Head of Third-Party Processing Operations Job at Initiate International

Initiate International is one of the world’s largest research agencies with their presence in Lagos, Nigeria. This global team advises on everything from brand, communications and innovation to shopper activation and customer relationships.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Head of Third-Party Processing Operations

Job Location: Lagos
Industry: Financial Services

Job Overview

• As the Head of Third-Party Processing Operations, you will spearhead operations that keep critical payment processes running smoothly across Chargebacks, Settlements, Reconciliation, Implementation, and Technical Support.
• Your leadership will be vital in ensuring seamless day-to-day operations while driving innovation in operational strategies.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Lead with Impact: Steer the Operations Team to deliver top-tier performance, ensuring they meet business goals and continually raise the bar on operational excellence.
• Resolve Complex Issues: Act as the ultimate escalation point for high-stakes operational challenges—your problem-solving skills will be crucial in ensuring nothing stands in the way of seamless service.
• Strategize for Efficiency: Oversee team capacity and task prioritization, ensuring optimal resource utilization while aligning team efforts with the company’s big-picture goals.
• Monitor Performance: Keep a close eye on critical operations, escalate issues swiftly, and deliver timely reports that highlight trends, improvements, and next steps.
• Elevate Processes: Drive continuous improvement by fine-tuning operational processes, particularly those tied to third-party partners and payment schemes, enhancing overall efficiency.
• Ensure Uptime: Oversee resolution of production issues—whether they involve configuration, transaction processing, or systems maintenance—ensuring uninterrupted service.
• Customer-First Reporting: Develop tailored reports for clients, providing clear insights on operational performance and collaborating to address their specific needs.
• Lead Key Integrations: Manage integration projects with financial institutions, payment facilitators, and partners, ensuring smooth and successful transitions.
• Technical Mastery: Become the go-to expert on customer integrations, mastering APIs, deployment, and post-production support to guide both internal teams and clients.
• Drive Incident Management: Create and maintain incident management protocols, ensuring fast identification, resolution, and minimal client impact.

What You’ll Bring

• A degree from a reputable institution.
• 8+ years of solid experience in financial institutions, card schemes, or payment networks, with a strong focus on technical operations.
• 3+ years of leadership experience, successfully managing large teams in high-pressure, high-stakes environments.
• Expert knowledge of payment processing systems, including message routing, authorization, clearing, settlement, and client connectivity.
• Hands-on experience with card payment technologies, reporting standards (ISO 8583, EMV Tokenization, 3D Secure, PCI DSS), and dispute resolution platforms like NIBSS IDRS, VROL, and Mastercom.
• A sharp analytical mind with the ability to solve complex problems quickly and efficiently.
• Outstanding communication skills, capable of breaking down complex issues for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Why You Should Join

• People-First Culture: Join a team that values every member’s voice. You’ll be part of a culture that fosters respect, support, and open communication, where everyone works together to create something great.
• Continuous Learning: You’ll thrive in an environment that invests in your growth, offering training, technical talks, and a culture of knowledge sharing.
• Top-Notch Compensation: Competitive salary, health benefits, pension, annual bonuses, and perks designed to support your well-being and success.

Remuneration

• Highly competitive salary.