2.0. You likely possess:

• Network Fluency: Intimate knowledge of Visa Claims Resolution (VCR) and Mastercard Dispute Administration (MDA) workflows, including reason code migration maps.
• Tool Mastery: Hands-on configuration experience with platforms like Verifi (Order Insight/RDR), Ethoca, Chargebacks911, Midigator, or proprietary in-house dashboards.
• Data-Driven Storytelling: The ability to present a Chargeback Ratio Reduction Roadmap to the C-suite, translating "Reason Code 10.4" into "Projected Annual Savings of ₹X Crores."
• Team Leadership: Mentoring analysts handling first-chargeback responses, managing BPO vendor relationships for overflow, and defining SLAs for representment packaging.

The Hybrid Advantage: Kochi's FinTech Momentum

The hybrid mandate (Kochi-based) is a deliberate strategic choice. Kerala's talent pool—fueled by premier institutes like IIM Kozhikode, NIT Calicut, and CUSAT—produces engineers and MBAs with high retention rates. For the SME, this means building a high-caliber, loyal dispute operations team without the 40% attrition rates common in Bangalore or Mumbai. The cost-to-company efficiency allows the organization to invest more in tooling, training, and certifications (like CPP, CFE, or CAMS) for the team you will lead.

Strategic Preparation: Positioning Yourself as the "Unicorn" Candidate

With 100+ applicants already in the funnel within 48 hours, the screening bar is exceptionally high. Generic profiles highlighting "chargeback processing" will be filtered out instantly. To secure the interview, your LinkedIn Easy Apply profile and resume must scream Outcome Ownership.

1. Quantify Your Legacy (The "So What?" Test)

Don't list responsibilities. List transformations.

• Weak: "Managed Visa/Mastercard disputes for a payment gateway."
• Powerful: "Architected a representment automation engine reducing manual effort by 60%, recovering ₹12 Cr annually in previously written-off revenue, while maintaining a net chargeback ratio of 0.45% (well below the 0.9% threshold)."

2. Demonstrate Product Mindset

Highlight instances where you influenced the product roadmap. Did you push for 3DS 2.0 frictionless flow adoption? Did you integrate RDR (Rapid Dispute Resolution) to auto-resolve fraud disputes pre-chargeback? Did you build dashboards giving merchants real-time dispute visibility? This role demands a bridge between Operations and Engineering.

3. Showcase Regulatory & Compliance Muscle

India's regulatory landscape is unique. Explicitly mention experience with:

• RBI's Framework for Compromise Settlements and Technical Write-offs (relevant for merchant settlement negotiations).
• Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions escalations.
• PCI-DSS Requirement 12.10 (Incident Response) as it pertains to breach-related chargeback spikes.

4. The "Hybrid Leadership" Narrative

Prepare anecdotes of managing distributed teams. How do you maintain SLA adherence when analysts work remotely? How do you conduct "War Room" sessions for high-value arbitration cases via Zoom/Teams? The hiring manager needs confidence that you can build culture without daily physical presence.

The Hidden Curriculum: What the JD Doesn't Say

Reading between the lines of a "Reposted" role with high applicant volume suggests two possibilities: either the bar is set exceptionally high (seeking a specific niche profile like Crypto/High-Risk Merchant vertical expertise), or the compensation structure is heavily variable/equity-based requiring a specific risk appetite. As an SME, you must probe during the screening call:

• Merchant Portfolio Mix: % of High-Risk (Gaming, Forex, Adult, Crypto) vs. Low-Risk (SaaS, Retail, Education). High-risk portfolios demand a different skillset (Visa VAMP, Mastercard AN 4569 compliance).
• Tech Stack Maturity: Is the dispute module built in-house or bought? In-house means you need SQL/Python skills to query raw logs; bought means you need vendor management skills.
• Organizational Chart: Does this role report to CRO, COO, CTO, or VP Operations? Reporting to Product/CTO implies a build mandate; Operations implies an optimize mandate.

Long-Term Career Trajectory: The "Chief Risk Officer" Pipeline

This role is a classic stepping stone to C-suite Risk Leadership. In the Indian FinTech context, the career arc typically follows: Dispute SME → Head of Chargebacks/Risk Operations → VP Risk/Trust & Safety → Chief Risk Officer (CRO). The exposure to revenue recovery, fraud vectors, regulatory compliance, and merchant lifecycle management provides a 360-degree view of the payment risk surface that few other roles offer.

Furthermore, with the rise of Account-to-Account (A2A) payments, UPI dispute resolution (UDR), and CBDC pilots, the definition of a "chargeback" is evolving. The SME who masters the current card network rules *and* builds the framework for UPI/BDC dispute resolution becomes indispensable.

Pro Tip: Before applying, download the latest Visa Core Rules and Mastercard Chargeback Guide updates (released April/October annually). Reference a specific recent rule change (e.g., Visa's updated compelling evidence standards for digital goods or Mastercard's Collaboration changes) in your cover note. It signals active practice, not just tenure.

Final Verdict: A Rare Blend of Depth and Autonomy

The Chargeback & Disputes SME role at Art Technology and Software is a premium opportunity for the seasoned payments professional. It offers the intellectual challenge of complex financial forensics, the leadership canvas of team building in a growing hub, and the strategic leverage of product influence. For the candidate who views chargebacks not as a cost center but as a data-rich feedback loop for product and risk improvement, this is the arena to define the next decade of your career.

Apply via LinkedIn Easy Apply, but treat the application as a strategic proposal. Lead with your P&L impact, your regulatory battle scars, and your vision for dispute prevention in the age of UPI and Tokenization. The 100+ applicants are your competition; your decade of expertise is your moat. Cross it wisely.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What specific certifications would significantly strengthen an application for this Chargeback SME role?

A: While not explicitly mandated, certifications signal structured knowledge. The Certified Payments Professional (CPP) from the Payments Association is the gold standard. For the fraud/chargeback nexus, the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) are highly valued. Niche credentials like Verifi/ Ethoca Certified Specialist or vendor-specific certs (e.g., Chargebacks911 Certified Analyst) demonstrate hands-on tool proficiency which is critical for the "Product Influence" aspect of this role.

Q2: How does the dispute landscape for UPI/RuPay differ from Visa/Mastercard, and is that knowledge expected here?

A: Absolutely. Unlike the chargeback-liability-shift model of card networks, UPI operates on a UPI Dispute Resolution (UDR) framework governed by NPCI, involving distinct reason codes, TATs (Turnaround Times), and the concept of "Technical Declines" vs. "User Disputes." RuPay follows a hybrid model aligning closer to international networks but with domestic mandates. An SME in an Indian FinTech *must* demonstrate fluency in NPCI circulars (e.g., UDR v2.0 updates) and the Ombudsman escalation matrix for digital transactions, as the portfolio likely processes significant domestic volume alongside international cards.

Q3: What is the typical compensation structure for a 10+ Year SME in Kochi's FinTech sector?

A: For a niche SME role in Kochi (Hybrid), the market benchmark typically ranges between ₹35 LPA to ₹55 LPA CTC (Fixed + Variable), often with ESOPs/RSUs if the organization is funded/pre-IPO. The "Reposted" status *may* indicate flexibility on the upper band for the exact right profile (e.g., High-Risk/Crypto expertise). Candidates should anchor negotiations on Revenue Recovered / Chargeback Ratio Reduced metrics from previous roles rather than just years of service.

Q4: Is there a possibility of this role transitioning to a fully remote model given the "Hybrid" tag?

A: In the current Indian FinTech climate, "Hybrid" for a Senior SME/Leadership role usually implies mandatory 2-3 days/week onsite for stakeholder alignment (Product, Engineering, Compliance), war rooms, and team building. Fully remote is rare for roles requiring deep cross-functional collaboration and regulatory liaisoning. However, negotiable "Work from Anywhere" weeks per quarter are becoming a standard retention perk. Clarify the specific cadence during the first HR screen.