Johannesburg: Senior Payment Specialist – Techno-Functional posted by Sabenza IT & Recruitment

Senior Payment Specialist Techno-Functional

We are looking for a highly skilled Senior Payment Specialist (Techno-Functional) to join our digital banking and payments team. This role is ideal for someone who can bridge the gap between business needs and technical execution with strong domain expertise in payments and core banking, combined with hands-on technical capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

       Lead the design, development, and integration of payment solutions across core banking systems and third-party platforms.

       Conduct business requirement analysis, map current vs. target states, and define clear techno-functional documentation.

       Collaborate with development teams on API and microservices architecture to ensure high performance, scalability, and compliance.

       Oversee the implementation and configuration of SWIFT, ISO 20022, and other payment protocols.

       Ensure adherence to country-specific regulations and compliance in all payment flows.

       Act as a subject matter expert for functional queries while also providing technical direction on implementation and integration.

       Drive continuous improvement in payment automation, STP rates, and system performance.

       Support end-to-end testing, UAT, and deployment across all environments.

Must-Have Skills & Experience

       Deep understanding of Core Banking fundamentals and architecture.

       Expert knowledge of Payments domain, including:

o   SWIFT, ISO 20022, TCIB, and Cross-Border Payments

o   CMA regulations and country-specific compliance

o   Full payment lifecycle, STP/Non-STP flows, and various payment types

       Strong hands-on experience with payment system integrations, particularly with SWIFT/ISO gateways.

       High-level technical expertise in:

o   APIs and Microservices architecture

o   Java, SQL, Oracle/SQL Server

o   Unix/Linux scripting

       Proven ability to understand customer business requirements, perform GAP analysis, and deliver clear techno-functional specifications.

       Experience working in agile, cross-functional teams and managing complex deliverables.

Good-to-Have Skills

       Functional knowledge of Treasury products such as:

o   Foreign Exchange (FX), Money Markets (MM), Fixed Income

       Experience with real-time payment systems, compliance platforms, or digital banking transformations.

       Familiarity with DevOps, CI/CD, or cloud-native deployments.

Ready to drive real impact in digital payments? We want to hear from you.