Head of Payments

Job description

Hello. We’re Teya. Teya was founded on a simple belief: local businesses deserve better. They are the cafés, restaurants, salons, shops and entrepreneurs that bring character to our high streets, create jobs and keep communities moving. Yet for too long, financial services has made life harder for them - with clunky tools, poor support and complexity that gets in the way of running a business. Teya exists to change that. We’re building a financial platform for local businesses across Europe - one built around simple tools, thoughtful design and real human support. Our Members rely on us to help them run their business with confidence, and that responsibility shapes the way we work. We move fast. We care about quality. We stay close to the detail. And we believe great performance and genuine hospitality should go hand in hand. If you want to build meaningful products, solve real problems and make a genuine difference for local businesses, we’d love to hear from you Your Mission As the Head of Payments at Teya, you will take the lead in shaping and executing our payment product strategy. You’ll drive the development of our acquiring, transaction processing, and payment infrastructure, ensuring we provide seamless, cost-efficient, and compliant payment solutions across multiple markets. Working closely with cross-functional teams, including Engineering, Operations, and Risk, you’ll ensure our payment capabilities scale and meet the needs of our merchants. On a regular day as Head of Payments, you will: - Payment Strategy Ownership: Lead and execute the payment product strategy, aligning with Teya’s broader business objectives and market expansion plans to ensure sustainable growth. - Team Leadership: Manage a team of Product Managers, setting clear priorities, defining roadmaps, and driving execution to scale payment capabilities across markets. - Payment Process Optimization: Develop and optimize payment processing, acquiring, and settlement flows to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and elevate the merchant experience. - Partnership Management: Oversee key relationships with card networks (Visa, Mastercard), payment processors, and banking partners to ensure seamless operations and cost-effective solutions. - Compliance and Risk Management: Collaborate with Risk and Compliance teams to ensure adherence to industry regulations (e.g., PSD2, PCI-DSS) while balancing operational efficiency and merchant satisfaction. - Cost Optimization: Lead initiatives to reduce operational costs, optimize fee structures, and streamline reconciliation processes, driving profitability without compromising service quality. - Payment Method Expansion: Work on expanding and enhancing payment methods (A2A, Open Banking, digital wallets) to increase adoption and drive transaction volume growth. Your Story - 8+ years of experience in the payments, acquiring, or transaction processing fields, with a strong understanding of the payments ecosystem. - Proven experience in leading product teams within the payments space, driving product roadmaps, and executing complex projects. - In-depth knowledge of card acquiring, payment processing, settlement, and reconciliation, with the ability to balance merchant needs and business objectives. - Experience navigating and ensuring compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., FCA, PSD2, PCI-DSS) in a payments environment. - Strong negotiation skills with experience managing relationships with card schemes, acquirers, payment processors, and financial partners. - A data-driven mindset with expertise in cost optimization, payment economics, and maximizing the profitability of payment systems. - A hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment, with excellent communication skills to align stakeholders and drive successful execution. The Perks - We trust you, so we offer flexible working hours, as long it suits both you and your team - Physical and mental health support through our partnership with GymPass giving free access to over 1,500 gyms in the UK, 1-1 therapy, meditation sessions, digital fitness and nutrition apps - Our company offers extended and improved maternity and paternity leave choices, giving employees more flexibility and support - Cycle-to-Work Scheme - Health and Life Insurance - Pension Scheme - 25 days of Annual Leave (+ Bank Holidays) - Office snacks every day - Friendly, comfortable and informal office environment in Central London Teya is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or background can thrive and do their best work. We believe that a diverse team leads to better ideas, stronger outcomes, and a more supportive workplace for all. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process whether for interviews, assessments, or other parts of the application—we encourage you to let us know. We are committed to ensuring that every candidate has a fair and accessible experience with us.