Senior Payment Operations Specialist

Role Summary

The Senior Payment Operations Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely execution of payment operations processes, ensuring compliance with service level agreements and supporting the integrity of financial transactions across the organization. This role partners closely with Product and Technology teams to drive platform stability and enhancement.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage, monitor, and ensure all payment processing meets established SLAs for timeliness and accuracy
• Triage and resolve payment exceptions, including items in manual review queues
• Perform daily and monthly reconciliation of payment accounts
• Ensure all payment activities adhere to regulatory and internal compliance guidelines, including NACHA rules, HIPAA requirements, and company-specific controls
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies across multiple systems (payment gateways, ledgering platforms, claims processing systems)
• Conduct production verification following releases
• Prepare operational reports on payment volumes, exception rates, and reconciliation status to internal stakeholders
• Collaborate with Product and Technology teams to identify platform defects, define operational requirements, and validate enhancements that improve reliability and efficiency
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams (Finance, Engineering, Compliance) to resolve escalated payment issues
• Maintain and follow standard operating procedures; recommend process improvements where appropriate
• Assist with audit support by providing documentation and transaction-level detail as needed

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in payment operations, financial services, or healthcare claims/insurance operations
• Ability to translate operational pain points into clear requirements for Product and Technology teams, and to validate that delivered solutions meet operational needs
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present complex operational information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Demonstrated ability to lead root cause investigations, ask incisive questions, and de-escalate high-pressure situations with internal and external stakeholders
• Track record of building effective working relationships across departments including Finance, Product, Engineering, and Compliance
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including complex formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data validation, macros/VBA, and large dataset management
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy and accountability
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a bias toward process improvement and operational efficiency
• Ability to develop and deliver training materials and present to cross-functional teams
• Self-directed and proactive, with demonstrated ownership of outcomes and continuous improvement mindset

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leveraging AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot) to improve operational workflows, accelerate data analysis, automate repetitive tasks, or enhance decision-making in a professional setting
• Working knowledge of SQL for querying databases, building ad hoc reports, investigating data discrepancies, and supporting reconciliation workflows
• Experience with Jira, CRM platforms, and operational workflow tools; comfort learning and navigating new systems quickly