Payments Manager – Banking - London Mayfair (Hybrid) – Job Ref: 26060 in City of Westminster

Responsible for the management and strategic direction of the Payments & Investigations team at the bank UK ensuring all incoming and outgoing UK Domestic and International Payments received into the Bank both customer and internally generated have been processed efficiently and in a timely fashion.

The role will lead their team to deliver Operational support to front line customer/client facing teams and the focus will be on improving operational efficiency and the customer experience.

The role is pivotal to aligning UK operations with group-wide systems, standards, and efficiencies focusing on the banks capabilities. The role holder will leverage and localise existing group platforms to streamline processes, reduce manual work, and enhance customer and employee experiences.

This is a core management role which includes leading various projects and change initiatives, as well as resolving any ad-hoc operational and/or transactional issues.

Person's Description / Skills:

• A strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to delivery and a comprehensive working knowledge across Payments and Investigations.
• The role holder will possess good communication and leadership skills and should be adept at navigating cross-cultural and cross-functional environments, bringing teams together to drive meaningful change.
• They will focus on enhancing efficiency, scalability, and customer experience throughout the customer journey.
• Contributes to the overall strategy for the banks Operations, in conjunction with the Head of Operations and defines and drives delivery of this strategy across the Operations areas.
• A proven experience of leading, managing, developing and mentoring staff and supporting individual career development.
• Strong supervisory, people management and organisation skills with the ability to delegate effectively.
• The ability to ensure all incoming / outgoing UK Domestic and International Payment instructions are processed in a timely manner with a thorough understanding of market conventions and practices.

Responsibilities:

Day to day management of the Payments & Investigations team with emphasis on regulatory and internal compliance and management of Operations Risk.

• Ensuring all customer Payments have been processed with correct value dates and before cut off times.
• Handling of resultant investigations and monitoring of nostro reconciliations for outstanding items.
• Reconciliation and investigation of impersonal and suspense accounts related to departmental activities.
• Ensuring the authenticity of each payment and obtaining any necessary authorisation is at the correct level whilst interpreting required action from the customers instructions.
• Anti-terrorist/AML screening checks performed via Safe Watch Screening or other appropriate sources.
• Lead and provide operational readiness approval for any projects, new product approval and/or system implementation tasks. Where appropriate contributes to wider banks management, strategy and projects through relevant forums and committees.
• Responsible for maintaining internal procedures and their compliance with both internal policy and external regulatory requirements.
• Interfacing with internal and external Auditors and ensuring a timely response is provided.
• Timely delivery of Operational Risk Incident reporting and RCSA management and review.
• Ensures appropriate staffing levels are always maintained. Contributes to the overall staffing model (number of staff and skills levels) for their area. As the business changes so the staffing model utilised needs to retain a degree of flexibility to cope with any changes in business direction.
• Conduct performance management reviews with staff, prepare and manage objectives and perform regular one to one and team meetings.
• Ensure adherence to Shariah compliant operational standards and internal policies.
• Any other ad-hoc duties that may be allocated by the Head of Operations including those not directly related to the Payments & Investigations section.

Experience Requirements:

• At least 5 years' experience in a Management/Supervisory Payments role.
• Excellent knowledge and experience of UK Domestic and International Payments.
• Good understanding of SWIFT and Payment message types.
• Good level of numeracy and literacy.
• A good understanding of Operational Risk and administration of operational aspects associated with all Risks and Controls.

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