Director Payment Operations in CT

The Director, Payments Operations is a transformation-focused operational leader responsible for driving the growth, modernization, and scaling of end-to-end payments services. This role owns customer payments processing and application, postage and shipping product funding, payments reconciliation, automation and efficiency delivery, and the operational relationships with banks — including compliance and growth. Reporting to the VP, Customer Enablement & Operations, this position operates strategically in a matrixed environment while delivering disciplined payments transformation and high performance across a specialist, cross-functional team.

Key Responsibilities:

Payments Transformation & Strategy

  • Lead and oversee the end-to-end transformation of payments operations, encompassing customer payments to PB and customer funding of postage and shipping products.
  • Develop and execute a multi-year roadmap to scale payments services, improving speed, reliability, and customer experience across all payment channels.
  • Identify and deliver automation opportunities and operational efficiencies across the payments lifecycle, reducing manual effort and error rates.
  • Act as a subject matter expert and strategic voice for payments across the broader organization, influencing product, technology, and commercial decisions.

Customer Experience in Payments

  • Drive measurable improvement in customer experience across all payments touchpoints, from initiation through to reconciliation and exception handling.
  • Establish customer-centric metrics and feedback loops to continuously monitor and improve the payments journey.
  • Partner with Customer Support, Product, and Technology teams to resolve systemic CX pain points and embed payments improvements into the broader customer lifecycle.

Payments Processing & Operations

  • Oversee day-to-day customer payments processing and application, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance across all payment types.
  • Own the reconciliation of customer payments to PB accounts, ensuring financial integrity and prompt resolution of discrepancies.
  • Define and maintain operational controls, SLAs, and escalation frameworks for payments processing.
  • Monitor operational KPIs and cash flow metrics; report performance and risks to senior leadership on a regular cadence.

Third-Party Banking Relationships

  • Own the strategic relationship with Citizens Bank, managing all connected operations, performance standards, and ensuring full compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
  • Own the relationship and growth plan with PB Bank, operationalizing and scaling offerings to meet both customer experience requirements and Bank regulatory obligations.
  • Lead governance forums, performance reviews, and issue resolution with both banking partners.
  • Stay current on payments regulation and ensure all operations remain compliant with relevant legal, regulatory, and risk frameworks.

People Leadership

  • Lead a team of payments operations professionals, including the ability to lead leaders, fostering a high-performance and inclusive culture.
  • Set clear direction, goals, and accountability frameworks for the team; build capability for current needs and future growth.
  • Recruit, develop, and retain specialist payments talent in a competitive market.

Qualifications & Experience

Required:

  • Demonstrated leadership experience in payments operations, financial services, or a related regulated environment, with specific expertise in payment processing, bank partnerships, or treasury operations.
  • Proven track record of leading payments or financial services transformation programs — delivering automation, process improvement, and capability scaling.
  • Deep understanding of payment ecosystems, including payment rails, reconciliation, funding mechanisms, and banking compliance requirements.
  • Experience managing third-party banking or fintech relationships, including regulatory and compliance oversight.
  • Strong leadership skills with experience leading leaders in a matrixed, cross-functional environment.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; able to engage effectively with stakeholders at all organizational levels.
  • Demonstrated client focus and experience embedding customer experience improvements into operational processes.