Head of Talent Payments

Buchwald•New York, NY

13h•$100,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

Our bicoastal talent agency is seeking a Head of Talent Payments to lead and oversee all aspects of talent payment operations in our New York office. This is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced professional who is eager to modernize, streamline, and take ownership of a critical operational department within the agency. This role requires a strong operational mindset, active people management, and the ability to transform a legacy function through technology, data, and standardized workflows. The Head of Talent Payments will work closely with agents, talent, finance leadership, and senior management to ensure accuracy, efficiency, and an exceptional client experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (power user level)
Demonstrated ability to adopt and implement new technologies
Proven experience leading teams and managing performance
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability and willingness to work on-site 4–5 days per week

Nice To Haves

Deep understanding of ACH, wire transfers, and payment processing
Experience modernizing or transforming legacy processes
Background in entertainment, talent representation, or commission-based environments
Experience with accounts receivable management and financial controls
Familiarity with compliance requirements and union payment structures

Responsibilities

Lead, supervise, mentor, and develop the Talent Payments team, including hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and workload prioritization.
Maintain a regular on-site presence to actively manage staff, workflows, and daily operations.
Establish a culture of accountability, ownership, collaboration, and continuous process improvement.
Oversee end-to-end processing of all incoming payments, including checks, ACH, and wire transfers.
Ensure accurate commission calculations, proper memo identification, and timely application of payments.
Review and approve work prior to final processing to minimize errors and downstream issues.
Execute ACH and wire transfers in accordance with internal controls and authorization protocols.
Establish, document, and enforce standardized operating procedures and approval processes.
Own accounts receivable tracking and aging reports, proactively identifying and addressing collection risks.
Develop and maintain reporting on payment volume, outstanding receivables, commission accuracy, error rates, and department performance metrics.
Prepare and present regular operational and financial updates to the CFO and senior leadership.
Lead the transition away from manual and paper-based processes by adopting modern tools and systems.
Train the department on advanced use of Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Teams, and digital tracking/reporting tools.
Partner with leadership to evaluate and implement alternatives to legacy systems, including leading change management and staff adoption.
Serve as the primary escalation point for complex or sensitive payment issues.
Act as a liaison between agents, talent, finance, and senior management, ensuring timely, professional, and consistent communication.