Payment Escalations Agent job at M-KOPA

Overview

Application

We are looking for a Payment Escalations Agent to join our Customer Care group; as we scale up and drive digital and financial inclusion across our markets.

Job Purpose

The Payment Escalations Agent is responsible for investigating, verifying, and resolving escalated payment and refund-related cases within agreed service levels. The role serves as a key control point between Customer Care, payment systems, and external payment partners, ensuring all refund requests are accurately validated, compliant with company policies, and processed correctly.

The position plays a critical role in safeguarding financial controls, maintaining customer trust, and ensuring a seamless resolution experience for customers while supporting operational efficiency and risk management.

Key Responsibilities

1. Payment Escalation & Case Management

• Receive, review, and manage escalated payment-related cases referred by frontline teams and Team Leaders.
• Prioritise cases based on urgency, complexity, and service-level requirements.
• Ensure all cases are tracked from receipt through to final resolution within agreed turnaround times.
• Maintain clear communication and updates on case progress where required.

2. Customer Verification & Transaction Validation

• Verify customer identity, account ownership, and transaction history before initiating any refund or payment correction.
• Review payment records across internal systems to confirm transaction validity and eligibility.
• Ensure all verification procedures are completed accurately and in accordance with company policies.
• Escalate cases where verification requirements cannot be fully met.

3. Refund Processing & Compliance

• Review refund requests against company refund policies, approval thresholds, and compliance requirements.
• Confirm that all supporting documentation and approvals are in place before processing refunds.
• Process approved refunds accurately through the relevant payment channels and systems.
• Ensure refund transactions are completed with a high level of accuracy and minimal operational risk.

4. Payment Operations & Partner Coordination

• Coordinate refund execution through internal payment systems and external payment partners.
• Liaise with mobile money providers and payment partners to resolve transaction failures, delays, or reconciliation issues.
• Follow up on pending transactions and ensure timely completion of customer refunds.
• Support resolution of payment-related operational issues affecting customer experience.

5. Fraud Detection & Risk Management

• Identify suspicious activity, duplicate claims, unusual transaction patterns, or potential fraud indicators.
• Conduct detailed investigations and gather supporting evidence for high-risk cases.
• Escalate suspicious or potentially fraudulent cases to the Team Leader in line with established procedures.
• Support adherence to financial controls, compliance requirements, and risk management standards.

6. Documentation & Record Management

• Maintain complete, accurate, and audit-ready records for all escalated cases.
• Document verification activities, decisions, approvals, transaction details, and case outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy, record retention, and financial governance requirements.
• Support internal audits and investigations by providing accurate case documentation when required.

7. Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor personal performance metrics including resolution times, accuracy, and case volumes.
• Identify recurring payment issues, process gaps, and operational trends.
• Escalate systemic challenges and improvement opportunities to management and relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to operational reporting and initiatives aimed at improving customer experience and payment operations efficiency.

Reporting Structure

Reports To: Team Leader – Payments & Collections

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.

Experience

• 1–2 years of experience in customer operations, payments operations, back-office support, financial services, or a related environment.
• Experience working with CRM, payment, or case management systems.
• Familiarity with Freshdesk or similar customer support platforms is an advantage.
• Experience with mobile money ecosystems and payment reconciliation processes is preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, particularly when handling financial transactions.
• Analytical and investigative skills with the ability to identify discrepancies and anomalies.
• Sound judgement and decision-making capabilities when assessing customer claims and payment disputes.
• High levels of integrity and confidentiality when handling customer and financial information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and operational systems.
• Strong written communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple cases while meeting strict service-level targets.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Problem-solving mindset with a focus on customer resolution and operational excellence.

Knowledge & Expertise

• Understanding of payment operations, refunds, and transaction processing.
• Familiarity with mobile money platforms such as MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money.
• Knowledge of fraud prevention controls and financial compliance principles.
• Understanding of customer service and case management best practices.
• Experience working within SLA-driven operational environments.

Why M-KOPA?

At M-KOPA, we empower our people to own their careers through diverse development programs, coaching partnerships, and on-the-job training. We support individual journeys with family-friendly policies, prioritize well-being, and embrace flexibility.

• Receive, review, and manage escalated payment-related cases referred by frontline teams and Team Leaders.
• Prioritise cases based on urgency, complexity, and service-level requirements.
• Ensure all cases are tracked from receipt through to final resolution within agreed turnaround times.
• Maintain clear communication and updates on case progress where required.
• Verify customer identity, account ownership, and transaction history before initiating any refund or payment correction.
• Review payment records across internal systems to confirm transaction validity and eligibility.
• Ensure all verification procedures are completed accurately and in accordance with company policies.
• Escalate cases where verification requirements cannot be fully met.
• Review refund requests against company refund policies, approval thresholds, and compliance requirements.
• Confirm that all supporting documentation and approvals are in place before processing refunds.
• Process approved refunds accurately through the relevant payment channels and systems.
• Ensure refund transactions are completed with a high level of accuracy and minimal operational risk.
• Coordinate refund execution through internal payment systems and external payment partners.
• Liaise with mobile money providers and payment partners to resolve transaction failures, delays, or reconciliation issues.
• Follow up on pending transactions and ensure timely completion of customer refunds.
• Support resolution of payment-related operational issues affecting customer experience.
• Identify suspicious activity, duplicate claims, unusual transaction patterns, or potential fraud indicators.
• Conduct detailed investigations and gather supporting evidence for high-risk cases.
• Escalate suspicious or potentially fraudulent cases to the Team Leader in line with established procedures.
• Support adherence to financial controls, compliance requirements, and risk management standards.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and audit-ready records for all escalated cases.
• Document verification activities, decisions, approvals, transaction details, and case outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy, record retention, and financial governance requirements.
• Support internal audits and investigations by providing accurate case documentation when required.
• Monitor personal performance metrics including resolution times, accuracy, and case volumes.
• Identify recurring payment issues, process gaps, and operational trends.
• Escalate systemic challenges and improvement opportunities to management and relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to operational reporting and initiatives aimed at improving customer experience and payment operations efficiency.

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, particularly when handling financial transactions.
• Analytical and investigative skills with the ability to identify discrepancies and anomalies.
• Sound judgement and decision-making capabilities when assessing customer claims and payment disputes.
• High levels of integrity and confidentiality when handling customer and financial information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and operational systems.
• Strong written communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple cases while meeting strict service-level targets.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Problem-solving mindset with a focus on customer resolution and operational excellence.

• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field.
• 1–2 years of experience in customer operations, payments operations, back-office support, financial services, or a related environment.
• Experience working with CRM, payment, or case management systems.
• Familiarity with Freshdesk or similar customer support platforms is an advantage.
• Experience with mobile money ecosystems and payment reconciliation processes is preferred.
• Understanding of payment operations, refunds, and transaction processing.
• Familiarity with mobile money platforms such as MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money.
• Knowledge of fraud prevention controls and financial compliance principles.
• Understanding of customer service and case management best practices.
• Experience working within SLA-driven operational environments.