At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead global payments strategy and drive high-impact initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Join 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: Dynamic team with a focus on collaboration and career development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the fintech space while working with innovative technologies.
- Qualifications: Experience in payments or fintech, strong leadership, and problem-solving skills.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
The AI-powered OS for beauty, wellness and self-care.
About Fresha: 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 Senior Payments Program Manager 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.
Interview Process:
- Screening Call - Video-call with a member from the Talent Team (30 mins).
- 1st Stage Interview - Online interview (45 mins).
- Final Stage - In-Person interview with Chief Payments Officer (60 mins).
We aim to complete the entire interview process and deliver feedback within 2 weeks. Every job application received is reviewed manually by our talent team. While we strive to assess applications within 7 days, the sheer volume of talented individuals expressing interest may occasionally extend this timeframe.
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.
Senior Payments Program Manager (London) employer: Fresha
Fresha is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and innovative work culture, particularly for the Remote Business Development Manager role in Belfast. With a focus on employee growth and autonomy, Fresha offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in a fast-paced environment while enjoying the flexibility of remote work. The company prioritises collaboration and provides comprehensive support, ensuring that employees have the tools and resources needed to thrive in their roles.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Payments Program Manager (London)
✨Tap into Campus Networks
If you're still in uni, don’t forget to engage with your campus's career services and attend finance-related events. Banks often do presentations and recruitment drives on campus, so put yourself out there and make use of these opportunities to show off your passion for the field.
✨Get Certified
Consider pursuing relevant certifications like the CFA or ACCA while you’re job hunting. They not only beef up your CV but also connect you with professional bodies which can lead to networking opportunities and even job openings in banking and financial services.
✨Connect on Professional Platforms
Join finance-focused groups on platforms like LinkedIn and engage in discussions. This can really help you stand out from the crowd, allowing potential employers to see your knowledge and interest in industry trends. Plus, you might stumble upon job postings shared exclusively within the group.
✨Apply Directly and Be Proactive
Don’t shy away from reaching out directly to firms like Fresha. Use their websites and apply through them, but also consider following up with a polite email to express your enthusiasm. Being proactive can make a huge difference in getting noticed in the competitive financial services sector.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Payments Program Manager (London)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers!:In the banking and financial services world, quantifiable achievements are key. Make sure your CV highlights your grades in relevant subjects, any financial certifications you hold, and specific projects where you've delivered measurable results. Employers love to see how your skills translate into real-world success.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Role:When applying for a full-time position, your cover letter should make a direct connection between your experience and the job description. Don't just state your enthusiasm for finance—dive into how your background in banking or financial analysis sets you apart. Let your passion shine through while being specific about what you can bring to Fresha.
Include Relevant Financial Software Experience:If you've worked with financial modelling tools or software like Excel, SAP, or specific analytical tools during your studies or internships, bring that up! Highlighting your proficiency can really make your application pop and show you're ready to hit the ground running in a full-time role.
Research and Reflect:Before hitting that 'apply' button on Fresha's website, do a little digging. Look up their recent projects, values, and culture. Reflecting their ethos in your application can make a huge difference and show you’re genuinely interested in being part of the team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Fresha
✨Brush Up on Financial Analysis Skills
Make sure you're well-versed in financial concepts and analytical techniques relevant to banking and financial services. Get comfortable with tools like Excel for modelling or financial forecasting, as technical questions in this area are common during interviews with Fresha.
✨Prepare for Case Studies
Expect to tackle case studies that demonstrate your problem-solving skills in real-world banking scenarios. Familiarise yourself with the types of problems you might face—think risk assessments or investment evaluations—and be ready to articulate your thought process clearly.
✨Show Your Passion for Finance
Since this is a full-time position, employers at Fresha will be keen to see your genuine interest in finance. Be prepared to discuss recent industry trends or news articles that excite you, showcasing your enthusiasm and engagement with the field.
✨Network with Industry Professionals
Before your interview, reach out to current or former Fresha employees on platforms like LinkedIn. They'll offer unique insights into the company's culture and the interview process, which can give us a delightful edge in showcasing a good fit for the team.
