Digital Payments Specialist II

Digital Payments Specialist II

Job Purpose : The Digital Payments Specialist plays a critical role in reducing the cost of payments, by supporting both the execution and evolution of payment-related programs. The fact that credit card swipe fees are the second largest operating expense for the company underscores the importance of this role in identifying and implementing cost-saving opportunities. This position blends analytical precision with creative problem-solving, supporting both short-term initiatives and long-term strategic efforts. Responsibilities span from managing daily operations and vendor relationships (e.g., Visa, Mastercard, InComm) to conducting industry and competitive research, vetting potential partnerships, and optimizing existing programs. The role is both internal-facing, collaborating across departments to align priorities and share insights, and external-facing, representing the organization in vendor and partner engagements. No two days are alike in this role. The Digital Payments Specialist must be comfortable navigating repetitive operational tasks that vary day to day, while also contributing to innovative, high-impact projects and learning new tools as they are developed. The role is designed to help develop the candidate's ability to manage Payments as a Product. Opportunities to build foundational knowledge of payment systems will be provided through internal learning such as a robust Payments 101 video course, to help build the capability in making informed decisions and driving meaningful changes across the organization.

Objectives

Contribute to reducing payment processing costs by supporting initiatives that optimize payments partnerships. This includes being point of contact for select vendors, recommending debit routing efficiencies, enhancing vendor performance, and identifying cost-saving opportunities through data analysis and program evaluation. Collaborate across departments and with external partners to ensure alignment on payment initiatives, acting as a liaison between internal teams and vendors such as Visa and Mastercard. Deliver accurate and actionable reporting by analyzing payment data, dashboards, identifying trends, and summarizing insights that inform leadership decisions and highlight opportunities for operational improvement. Assist in evaluating strategic partnerships by conducting research on 3rd party partnership opportunities, industry trends, and competitive landscape, using structured frameworks to assess alignment with business goals. Build and apply foundational payments knowledge through internal learning (e.g., Payments 101) to support informed decision-making and help translate complex payment concepts for cross-functional teams. Contribute to the optimization of payment programs by implementing enhancements, documenting processes, and participating in continuous improvement efforts that increase efficiency and reduce cost.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Execute Daily Payment Operations Manage routine tasks across ATM, Gift Card, and other payment programs with precision and consistency. Serve as the primary point of contact for field inquiries, ensuring timely issue resolution. Maintain structured tracking of unresolved items and facilitate regular vendor meetings to drive accountability and performance improvements.
• Engage in Cross-Functional and Vendor Collaboration - Act as a liaison between internal teams and external partners. Ensure alignment of priorities, facilitate communication, and support the execution of joint initiatives.
• Monitor and Report Payment Data Review and interpret dashboards related to Cost of Payments, Payments Health, and Debit Routing. Identify patterns, anomalies, and opportunities for improvement. Translate findings into clear, actionable summaries tailored for leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Ad hoc Market and Partnership Research Support the evaluation of 3rd party and strategic partnership opportunities using the Three-Lens Fra