MAIN OBJECTIVES:

The objective of the Payments Operations Manager is to oversee, manage, and lead the payments and settlements functions

• The primary goal of this position is to ensure the efficient and accurate processing of financial transactions, including settlements, treasury deals, cash management, and various client-related payments.
• The Payments Operations Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of these critical areas, ensuring that thousands of transactions are processed smoothly and securely.

KEY OBJECTIVES:

• Efficient Operations: Ensuring the smooth functioning of the payments and settlements teams by establishing and implementing standard operational procedures. This involves optimizing processes to enhance efficiency and reduce operational risks.
• Financial Control: Overseeing the timely and accurate settlement and positioning of treasury deals to effectively manage the bank's cash flow and liquidity.
• Client Services: Ensuring that client-related payment services, such as Current Account Services, Overdraft Facilities, Customer FX deals, Fixed Term Loans, Fixed Term Deposits, and Domestic, and International Payments, are executed flawlessly, meeting clients' needs and expectations.
• Compliance and Risk Management: Adhering to regulatory requirements and industry best practices to maintain a high level of compliance and risk control in payment operations.
• SWIFT Messaging System: Maintaining a high level of familiarity with the SWIFT messaging system, which is crucial for secure and efficient communication in international financial transactions.
• Bank Reconciliations: Performing bank reconciliations for payment-related items, ensuring accuracy, and acting as a key control over customer-related matters
• Innovation and Adaptation: Staying informed about changes and advancements in the banking and payments industry to suggest and implement new ideas that enhance the bank's efficiency and competitiveness
• Relationship Management: Managing and nurturing relationships with key stakeholders, including bank relationships with payment schemes and governance bodies such as Faster Payments, Pay.UK, CHAPS, etc
• Payment Scheme Compliance: Ensure that all payment processing activities, especially those related to CHAPS, FPS, and any other future payment schemes, are fully compliant with the rules, regulations, and guidelines set forth by the respective payment schemes and regulatory bodies
• Payment Processing Oversight: Oversee the day-to-day payment processing operations to ensure accurate, timely, and secure execution of transactions across various payment schemes
• BaaS and BANK API Understanding: Have a comprehensive understanding of Banking as a Service (BaaS) and Banking APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to leverage technology and streamline payment processes, enabling seamless integration with third-party platforms and services.

Risk and Regulatory Duties:

Lead for UK payment schemes access for the bank

• Management of scheme roadmap of internal activities
• Management of scheme rules and regular engagement with Bank-of-England, Pay.UK and associated scheme regulators
• Facilitate scheme schedule of events within Ops and IT as appropriate which may involve some testing at weekends and in early hours before the CHAPS payment service commences.
• For all settlements, ensure that all risk, controls and compliance processes are complied with including prompt and effective risk escalation and resolution takes place and bank operations escalation policies are implemented and adhered to
• Identifying and escalating areas of risk or problems to line manager and/or CFO, Treasurer, CO / MLRO or relationship manager as appropriate
• Support team members to ensure all allocated

Essential Experience Required;

• A Minimum of 5 years Managerial experience within Payments Operations/Treasury Back-office within the UK Banking industry
• Knowledge and experience of settlement systems and services.
• Knowledge and experience with Bank Operational Processes
• Good knowledge of Banknotes and MM/FX transactions
• Knowledge and experience of payment systems and services, in particular Faster Payments
• Strong SWIFT payment knowledge and experience with SEPA and other STP payments
• Good knowledge of FX transactions/multi-currency account operations