Digital Payment Advisor

Job Summary

The Digital Payments Program (DPP) Advisor plays a vital role in developing and monitoring the UBC’s digital payments eco-system that integrates with Workday. The DPP Advisor role ensures that payments made online to UBC by students, staff and employees are efficient, reliable, secure, accurate, and are fully compliant with both University and Government regulatory policies. This includes payments that are made for student acceptance deposits, student tuition, housing, lab supplies, conferences, events, and much more. The DPP Advisor position is responsible to identify possible future revenue-generating opportunities across all online payment channels and exploring new options that utilize smartphone technology to make payments in person and online through digital wallets.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring alignment across, and with, operational functions and strategic IT initiatives while promoting best practices in the appropriate use and safeguarding of payment information. The position is a liaison - building and managing strong working relationships with business units and stakeholders, both internal and external to the Digital Payments environment, including UBC IT teams. The position is called upon to collaborate with all levels of staff at the university, both technical and non-technical, as well as provide guidance to business stakeholders in the participation and direction of systems implementation projects.

Organizational Status

Reporting directly to the Digital Payments Program Manager, the DPP Advisor will work closely with UBC’s internal merchants, third party software vendors, and IT teams to optimize and streamline payment workflows. This role is responsible to onboard new vendors and work with UBC’s PrISM team to align the digital payments program with Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) and Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards and procedures.

Work Performed

Manages and supports UBC’s digital payments ecosystem by overseeing and ensuring the smooth operation of TouchNet for Campus wide UBC merchants and flow of Tuition and Housing payments that pass through TouchNet.

Conducts analysis of current and emerging trends in digital payments and how they might be implemented at UBC through our TouchNet architecture. This includes exploring the potential expansion of digital payment methods, POS systems, recurring payments, payment plans, digital wallets, artificial intelligence and more.

Provides technical and functional expertise to the community to understand third-party vendors and how they can integrate with UBC TouchNet ecosystem and works with Procurement to ensure alignment on third party integrations with UBC TouchNet infrastructure.

Serves as the primary point of contact for multiple Community members to onboard new and maintain existing UBC merchants. This includes configuring merchants within TouchNet and managing their integration with third-party payment interface providers.

Assesses and recommends the most suitable TouchNet solution based on merchant needs—whether that’s a basic online store (Simple Store), integration into an existing UBC-hosted website, an event-based solution, or a third-party platform not currently a UBC TouchNet Ready Partner.

Evaluates third-party vendors that are not yet TouchNet Ready and engages with them to explore potential integration and partnership opportunities..

Analyzes, plans and manages requests from faculties and service units for change(s) to the enterprise Digital Payment Program applications, and collaborates with UBC IT and other VPFO units in developing project proposals for system implementations.

Collaborates with both internal and external stakeholders to facilitate and maintain seamless integrations between TouchNet UBC’s internal system and our payment processor.

Reviews and develops systems for overseeing payment transactions for all three main TouchNet components – Campus Merchants, Tuition, and Housing - including debit, credit, pre-authorized debits (PADs), and international wires, in order to ensure regulatory and risk compliance

Collaborates with UBC’s Privacy & Security Management team and the UBC’s Compliance Officer to ensure compliance to industry and University policies, procedures and industry regulations governing online and f2f payments

Other duties and projects as assigned.

Consequence of Error / Judgement

This role helps provide recommendations for receiving payments at a variety of levels within the University. There is exposure to the public with these recommendations and subsequent fraudulent activities with credit card processing based on these recommendations. As such, there is both reputational risk and risk of financial loss. Mitigations are to understand credit card policies and procedures and to provide informative information to the community.

Supervision Received

Works independently under direction from the Digital Payment Program Manager. Also receives direction from the Senior Director, Finance Services and Strategic Procurement. Performance is assessed in terms of service provided to the community and other UBC units, soundness of judgement, adherence to deadlines, achievement of objectives, and overall effectiveness of support and problem-solving skills.

Supervision Given

No direct supervisory responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Completion of the CPA accounting program (CA, CGA or CMA). Minimum of seven years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline, such as Information Technology, Business Administration, Finance or a related discipline

A minimum of seven years of e-commerce or payment systems experience

Knowledge of Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards and best practices

Computer skills – MS Office, PowerPoint, third party ‘cloud based’ online vendor access tools (Global Payments / TouchNet)

Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing

Demonstrated interpersonal, organization and problem-solving skills

Proven ability to adapt and work effectively in a dynamic and rapidly evolving environment under pressure with high volume and critical deadlines

Ability to take initiative to work both independently and within a team environment