Payment Operations - Senior Analyst

About Crown Agents Bank Crown Agents Bank is a rapidly growing, regulated UK bank connecting emerging and frontier markets to the world through innovative FX and payments technology. Our mission is simple: reduce friction so more money reaches those who need it. For over 200 years we’ve built trusted networks across hard‑to‑reach markets. Today, we pair that heritage with digital innovation to support fintechs, corporates, governments, development organisations and banks with cross‑border payments and FX solutions. Role Purpose The Payment Operations team is responsible for the accurate and timely processing, monitoring and control of the Bank’s payment activity across relevant payment channels, ensuring transactions are completed in line with internal procedures, regulatory expectations, cut-off times and agreed service levels. The role holder will act as an experienced member of the team, supporting day-to-day payment processing, exception management, reconciliations, queue monitoring and operational controls. The role holder will be expected to apply strong technical knowledge of payments, SWIFT messaging and operational risk to ensure high-quality delivery, effective resolution of payment issues and continued focus on payment optimisation. The successful candidate will support the smooth running of payment operations, provide guidance to colleagues, contribute to process improvements and help ensure that payment activity is controlled, efficient and resilient. They will play an active role in identifying non-STP drivers, completing root cause analysis and using operational insight to reduce manual intervention, improve straight-through processing and strengthen the end-to-end payment journey. The role holder will work closely with Payment Investigations, Cash Management, Reconciliations, Technology, Product, Front Office and other business areas to support payment execution, resolve operational issues, strengthen controls and deliver improvements across the payment lifecycle, including providing structured feedback to Product on recurring issues, client impacts and opportunities for payment optimisation. Role responsibilities Process, monitor and control payment activity across relevant channels, ensuring transactions are accurate, timely and completed within agreed cut-off times. Review and interpret SWIFT MT and ISO 20022 messages to support payment processing, repairs, exception resolution and escalation. Monitor payment queues, pending items, unmatched transactions and exceptions to ensure timely progression and effective issue resolution. Investigate payment failures, non-STP items and operational queries, completing root cause analysis to identify trends, control gaps and improvement opportunities. Perform payment-related control checks, reconciliations and validation activity in line with internal procedures, regulatory expectations and risk appetite. Liaise with correspondent banks, clients, internal operations teams, Front Office, Compliance, Technology and Product to support payment execution and resolve issues. Provide structured feedback on recurring issues, non-STP drivers, client impacts and enhancement opportunities to improve straight-through processing and operational efficiency. Support new payment products, system changes, controls and process improvements, including testing, documentation and operational readiness activity. Maintain accurate records, audit trails, procedures and supporting evidence in line with governance and control standards. Support operational reporting and management information on payment volumes, exceptions, non-STP trends, controls and service level performance. Share knowledge and guidance with colleagues, promoting consistent payment operations practice, risk awareness and continuous improvement. Qualifications Educated to A level standard or equivalent demonstrable experience within banking, payments or financial services operations. Relevant payments, banking operations, SWIFT, compliance or financial services qualifications would be advantageous but are not essential. Evidence of continued professional development in payments, operational risk, financial crime awareness, payment schemes or industry messaging standards would be beneficial. Experience Minimum 3 years’ experience within Banking Operations, preferably within Payment Operations. Practical experience of processing, monitoring and investigating payments across relevant payment channels, including exception management, payment repairs and escalation handling. Working knowledge of SWIFT payment messages and investigations, including MT1XX / MT2XX messages and ISO 20022 pacs.008 / pacs.009 message types. Experience identifying non-STP drivers, performing root cause analysis and supporting actions to reduce manual intervention and improve straight-through processing. Experience working with internal stakeholders to resolve payment issues and provide feedback on recurring trends or enhancement opportunities. Good understanding of operational controls, reconciliations, audit trails and risk management standards within a regulated banking environment. Hybrid working Contributory personal pension plan: - Minimum: Employee 2% and Employer 7%. Employer matches contributions in 1% increments to a maximum of: Employee 5% and Employer 10% Life Assurance – 4 times annual salary Group Income Protection Private Medical Insurance – this may include cover for partner and or children at company cost. Cover includes Optical, Dental and Audiology Discretionary Bonus Competitive Annual Leave 2 Volunteering Days Benefit Hub