Director, Payments and Risk Operations

Role Overview

• Own and evolve Buildertrend's end-to-end payments risk and operations strategy, including merchant onboarding, underwriting, transaction monitoring, disputes, servicing, and portfolio management.
• Build and strengthen fraud prevention and loss mitigation capabilities by creating scalable processes, continuous feedback loops, and AI-assisted solutions that improve decision making and operational efficiency.
• Evaluate, implement, and optimize AI-powered fraud and risk platforms to scale operations through automation while maintaining a high-quality customer experience.
• Lead and develop a high-performing payments risk and operations team, building the structure, processes, and capabilities needed to support long-term growth.
• Partner with Product and Engineering to embed risk controls into payment experiences, onboarding journeys, payout configurations, APIs, and risk tooling, serving as the primary risk leader throughout product development.
• Develop risk analytics and reporting that provide real-time operational insights and portfolio-level visibility, enabling leaders to make informed business and financial decisions.
• Partner closely with Compliance, Product Security, Engineering, Finance, Revenue, the General Manager, and the Senior Manager of Compliance to refine risk appetite, loss thresholds, and governance frameworks while ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, sponsor bank expectations, and network rules.
• Embrace using AI as a tool to enhance your work, while remaining open to learning, applying critical thinking, and owning the quality of your final work.

Requirements

• 7+ years of progressive experience leading payments risk within a vertical SaaS, marketplace, or fintech environment, with a track record of building and owning risk strategies that support business goals
• 3+ years of recent hands-on risk experience across payment processing, ACH and check disbursements — including underwriting, transaction monitoring, fraud prevention, and chargeback operations
• Experience designing and implementing AI-powered decisioning systems, automation, or fraud platforms that improve efficiency and strengthen risk management
• A growth-oriented approach to risk management, with the ability to evaluate risk and reward, make data-driven decisions, and translate risk insights into meaningful financial and operational outcomes
• Strong operational judgment with experience building scalable, efficient risk functions and optimizing processes without relying on large, specialized teams
• A player-coach leadership style, with the ability to set strategy, dive into operational details when needed, and develop high-performing teams
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with experience influencing Product, Engineering, Finance, Compliance, and other cross-functional leaders to deliver practical, scalable solutions.

Benefits

• Exceptional health packages, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus life insurance and short
• and long-term disability benefits
• A 401(k) plan with Buildertrend matching contributions to help you plan for the future
• Generous paid time off, 11 paid holidays, plus personal days to make sure you have time to recharge
• Parental leave and paid sabbaticals to support you during life's big moments
• Volunteer time off because giving back matters
• Wellness program and onsite fitness center to keep you feeling your best
• Opportunities for hybrid or remote work to give you the flexibility you need
• Technology reimbursement to help cover costs for the tech you need to do your job from home
• Free daily lunches when you're at our HQ office, plus monthly events to connect with your team