Role Overview
A Lean Specialist for Payments applies continuous improvement and waste-reduction methodologies (such as Lean Six Sigma) to financial transaction workflows, payment processing and dispute management. The consultant will map payment workflows end-to-end, identify inefficiency and manual/repeatable work, and design and embed optimised, automated and cost-efficient processes, while maintaining strict regulatory compliance.
Core Responsibilities
Process Optimisation
- Map payment workflows end-to-end to remove bottlenecks in transaction routing, invoicing and merchant onboarding
Automation & Error Reduction
- Identify repeatable administrative tasks in chargebacks or exception handling and implement automated fixes
Cost Efficiency
- Lower operational costs for financial institutions or fintech platforms while maintaining strict regulatory compliance
Data-Driven Analysis
- Track performance indicators such as transaction processing speed, failure rates and dispute resolution times
Broader End-to-End Delivery
- Apply Lean methodology (value stream mapping, waste identification, root cause analysis) across payments operations — from initiation through processing, exception handling, settlement and reconciliation
- Facilitate workshops with Operations, Technology and Change stakeholders to validate current-state process maps
- Design and document future-state, optimised process flows, including handoffs, controls and exception paths
- Produce clear, structured process documentation (SIPOC, swimlane, value stream maps) suitable for both business and technical audiences
- Work closely with Operations Consultants and Change/Delivery teams to translate findings into actionable improvement roadmaps
- Present findings and recommendations to senior Operations and Transformation stakeholders
3. Essential Experience & Skills
- Proven track record as a Lean Specialist / Lean Six Sigma practitioner within financial services, ideally payments
- Deep understanding of payments operations, transaction routing, invoicing, merchant onboarding, chargebacks, dispute management and exception handling
- Strong end-to-end process mapping capability (current-state and future-state), using recognised Lean/process-mapping tools and techniques
- Experience working within a bank, payments provider or fintech Operations function
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and workshop facilitation skills across Operations, Technology and Change
- Strong analytical skills — able to track and interpret performance indicators (transaction processing speed, failure rates, dispute resolution times) and quantify process inefficiency in business terms
- Sound understanding of regulatory compliance requirements within payments, and ability to design efficiency improvements that maintain compliance
- Confident, clear written and verbal communication; able to produce board-ready documentation
- Comfortable working independently and autonomously to deliver against agreed outcomes
4. Desirable Experience
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt / Black Belt certification
- Experience with payments platforms (e.g. Avaloq, ISO 20022 migration, Faster Payments, SWIFT, card schemes)
- Prior experience delivering process improvement within a regulated banking environment
- Familiarity with process mining or workflow analytics tools
- Experience translating process findings into automation or digitisation business cases
Lean Six Sigma Process Analyst in London employer: Colehouse Group
As a Senior Product Delivery Manager at our company, you will be part of a dynamic and innovative team dedicated to transforming our real-time technology platform. We pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative work culture that encourages professional growth and development, offering extensive training opportunities and a clear career progression path. Located in a vibrant tech hub, we provide a stimulating environment where your contributions directly impact our strategic automation initiatives, ensuring a rewarding and meaningful career.
