The Role:
We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Payments Business Operations (Offline Acquiring Focus) Expert to join our growing team.
This critical role will be responsible for optimizing the operational efficiency, stability, and scalability of our offline acquiring business, which encompasses point-of-sale (POS) systems, terminal deployments, merchant onboarding, and MCC/MDR quotation.
The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in the payments ecosystem, particularly the operational intricacies of face-to-face transactions, card present schemes, and related regulatory compliance.
Responsibilities:
Operational Strategy and Optimization
- Design, document, and implement best-in-class operational processes for the entire offline acquiring lifecycle, from merchant application and underwriting to settlement and chargeback management.
- Identify bottlenecks, points of friction, and manual tasks within current workflows and drive automation and process re-engineering efforts to improve efficiency and reduce operational risk.
- Manage the operational relationship with key external partners, including payment partners (Point of Sales, Payment service platforms, etc.), terminal vendors, ISOs, and third-party service providers essential to the offline ecosystem.
- Develop and maintain comprehensive operational policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) specific to POS deployments, terminal inventory management, and on-site support.
Offline Merchant Onboarding and Lifecycle Management
- Oversee the end-to-end operational flow for onboarding new merchants for offline payment acceptance, ensuring compliance with KYC/AML regulations and scheme rules for physical acquiring.
- Manage the Terminal service provider for inventory, configuration, deployment, and decommissioning processes for physical POS terminals and related hardware (e.g., PIN pads, receipt printers).
- Ensure the timely and accurate setup of merchant parameters, fee structures, and routing logic across all relevant payments systems.
- Serve as the escalation point for complex merchant operational issues, including connectivity failures, terminal malfunctions, and settlement discrepancies specific to offline transactions.
Performance Monitoring and Risk Management
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and operational metrics for the offline acquiring business (e.g., terminal uptime, deployment lead time, dispute resolution rates, operational costs).
- Monitor daily transaction processing and settlement activities to identify and resolve discrepancies or failures promptly.
- Collaborate with Risk and Compliance teams to ensure all operational procedures adhere to PCI DSS, scheme compliance mandates for card-present environments, and local regulatory requirements.
- Lead efforts related to scheme compliance reporting and operational audits for the offline channel.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Product Management to define operational requirements for new features or products related to offline acquiring technology.
- Provide subject matter expertise to Sales and Account Management teams regarding operational capabilities, limitations, and timelines for merchant solutions.
- Partner with Finance and Treasury teams to reconcile settlement files and manage operational float related to physical transactions.
What you'll bring
- At least 5 years of experience in Payments Operations, Business Operations, or a similar role within a bank, PSP, or fintech company.
- Demonstrable, deep operational experience specifically within the offline acquiring or merchant services space, including POS/terminal management and physical payment acceptance.
- Strong understanding of card scheme rules (Visa/Mastercard) and compliance requirements related to card-present transactions (e.g., terminal certification, PCI P2PE).
- Proven ability to design, document, and implement scalable, efficient operational processes.
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Computer Science, or a related field.
Skills and Attributes
- Proficiency with payments processing platforms, core banking systems, and settlement/reconciliation tools.
- Communication and stakeholder management skills, capable of influencing outcomes across technical and business teams.
- Detail-oriented, proactive, and capable of managing multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Familiarity with relevant regulations such as KYC, AML, and PSD2 (if applicable to region).
