Payments Operations Team Lead (f/m/d)

Solaris is Europe's leading embedded finance platform. Solaris’ full German banking license and proprietary modular B2B tech stack empowers its partners – from SMEs to large, multinational, non-financial companies – to offer compliant, customer-centric banking services, providing seamless experiences to customers across all industries. Founded in 2016, Solaris pioneered the Banking-as-a-Service market with an unparalleled combination of tech and banking. Solaris is headquartered in Berlin and employs 300 people in Europe.

Your Role

• Oversee daily payments operations and provide strategic direction, setting priorities, KPIs, and performance targets.
• Act as the primary point of contact for partners and third-party banks regarding payment-related inquiries and follow-up calls.
• Establish strong governance, reporting, and control frameworks to ensure operational integrity and scalability.
• Drive automation, streamline workflows, and embed robust risk management practices.
• Allocate team resources effectively across time zones, ensuring consistent, high-quality performance. Lead, coach, and develop a team of 3-5 payment operations specialists to achieve targets, resolve incidents efficiently, and continuously improve processes.
• Lead and develop the team according to defined career paths by ensuring regular development conversations.
• Liaise with Business Unit heads, functional heads, and key stakeholders to ensure the effective functioning of the team within the wider company environment.
• Constantly improve processes in collaboration with the team's process experts and relevant stakeholders.
• Oversee the monitoring and processing of SEPA and SWIFT payments.
• Take responsibility for payment-related incidents and serve as the main point of escalation for senior management.
• Contribute to regulatory communications with BaFin, the Deutsche Bundesbank (BuBa), and other European Central Banks and regulators.
• Actively support and lead Audit Cycles, always delivering a compliant-first approach for a first-in-class regulatory posture and adherence with our processes.

We'd love to see

Depending on your level of experience, your responsibilities and scope of role will range. We don’t care much about fancy titles, but rather about real personal and professional development, as laid out in our learning framework. Let’s figure together out how you can contribute to our team.

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, or a related field is preferred.
• Minimum 4-5 years of experience in Payment Operations or Banking Operations, with first leadership experience managing a small team.
• Strong knowledge of SEPA & SWIFT payment schemes.
• Knowledge and comprehension of PSD2 and how it applies to Payment Operations.
• Ability to engage with team members, and provide clear and concise feedback.
• Ability to lead cross-functional projects with different departments.
• Fluent command of English; German is a strong plus.
• SQL familiarity is preferred.
• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset, with experience applying AI-based tools or automation to improve operational performance.
• Ability to "fly high and zoom in" (balance high-level strategic vision with granular attention to detail).
• Hands-on and entrepreneurial mentality.
• Strong analytical skills with a focus on process improvement.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

Benefits

• Home office budget.
• Learning & development budget of €1000 per year and a transparent growth framework to support your career goals.
• Competitive salary and a variable remuneration program.
• Monthly meal allowance.
• Deutschland ticket subsidy.
• 28 vacation days, increasing by 2 days after 2 years and 3 days after 3 years with Solaris.
• Opportunity to work abroad for up to 12 weeks per year.

While job ads usually paint an ideal picture of a candidate, studies show that most applicants meet an average of 60% of the criteria. Unfortunately, many promising candidates tend to apply only if they meet all the criteria. So if you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily meet every single item in the job description, please contact us anyway. We'd love to talk with you and find out if you might be a good fit for us.

At Solaris, we are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment, where all Solarians feel valued, respected and supported. We are dedicated to building a diverse workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of color, ethnicity, religion, sex, origin, disability, marital status, citizenship, or gender identity. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

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The annual gross salary range for this position is:

€63.000—€85.000 EUR