· Job Title – Centre Of Excellence Lead- Payment Solutions · Location – JD Group Head Office · Working hours – 40 hours What You'll Be Doing: The Lead for Payment Service plays a critical role in managing the execution layer for all payment-related queries within JD Sports Fashion Plc. Reporting to the Payment Solutions and Integration Manager, this position ensures the efficient and effective handling of payment inquiries, overseeing the resolution of payment issues, and maintaining high service standards. This role will also oversee the contract management of an outsourced company that handles day-to-day technical queries for payment related technical queries. As the point of escalation, you will ensure that technical issues are addressed promptly and effectively, maintaining high customer service standards. Responsibilities include overseeing query resolution, managing contracts with third-party providers, ensuring adherence to service level agreements (SLAs), and serving as the point of escalation for Payment technical issues. The ideal candidate will have strong technical expertise, excellent leadership skills, and the ability to drive continuous improvement in customer service processes. The role involves close collaboration with internal teams, third-party providers, and customer service teams to address payment-related concerns promptly and accurately. The Lead will manage the execution layer for payment-related queries, ensuring timely and effective resolution of payment issues. Responsibilities include handling customer inquiries, processing refunds, collaborating with third-party payment service providers (PSPs), and maintaining accurate records of payment transactions. This role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to enhance the overall payment experience for customers. Key Duties/Responsibilities: Payment Service: Collaborate with development teams to integrate payment APIs and webhooks into existing systems. Oversee the management of payment-related queries via the execution layer, ensuring timely and accurate responses to customer inquiries. Manage the end-to-end process of handling payment issues, including troubleshooting and resolving discrepancies. Ensure compliance with company policies and industry regulations in handling payment queries. Manage integrating payment systems into the company's platforms and websites. Effectively manage changes on the Payment service. Refund Processing: Manage customer refund requests efficiently and accurately in accordance with company policies. Investigate refund requests, analyse data, and decide on refund approvals. Maintain accurate records of refund transactions and customer interactions. Collaboration and Communication: Collaborate with the Customer Care, internal and external teams to ensure timely resolution of payment-related customer queries and issues. Manage escalations with third-party payment service providers (PSPs) to address and resolve payment issues. Communicate effectively with internal teams, including Finance, IT, and Customer Care, to ensure alignment and prompt resolution of payment queries. Data Analysis and Reporting: Generate reports on payment queries, trends, and metrics to analyse data and identify opportunities for improvement. Monitor payment gateway performance and resolve any issues promptly Contract and Supplier Relationship Management: Oversee the management of third-party provider contracts responsible for the execution layer of payment solutions. Ensure adherence to service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) as outlined in the contracts. Monitor vendor performance and manage relationships to ensure high-quality service Continuous Improvement: Develop and implement effective customer care processes to enhance customer satisfaction and retention. Review and optimise customer service procedures to ensure timely and efficient resolution of customer inquiries and issues related to payments, orders, and refunds. Skills / Experience / Knowledge needed : Proficiency in managing payment-related queries and issues. Strong understanding of payment systems (e.g., Adyen, Klarna, PayPal, Braintree) and their operational requirements. Experience with payment APIs and webhooks is a plus. Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in payment solutions or customer service management. Proven track record of successfully managing complex payment queries in a large organisation. Experience in the retail industry or a fast-paced environment is a plus. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a focus on continuous improvement. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of building strong relationships with stakeholders. Attention to detail and strong organisational skills. Proficiency in IT service management tools and technologies. Bachelor's degree in information technology, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field is desirable or experience working for a Retail company managing Payments services. Relevant certifications (e.g., Certified Payments Professional, ITIL) are highly desirable. The Company: The JD Group is a leading omnichannel retailer of Sports Fashion, Street & Premium Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with over 60,000 colleagues over 3,400 stores across several retail fascia's in over 30 markets around the world. We are an equal opportunities employer who embraces and values differences. We recognise the importance of an inclusive workplace culture in which everyone can thrive irrespective of their background or identity. To be a part of this successful and continuously growing company, you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people first, a digital leader and customer focused organisation which provides operational excellence and is continuous with identifying new areas of growth into our day-to-day. We know our employees work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits: Incremental Holiday Allowance Staff Discount on qualifying purchases across Group retail stores and online Exclusive Colleague Bike Discount scheme Discounted Gym membership Personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work Access to Apprenticeships and accredited qualifications Interested? If you are interested in this position, then press the Apply Now button . Due to the high volumes of applications our opportunities attract, it takes time to review them all. If you don't hear back within two weeks of your application, please consider your application to have been unsuccessful on this occasion Applications that meet the skills criteria will be contacted for a 1st stage meeting with the talent team. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to interview with the hiring manager. Thank you again for your time.