Payment Operations Lead

Our client is a leading UK fashion and home retailer.

The Role

Play a key role in managing £4 billion in global payments, leading a talented team, and driving a major ERP transformation. We are looking for a Payment Operations Lead who thrives in fast-paced, high-volume environments and brings a passion for operational excellence, collaborative leadership and meaningful change. This role goes far beyond overseeing daily processes. You will take end-to-end ownership from strategy to execution, guiding a dedicated team through a significant systems evolution. You will ensure the accurate, timely, and secure disbursement of over £4 billion in annual payments across our global operations.

Managing a UK team of three alongside offshore resources, you will serve as the expert and go-to contact for payment operations across the business. Your leadership will be essential as we transition to a new ERP platform, where your expertise will deliver a smooth, efficient implementation with zero disruption to our payment commitments.

What You Will Take On

• Lead and support your team: Build an environment of continuous improvement while ensuring accurate, compliant global payments.
• Own the payment cycle: Oversee end-to-end operations including supplier payments, payroll, tax disbursements, and intercompany transfers.
• Drive ERP transformation: Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT), cutover strategy, go-live readiness, and post-launch stability for payments.
• Manage key partnerships: Strengthen relationships with external banking partners and Payment Service Providers (PSPs), collaborating closely with internal Treasury, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and IT teams.
• Uphold compliance and risk management: Maintain robust internal controls and ensure strict adherence to external financial regulations.
• Focus on continuous improvement: Introduce modern tools, automation, and refined processes that reduce risk and increase efficiency.

What You Will Bring

• Proven track record leading payment operations in a complex, high-volume environment, ideally within global retail.
• Strong leadership capability with experience developing both UK-based and offshore teams.
• Comprehensive understanding of global payment mechanisms and financial compliance standards, including AML, sanctions and treasury controls.
• Practical experience with enterprise ERP systems such as SAP or Oracle, alongside exposure to payment automation tools like Robotic Process Automation (RPA) or payment factories.
• A clear, analytical approach to problem-solving and a calm, proactive attitude toward change.
• Excellent communication skills with an ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders across the business.

Desirable Qualifications

• Professional qualification such as ACT, CIMA, ACCA, ACA, or equivalent.
• Direct experience delivering payment transformation or system migration projects.

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