Merchant Activation Specialist

Apply Description About Payliance Founded in 2007, Payliance is a trusted leader in payment processing — processing more than $63 billion annually, supporting 40,000+ merchant locations, and serving over 350 lending clients. We offer an all-in-one platform for real-time funding, payment processing, account verification, and recovery services, giving lenders the technology to operate efficiently and confidently. What sets Payliance apart is our blend of modern technology, deep industry expertise, and a highly collaborative, people-first culture. Backed by Serent Capital, we're expanding our capabilities and delivering measurable results for clients across lending, e-commerce, collections, and gaming. About the Role The Merchant Activation Specialist owns the critical window between signed deal and first transaction — ensuring newly boarded merchants are set up correctly, processing confidently, and realizing value from Payliance's platform as quickly as possible. This role combines post-sale quality control, proactive merchant outreach, and hands-on training for SMB to mid-market accounts. This is a high-impact role for someone who is detail-oriented, comfortable on the phone with merchants, and motivated by moving accounts from 'approved' to 'active' with speed and care. What You'll Do Post-Sale Quality Control · Review newly boarded merchant accounts for completeness, accuracy, and proper setup before and after go-live. · Audit account configurations — processing limits, program type, fee structures, and terminal/platform setup — to catch errors before they impact the merchant. · Coordinate with Underwriting, Operations, and Sales to resolve onboarding discrepancies quickly. · Maintain a QC log of common setup issues and escalate patterns to leadership for process improvement. · Ensure all documentation, compliance requirements, and approvals are in order prior to activation. Proactive Merchant Outreach · Monitor activation pipelines to identify merchants who have been approved but have not yet begun processing. · Conduct proactive outreach — via phone, email, and other channels — to remove barriers and drive time-to-first-transaction. · Diagnose and resolve activation blockers including technical issues, missing equipment, incomplete setup, or merchant hesitation. · Maintain accurate activity logs and outreach notes in CRM to ensure full visibility for Sales and Operations. · Escalate high-risk or stalled activations to the appropriate team with context and recommended next steps. SMB & Mid-Market Account Training & Onboarding · Deliver product and platform training to newly activated SMB to mid-market merchants — covering processing basics, portal navigation, reporting, and support resources. · Conduct live or recorded onboarding sessions for individual merchants or small groups as needed. · Identify and address knowledge gaps that contribute to delayed activation or early attrition. · Collaborate with the Sales…