IBM Safer Payments Developer

Role Overview

The IBM Safer Payments Developer acts as an Implementation Consultant accountable for deploying and supporting IBM Safer Payments (ISP) solutions aimed at enterprise-level fraud detection and prevention. This position involves customizing, configuring, and enhancing fraud detection mechanisms to ensure secure transaction processing within banking and payment domains while adhering to regulatory standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain IBM Safer Payments solutions within financial institutions.
• Develop and update real-time fraud detection strategies, including rules and monitoring scenarios.
• Set up fraud detection controls across payment channels such as cards, digital banking platforms, instant payments, fund transfers, wallets, and open banking transactions.
• Apply advanced fraud detection logic including behavioral analytics, velocity checks, geographic anomaly recognition, account takeover and mule account detection, alongside transaction risk scoring.
• Configure fraud case management processes encompassing workflow design, alert prioritization, escalation paths, and investigation queue management.
• Optimize machine learning models, fraud scoring systems, and dynamic risk evaluation methods.
• Support fraud analytics initiatives to identify emerging patterns and new fraud techniques.
• Integrate the ISP platform with core banking systems, payment gateways, card management infrastructure, AML platforms, CRM, and data service layers.
• Develop interfaces and integrations using APIs, streaming events, messaging systems, databases, and middleware technologies.
• Create executive dashboards and detailed fraud operation reports including KPIs, false positive analyses, and regulatory compliance reporting.
• Continuously monitor and fine-tune platform performance for low latency and high throughput to maintain real-time fraud detection effectiveness.
• Carry out comprehensive testing phases including system integration, performance evaluation, user acceptance, plus support deployment and post-production operations.
• Conduct root cause analyses for incidents, provide troubleshooting support and implement necessary corrective actions.
• Manage production support for deployments, upgrades, patching, high availability and disaster recovery plans.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across Fraud Operations, Compliance, AML, Payments, Cybersecurity, Risk, and Technology to deliver successful solutions.

Qualifications and Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, IT, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or related discipline.
• Certification in IBM Safer Payments technology.
• Professional credentials such as ACAMS, CFE, CAFCP, CISSP or equivalents preferred.
• ITIL Foundation certification is required.

Experience Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience in Fraud Management, Financial Crime Technology, Payment Systems, or Banking Technology.
• Demonstrated experience implementing and supporting IBM Safer Payments solutions, including at least two full-cycle implementations.
• Familiarity with real-time payment processing and fraud surveillance environments.
• Experience integrating fraud management tools with enterprise banking and payment infrastructures.

Technical Skills

• Proficient with IBM Safer Payments platform.
• Expertise in fraud strategy design, real-time fraud detection, rule creation, and tuning.
• Knowledge of machine learning model setup and adjustment for fraud scoring.
• Transaction monitoring, fraud analytics, and case management capabilities.
• Skill in anomaly detection techniques such as velocity monitoring and geographic checks.
• Competent in account takeover and authorized push payment fraud mitigation.
• Experience with mule account detection, card and digital banking fraud management.
• Database querying skills with SQL, Oracle, and PostgreSQL.
• Proficiency in Linux/Unix system administration.
• Java development experience preferred.
• API integration using REST, XML, JSON technologies.
• Knowledge of event-driven architectures including Kafka.
• Understanding of payment system protocols like SWIFT, ISO 20022, ISO 8583, RTGS, ACH, SARIE, and Instant Payments.
• Familiarity with open banking and wallet integrations.
• Experience with performance tuning, high-availability configurations, and disaster recovery planning.
• Awareness of AML, financial crime compliance, and fraud governance frameworks.
• Understanding of PCI DSS, FATF, and SAMA fraud risk management requirements.
• Incident management and root cause analysis expertise.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, presentation and documentation skills.
• Experience working with Agile methodologies.
• Capability to support critical, high-speed, real-time payment systems.