Manager, Merchant Operations

Manager, Merchant OperationsPayTrace - RemotePayTrace by North - Payment and ACH processing, virtual terminals, and more. The B2B payments expert transforming financial and accounting processes to future-proof your business. With advanced payment automation solutions and a user-friendly API, we help B2B companies become more efficient, successful, and profitable.Our Manager, Merchant Operations leads the teams responsible for end-to-end merchant onboarding, payment gateway configuration, and ongoing operational support at PayTrace. This role oversees Implementation Managers and Merchant Operations Specialists, ensuring both teams operate cohesively to deliver a seamless, 5-star merchant experience from signed agreement through go-live and beyond.We are seeking a leader who sets the strategic direction for the team, drives continuous process improvement, manages departmental risk and compliance, and fosters a high-performance team culture. This individual serves as a key escalation point, cross-functional collaborator, and advocate for both internal teams and external merchant partners.What you'll do:Implementation Department LeadershipLead and guide Implementation Managers in overseeing end-to-end merchant onboarding from sales handover through go-live and Client Services transition.Coordinate internally with Sales, Underwriting, and Client Services, and externally with resellers and merchant partners, to ensure effective management and control processes for all payment processing implementations.Serve as the primary escalation point for complex or high-risk merchant implementations, resolving issues that cannot be addressed at the IM level.Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Implementation Managers and Merchant Operations Specialists.Conduct meetings, performance reviews, and coaching sessions to support employee growth and accountability, and oversee onboarding and training.Identify skills gaps and partner with HR and leadership to develop training plans and career growth pathways.Strategic Planning and Operational ExcellenceTranslate business requirements and strategic objectives into actionable implementation strategies and operational workflows, and oversee complex payment system integrations.Lead the  merchant screening and onboarding process at a strategic level.Monitor and analyze performance metrics across implementation timelines and conduct regular audits and risk assessments of merchant accounts and operational processes.Partner with underwriting and risk teams on periodic merchant reviews, pended applications, and escalated compliance issues, serving as a bridge between sales, resellers, and underwriting.Identify and execute process improvements and maintain departmental accountability for SLA adherence.Communicate proactively with internal stakeholders and external merchant partners. Support resellers and high-value clients with high-touch engagement, ensuring timely issue resolution and long-term relationship health.Wh...