Director, Payments and Fraud Operations

Justworks•New York, NY

9h•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Director of Payments and Fraud Operations, you will lead two critical teams accountable for the accurate and timely movement of customer funds and the protection of Justworks from financial and fraud-related risk. You will set the strategic direction for both functions, ensuring customer funds move reliably at scale and that Justworks remains fully compliant with AML industry standards. You will elevate Payments and Fraud Operations as strategic functions that enable revenue growth, strengthen customer trust, and support faster payment products without increasing financial exposure.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in payments operations, fraud operations, or related financial operations functions, with at least 5 years leading teams.
Demonstrated success scaling operational functions in high-growth, regulated environments.
Strong knowledge of payment rails, reconciliation, and financial risk management practices.
Strong understanding of AML compliance, fraud prevention, and customer due diligence frameworks.
Track record of applying AI, automation, and influencing partners in Product & Engineering to scale operations and strengthen controls.
Proven ability to lead organizational change and influence senior executives across complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

Responsibilities

Lead and Develop the Payments and Fraud Operations Teams: Build, develop, and retain a high-performing team, setting a high bar for excellence and creating an environment where people take ownership and do their best work. Coach leaders and ICs to strengthen subject matter expertise and elevate the team's capacity for higher-value analysis and cross-functional partnership. Set a clear vision and priorities, aligning the team around shared goals and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
Drive Operational Excellence in Payments: Own the end-to-end payments lifecycle across Justworks' product lines, ensuring customer payrolls are processed accurately and on time to protect customer trust, revenue recognition, and company cash flow. Strengthen risk management through improved visibility, proactive customer engagement, and continuous refinement of controls. Enable faster payment methods and expanded payroll timelines while maintaining a strong risk posture. Drive a culture of data-driven decision-making within the team, using operational insights to identify inefficiencies, prioritize improvements, and measure outcomes.
Protect Justworks Through Fraud and AML Operations: Maintain full compliance with AML industry standards and fortify protection from fraudulent activity across all business lines. Oversee onboarding and ongoing screening processes, including fraud review, AML checks, and lifecycle monitoring. Stay ahead of the evolving fraud and financial crime landscape, ensuring Justworks' approach, controls, and capabilities continuously adapt to emerging risks.
Advance Automation, Tooling, and AI Investments: Partner with Product and Engineering to prioritize tooling investments and leverage AI/automation to reduce manual effort, expand throughput, and strengthen controls.
Lead Through Influence and Vision: Serve as the senior voice on payments operations and fraud risk in executive decision-making, translating operational realities into clear business impact and forward-looking strategy. Partner closely with Product, Engineering, Accounting, Treasury, Customer Success, and Customer Support to align on priorities and delivery. Partner with Operations leadership to define priorities for the broader Operations Division that directly align and support Justworks’ broader business strategy.