Merchant Data Steward

About Planet

Planet is a worldwide leader providing integrated technology and payment solutions tailored for the retail and hospitality sectors. With over 35 years of experience and headquarters in London, they employ more than 2,500 people across six continents serving clients in over 120 markets. Planet is dedicated to delivering superior experiences to millions through their payments, software, and tax-free offerings, enabling customers to boost loyalty, increase revenues, and save time.

Role Overview

The Merchant Data Steward is responsible for maintaining the integrity and quality of new merchant data as it is entered into Salesforce. Acting as the gatekeeper, this role ensures that only data that is complete, accurate, and logically sound enters the system, preventing any negative impact on downstream processes. Embedded within the merchant onboarding workflow, the Steward enforces mandatory field completion and data standards on opportunity and merchant records, collaborating closely with the Onboarding team and partnering with the Data Architect to uphold data architecture standards. This position is pivotal in sustaining the effectiveness of the merchant Hierarchy Programme cleanse and moving towards a proactive approach to high-quality data capture.

Key Responsibilities

• Guard and verify new merchant data quality at the point of entry within Salesforce.
• Reject incomplete, inaccurate, or illogical data to protect the live data set.
• Define, implement, and continually enhance data quality standards, validation rules, and acceptance criteria.
• Collaborate actively with the Onboarding team to integrate data quality checks within their workflow and ensure smooth merchant onboarding aligned with timelines.
• Review opportunity records from the Commercial team and provide clear feedback when records do not meet quality standards.
• Partner with the Data Architect to maintain data hierarchy integrity, applying agreed definitions and cleanse logic.
• Monitor and report on data quality metrics, identify root causes of defects, and recommend process improvements.
• Serve as the main contact for data quality concerns during onboarding and champion data quality culture across departments.
• Maintain thorough documentation on data definitions, mandatory requirements, and stewardship procedures.

Accountabilities

• Ensure completeness, accuracy, and logical validity of incoming merchant data for Salesforce.
• Enforce mandatory field and acceptance criteria on opportunity records.
• Protect the data feeding the Hierarchy Programme cleanse alongside the Data Architect and maintain its quality over time.
• Provide timely, constructive feedback to Commercial and Onboarding teams to aid improvement.

Candidate Profile

• Proven hands-on experience using Salesforce, especially managing merchant, account, and opportunity data.
• In-depth understanding of data quality principles, validation techniques, and governance practices.
• Knowledge of the payments industry, including merchant operations, transactions, and hierarchy structures.
• A meticulous approach with strong attention to detail and a low tolerance for incomplete or ambiguous data entries.
• Confidence and assertiveness in acting as a gatekeeper, able to reject poor quality records constructively.
• Experience in payments, fintech, or financial services sectors is preferred.
• Familiarity with data hierarchy, master data management, or data cleansing projects.
• Comfortable working alongside data architects and a good understanding of data architecture concepts.
• Ability to produce reporting and dashboards related to data quality metrics.
• Excellent communication skills to provide actionable feedback to commercial and onboarding stakeholders.
• Pragmatic and focused on delivery with an outcome-oriented mindset.
• Adept at influencing without direct control of systems and collaborating across business and technical teams.

Role Context & Reporting

• This position resides within the Finance Transformation function.
• Works in a hybrid operating model where Commercial handles capturing data, Onboarding manages merchant setups, the Data Architect governs the data model and hierarchy, and the Merchant Data Steward enforces data quality at the gate.
• Reporting line, grade, and exact location details to be announced.

Success Criteria

• Decrease in data quality defects originating during onboarding.
• A high rate of first-time acceptance of merchant and opportunity records with all mandatory fields valid.
• Maintained integrity of hierarchy data post-cleanse with no loss attributable to onboarding activities.
• Accelerated, cleaner merchant onboarding through prompt resolution of data problems.
• Consistent and timely feedback delivered to Commercial and Onboarding teams.

Work Environment & Inclusion

Planet promotes equal opportunity employment with a strong diversity and inclusion ethos, ensuring hiring decisions are based on qualifications and business needs. The company supports a hybrid working model with three days in office weekly and offers reasonable accommodations to enable successful performance of role functions.