[Remote] Director, Payments Operations

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. SRS Acquiom is a financial services technology company that specializes in M&A and loan agency transactions. The Director of Payments Operations will lead the Payments function, ensuring accurate and timely execution of shareholder and closing-day payments while managing a team and driving operational excellence.ResponsibilitiesOwns daily execution and oversight of shareholder and closing-day payment operations, including payment file release governance, bank cutoffs, and Service Level Agreement (SLA) adherenceLeads and develops the Payments leadership team (Payments Managers and Manager of Payments Compliance), providing coaching, setting goals, and ensuring appropriate staffing, training, and coverageEstablishes, implements, and monitors operational controls for record review, payment instruction validation, customer validation, fraud prevention, and physical/electronic documentation retentionOversees exception management for returned, delayed, or failed payments; ensures research cases are tracked through completion and escalations are executed with bank partners as neededEnsures payment files contain required data elements and quality checks to reduce transaction failures and requests for additional informationProvides support for Foreign Exchange (FX) execution and operational readiness, including accurate instruction of FX trades and validation of system configuration for multi-currency payment batchesOwns reconciliation governance: reviews trends in breaks, ensures timely resolution, and ensures appropriate storage and auditability of supporting evidencePartners cross-functionally (Reconciliation, Payments, Client Services Team, Relationship team leadership, Business Analysts, Product Managers and bank partners) to drive continuous improvement and deliver technology-enabled solutionsMaintains and enforces standard operating procedures, training materials, and a knowledge repository to ensure consistent execution and rapid onboardingProduces and delivers regular statistical reporting to senior leadership on payment timeliness, exception volumes, reconciliation status, and root-cause trends; recommends actions to improve outcomesEnsures team performance management processes are executed effectively, including hiring, performance reviews, recognition, corrective action, and terminations when necessaryOther duties as assignedSkillsBachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or operations (or commensurate work experience) requiredFINRA-licensed Series 99 Operations Professional5+ years of banking, financial services, payments, escrow, or transaction operations experience (or equivalent)3+ years of people management experience, (preferably this experience includes managing managers), and leading multi-workstream teamsDemonstrated expertise in payment operations, reconciliations, exception management (returns/delays), and operational controlsStrong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, including the ability to interpret complex payment instructions and drive issues to resolution under time constraintsExperience partnering with bank operations and customer service teams to manage escalations and meet processing cutoffsWorking knowledge of foreign exchange processes and controls sufficient to participate in FX instruction and operational execution as neededAdvanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite; experience with sophisticated CRM/ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite) and the ability to drive adoption through training and standardizationHigh ownership mindset with the ability to set direction and drive execution through othersStrong attention to detail balanced with an ability to scale processes and simplify complexityExperience with integrating AI into processes, or AI-curious with a mind to leverage AI for potential operational task liftCollaborative super communicator, calm under pressure, and effective at stakeholder management and escalation communicationsContinuous improvement orientation with a track record of implementing innovative solutionsCommitment to operating with integrity, strong controls, and a customer-first mindsetBenefitsDay‑one coverage: medical, dental, and vision plans so you’re protected from the startA 401(k) with a 4% company match to keep your future on trackDiscretionary time off - take the time you need, when you need itEmployer‑paid life insurance, with the option to add extra coverage for peace of mindEmployee Assistance Programs for confidential support when life gets complicatedDiscounted pet insurance (because furry family members count, too)A fitness credit to back your health and wellness goalsPre‑tax plans for dependent care, transportation, and flexible spendingCompany OverviewSRS Acquiom manages complex financial transactions within mergers & acquisitions and bilateral or syndicated loan deals. It was founded in 2007, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is http://www.srsacquiom.com.