At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead global payments strategy and drive operational execution for a fast-growing tech company.
- Company: Fresha, the AI-powered OS for beauty and wellness, trusted by millions worldwide.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive workforce that values diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team and make a real impact in the fintech space.
- Qualifications: Experience in payments or fintech with strong leadership and problem-solving skills.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.
The AI-powered OS for beauty, wellness and self-care. Fresha is the AI-powered operating system for the global beauty, wellness and self-care industry, connecting and powering everything from salons and barbers to spas, medspas, fitness studios and health practices. Trusted by millions of consumers and businesses worldwide, Fresha is used by 140,000+ businesses and 450,000+ stylists and professionals worldwide, processing over 1 billion appointments to date. The company is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with 15 global offices located across North America, EMEA and APAC.
Fresha allows consumers to discover, book and pay for beauty and wellness appointments with local businesses via its marketplace, while beauty and wellness businesses and professionals use an all-in-one platform to manage their entire operations with intuitive business software and financial technology solutions. Fresha’s ecosystem gives merchants everything they need to run their business seamlessly by facilitating appointment bookings, point-of-sale, customer records management, marketing automation, loyalty, beauty products inventory and team management. The consumer marketplace unlocks revenue potential for partner businesses by leveraging the power of online bookings and automated marketing through mobile apps and advanced integrations with major tech brands including Instagram, Facebook and Google.
The Role: Reporting directly to the Chief Payments Officer, the Head of Payments Operations will lead the operational execution of Fresha’s global payments strategy. This role sits at the centre of Payments, Commercial, Product, Finance, and Operations - acting as the operational engine behind the payments organisation and ensuring strategic priorities are translated into scalable execution and measurable business outcomes. You’ll lead high-impact initiatives across payment acceptance, terminals, pricing, optimisation, and merchant adoption, bringing structure to ambiguity and driving delivery across multiple concurrent priorities. This is a highly strategic and execution-focused role suited to someone who thrives in fast-moving, high-growth environments and has deep experience operating within payments, fintech, acquiring, or POS ecosystems. While initially structured as a highly autonomous individual contributor role, this position carries significant cross-functional leadership responsibility and has strong scope to evolve as the payments organisation scales.
Core Responsibilities & Outcomes:
- Translate payments strategy into clear operational priorities, execution plans, and measurable business outcomes
- Drive delivery across key initiatives including payment acceptance, terminals, pricing, optimisation, and merchant adoption
- Build scalable operational processes, governance frameworks, and execution cadence across the payments organisation
- Create visibility and reporting across all active payments initiatives, operational performance, and strategic priorities
- Lead terminal and hardware initiatives including device rollouts, upgrade cycles, replacement strategies, and optimisation programmes
- Act as the operational bridge across Payments, Commercial, Product, Finance, and Operations teams to ensure alignment and accountability
- Define ownership, timelines, KPIs, and delivery frameworks across complex cross-functional programmes
- Proactively identify blockers, risks, and dependencies and drive resolution to maintain execution momentum
- Deliver measurable improvements in payment adoption, wallet share, operational efficiency, and execution performance
- Improve cross-functional collaboration, delivery predictability, and operational scalability across the payments function
- Provide clear, regular updates and actionable insights to the Chief Payments Officer and broader leadership team
- Become a trusted operational partner to leadership, helping scale and strengthen Fresha’s global payments organisation
What We’re Looking For:
Essential:
- Significant experience in payments, fintech, acquiring, merchant services, or POS/terminal environments
- Proven track record delivering complex cross-functional initiatives at scale within high-growth businesses
- Strong operational leadership capability with the ability to drive execution across multiple concurrent priorities
- Deep understanding of payment acceptance, acquiring, payment optimisation, merchant operations, or terminal ecosystems
- Experience working closely with commercial and go-to-market teams to drive adoption, revenue growth, wallet share, or pricing initiatives
- Exceptional ability to bring structure to ambiguity and drive execution with limited direction
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across Product, Commercial, Operations, and Executive leadership
- Commercially minded with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
- Highly execution-oriented with a strong sense of ownership, pace, and accountability
- Comfortable operating in fast-moving, evolving environments with high levels of autonomy
Nice to Have:
- Experience within global or multi-market payments organisations
- Exposure to payment hardware, terminal estate management, or in-person commerce
- Experience working within a scaling fintech or marketplace business
- Familiarity with acquiring, PSPs, payment optimisation, or merchant growth strategies
Inclusive workforce: At Fresha, we are creating a culture where individuals of all backgrounds feel comfortable. We want all Fresha people to feel included and truly empowered to contribute fully to our vision and goals. Everyone who applies will receive fair consideration for employment. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics in the location in which the candidate is applying. If you have any accessibility requirements that would make you more comfortable during the interview process and/or once you join, please let us know so that we can support you.
Head of Payments Operations employer: Fresha
Fresha is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of London, where innovation meets inclusivity. With a strong focus on employee growth and development, Fresha provides ample opportunities for career advancement within the fast-paced fintech landscape. The company fosters a collaborative culture that values diverse perspectives, ensuring every team member feels empowered to contribute to our mission of transforming the beauty and wellness industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Payments Operations
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the payments and fintech space, especially those who work at Fresha. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just help you stand out.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by diving deep into Fresha's operations. Understand their payment systems and think about how your experience aligns with their needs. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but someone who gets their world.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've tackled challenges in payments or fintech. This will help you demonstrate your problem-solving abilities and operational leadership.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Fresha team.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Payments Operations
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Payments Operations role. Highlight your experience in payments, fintech, and any relevant cross-functional initiatives you've led. We want to see how your background aligns with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the payments industry and how you can contribute to Fresha's mission. Keep it engaging and personal – we love to see your personality come through.
Showcase Your Achievements:When detailing your experience, focus on measurable outcomes. Did you improve payment adoption or streamline processes? Quantify your achievements to demonstrate your impact. We appreciate numbers that tell a story!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining the Fresha team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Fresha
✨Know Your Payments Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of payment systems, fintech, and merchant services. Fresha is looking for someone who can translate complex strategies into clear operational plans, so be ready to discuss your experience in these areas and how you've driven successful initiatives in the past.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role requires strong operational leadership, so prepare examples that highlight your ability to manage cross-functional teams and drive execution. Think about times when you've brought structure to ambiguity and how you ensured alignment across different departments.
✨Be Ready to Tackle Challenges
Fresha operates in a fast-paced environment, so expect questions about how you've handled challenges or blockers in previous roles. Share specific instances where you identified risks and drove resolutions to maintain momentum in projects.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Mindset
As a Head of Payments Operations, you'll need to be commercially minded with strong analytical skills. Prepare to discuss how you've used data to inform decisions, improve operational efficiency, and drive revenue growth in your previous roles.
