Head of Payment Operations

The Vice President of Business Payment Operations will serve as a strategic leader and operational architect, accountable for the end-to-end execution, innovation, and scalability of all payment functions within the Paymode ecosystem. This high-impact role drives operational excellence, regulatory compliance, customer experience, and future-ready payment strategies. 

With deep expertise in ACH, wire, virtual card, and international payment operations, this senior leader will partner across Product, Risk, Compliance, Fraud Prevention, Technology, and Client Success to transform payment operations into a competitive advantage for Bottomline. 

How you’ll contribute

Strategic Leadership & Operational Excellence 

• Define and drive the strategic vision for payment operations, aligning with company growth objectives and industry trends. 
• Develop scalable, efficient, and secure payment systems that enable rapid innovation and client satisfaction. 
• Lead business-critical payment workflows including wire and ACH funding, virtual card issuance and services, returns and refunds, international payments, settlement, and reconciliation. 
• Design and implement a payment operations roadmap, balancing short-term efficiency with long-term scalability. 

Compliance, Risk & Control Management 

• Ensure strict compliance with all relevant regulations including Nacha Operating Rules, OFAC, FinCEN, and other global EFT requirements. 
• Champion a strong risk and control environment, ensuring payment processes meet audit, fraud prevention, and data security standards. 
• Support the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) with annual reporting, audit preparation, and controls testing. 
• Adheres to internal controls and recommends improvements in collaboration with Accounting and Treasury to reduce financial and operational risks. 

Data-Driven Optimization & Performance Monitoring 

• Use data analytics to drive continuous improvement and informed decision-making across operations. 
• Track, analyze, and report on operational KPIs to improve performance, reduce exceptions, and enhance team accountability. 
• Identify friction points and lead initiatives to simplify workflows, improve SLAs, and reduce manual intervention. 

Innovation & Technology Enablement 

• Partner with Product and Engineering teams to implement new technologies that modernize payment infrastructure and drive competitive advantage. 
• Evaluate and integrate third-party solutions to enhance operational speed, resiliency, and customer experience. 
• Serve as the internal SME for payment-related projects and product innovations across Paymode and Bottomline. 

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Vendor Engagement 

• Lead a high-performing, cross-functional team and foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and innovation. 
• Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Finance, Product, and Customer teams to align priorities and ensure seamless execution. 
• Manage and optimize third-party service provider relationships to improve quality, reduce risk, and ensure operational reliability. 

If you have the attributes, skills, and experience listed below, we want to hear from you

• 10+ years of progressive leadership in payment operations, financial services, or banking, with a focus on compliance, scalability, and innovation. 
• 5+ years in a senior leadership role, managing multi-disciplinary teams in a fast-paced, regulated environment. 
• Deep expertise in payment processing including ACH, wires, virtual cards, and international payments. 
• Demonstrated success in designing and implementing process improvements, automation initiatives, and strategic roadmaps. 
• Strong command of regulatory frameworks (e.g., Nacha, OFAC, FinCEN), fraud prevention, and operational risk management. 
• Proficiency in leveraging data analytics, reporting platforms, and KPIs to optimize performance and inform strategy. 
• Proven ability to lead during complex, high-pressure situations while maintaining focus on long-term business value. 
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration skills. 
• Experience working with or overseeing payment technology platforms, ERP integrations, and customer-facing systems. 

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