Senior Payments Operations Officer (FTC)

Pay.UK; Aldgate; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days annual leave

Employee assistance programme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Season ticket loan

Annual fitness subsidy

Job summary

Pay.UK is seeking a Senior Payments Operations Officer for a 12-month fixed-term role in London. You will safeguard and manage Pay.UK’s payment operations across Bacs, FPS, ICS and Managed Services, ensuring incidents are handled promptly and effectively.

You’ll oversee day-to-day operations, support crisis processes, and provide expert guidance on payments schemes while coordinating with multiple stakeholders to maintain resilient service delivery.

Qualifications

• Experience in complex payment operations within a heavily regulated financial services or banking environment.
• Operational knowledge of Bacs, FPS, ICS, and Reference Data, with practical application for Pay.UK participants.
• Effective written and verbal communication with the ability to build trusted relationships.
• Highly organised, methodical and able to manage multiple priorities.
• Proficient risk awareness to identify operational risks and opportunities.
• Open-minded, pragmatic and solutions-focused in a matrix environment.
• Effective coordination and negotiation skills for clear communication and delivery.
• Technical and business acumen relevant to payments and operational environments.

Responsibilities

• Support 24/7/365 payment operations and incident management.
• Provide day-to-day oversight and act as escalation point for officers.
• Execute daily tasks and participate in shift/on-call rotas.
• Monitor performance against service levels; escalate issues.
• Serve as a resource on payment schemes and reference data for stakeholders.
• Manage settlement and contingency actions as required.
• Support incident response, crisis management, and post-incident activities.
• Analyze payment data to produce reports for senior leadership.
• Support onboarding/off-boarding and maintain documentation.
• Contribute to change initiatives and special projects as requested.

Skills

Payment operations

Regulated environment

Stakeholder communication

Risk awareness

Multi-priority management

Bacs/FPS/ICS knowledge

Team coordination

Tools

Crisis management

Job description

Senior Payments Operations Officer (FTC)

London

Senior Payments Operations Officer - London, 12 Months FTC

Senior Payments Operations Officers play a key role in safeguarding the integrity and resilience of Pay.UK’s payment operations across Bacs, FPS, I C S and our Managed Services. In this role, you’ll ensure incidents are managed effectively through established crisis and incident processes, while supporting the Senior Payments Operations Managers with scheme-specific responsibilities. You’ll also oversee the smooth day‑to‑day running of our payment schemes and managed services, helping to keep the UK’s payment ecosystem moving.

Key Accountabilities

• Support the delivery of Pay.UK’s 24/7/365 payment operations and assist in managing operational incidents
• Provide day‑to‑day operational oversight and act as an escalation point for Payments Operations Officers
• Execute daily operational tasks and participate in shift and on‑call rotas to ensure continuous service
• Monitor supplier and customer performance against service levels, escalating issues and supporting improvements
• Act as a knowledgeable resource on Bacs, FPS, I C S, Managed Services, and Reference Data, assisting with inquiries from stakeholders and operational requirements
• Manage settlement and cap processes, including performing contingency actions when required
• Support incident response, crisis management procedures and post‑incident activities, ensuring effective communication throughout
• Analyse payments, supplier and participant performance data to produce insightful reports for senior leadership
• Support onboarding/off‑boarding activities and maintain accurate operational and customer‑facing documentation
• Contribute to change initiatives, customer committees and Payments Operations projects as requested by the Payments Operations Managers.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Experience in complex payment operations within a heavily regulated financial services or banking environment.
• Operational knowledge of Bacs, FPS, I C S and Reference Data, with the ability to apply this practically in supporting Pay.UK participants
• Effective communication skills (written, verbal and listening) with the ability to build trusted relationships and understand stakeholder needs
• Highly organised, methodical and able to manage multiple priorities effectively
• Proficient risk awareness, with the ability to identify operational risks, limitations, and opportunities
• Open‑minded, pragmatic and solutions‑focused, with a willingness to adopt new approaches and work effectively in a matrix environment
• Effective coordination and negotiation skills, enabling clear communication and efficient delivery
• Technical and business acumen relevant to payments and operational environments.

Pay.UK Behaviours

At Pay.UK, our behaviours are central to who we are and how we operate. They bring our values to life, shape our culture, and guide how we make decisions, collaborate, and respond to challenges across the payments ecosystem. All interview processes will assess the following behaviours:

• Listen to Find Win‑Wins - Empathy, Listening and Understanding
• Influence with Courage - Influence, Courage
• Go Horizontal First - Cross Boundary Collaboration
• Take Ownership - Self Development
• Opportunity Mindset - Initiative
• Simplify - Achievement Orientation

Inclusivity

At Pay.UK, we value diversity and inclusivity. Research has shown that candidates from underrepresented groups may hesitate to apply unless they meet all the requirements listed. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of how closely their skills and experience match the requirements. We are committed to supporting accessibility needs and creating a welcoming environment for all employees. Become part of our team and contribute to the creation of an inclusive work environment that values everyone's unique input.

Who we are

Pay.UK maintains and develops the UK retail payment systems and standards that are core to the economy being able to function on a day‑to‑day basis.

From Bacs to Faster Payments and cheques – we act as the single operator for all UK retail payments. We put the needs of consumers and businesses at the heart of everything we do, working in the public interest to ensure that the systems the country relies on for its banking transactions are safe, open, innovative and resilient.

Our payment systems underpin the services that enable funds to be transferred between people and institutions. In 2024, the UK's retail payment systems processed 11 billion transactions worth over £10 trillion through Bacs Direct Credit, Direct Debit, Faster Payments, and cheques, and our Current Account Switch Service has facilitated over 9 million switches since it’s launch in 2013.

Every day, individuals and businesses use the services we provide to get their salaries, pay their bills and make online and mobile banking payments. Our vision for the future is to enable a vibrant economy, with Pay.UK delivering robust payment infrastructure and standards for the benefit of consumers and businesses nationwide.

• 30 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
• Employee assistance programme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Annual fitness subsidy of up to £500 per annum
• Working from home policy - minimum 40% in the office (eg. 2 days in the office over a 5 day working week)

Please note:

Some of our benefits are only available to colleagues after meeting the requirements of the probationary period.

Pay.UK employee benefits are not available to contractors and are only available to permanent and fixed-term employees.