Business Analyst jobs in United Kingdom

Job Title: Senior Payments SME (BA/Architect)
Location: London
Job Type: Contract
Industry: Banking & Financial Services
Job Summary:
We are seeking an experienced Senior Payments SME with strong Business Analysis and Architecture expertise to lead strategic initiatives in the payment's domain. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of Correspondent Banking, Foreign Currency & Exchange Margins, and SWIFT MT Messages, working closely with business and technology teams to define and implement robust payment solutions.
Key Responsibilities:
Act as a subject matter expert (SME) for cross-border payments and correspondent banking, ensuring alignment with regulatory and industry standards.
Analyze and document business and technical requirements related to foreign currency transactions, exchange margins, and payment processing.
Provide expertise on SWIFT MT message formats (MT103, MT202, MT940, etc.), ensuring accurate implementation and compliance with SWIFT standards.
Define and design end-to-end payment architecture, integrating core banking systems, messaging networks, and payment rails.
Collaborate with stakeholders (business users, IT teams, vendors, and regulatory bodies) to deliver payment modernization projects.
Lead process optimization efforts to enhance straight-through processing (STP) and reduce operational risks.
Support migration from MT to ISO 20022 messaging where applicable.
Conduct impact assessments for regulatory and industry changes affecting payment flows.
Develop test cases and assist in UAT, SIT, and integration testing of payment solutions.
Required Skills & Experience:
10+ years of experience in the payments industry, specializing in cross-border and correspondent banking.
Strong expertise in SWIFT MT messages (MT103, MT202, MT940) and foreign currency transactions.
Hands-on experience in payment systems architecture, design, and integration.
Deep understanding of FX margin calculations, liquidity management, and settlement processing.
Proficiency in business analysis, requirements gathering, and process modeling.
Familiarity with payment regulatory frameworks (e.g., PSD2, AML, FATF guidelines).
Experience with core banking platforms (T24, Finastra, FIS, or similar) is a plus.
Knowledge of ISO 20022 migration and real-time payment networks is desirable.
Strong communication skills with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical stakeholders.