OPT Payments Specialist Jobs
Payments Specialist jobs are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with backgrounds in finance, accounting, or business. Most roles qualify as specialty occupations, supporting H-1B visa sponsorship down the line. Your OPT window gives you 12 months of authorized work, with a 24-month STEM extension possible if your degree qualifies.
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Get Access To All JobsPosition Announcement
Deputy Director of Compliance and Payments
Salary Grade 25: $95,774 - $115,000
The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. is seeking one (1) qualified candidate to fill the full-time position for the Bureau of Division Management - Deputy Director of Compliance and Payments.
The Mental Hygiene Division of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is responsible for policy, programs, and provider oversight related to mental health; alcohol and drug use; developmental delays and disabilities; and early intervention services. The work of the Division is informed by the goals of improving clinical and rehabilitative services; integrating mental health, substance use, and primary care; promoting healthy childhood development; reducing racial/ethnic and socioeconomic health inequalities; and promoting recovery. The Bureau of Administration provides all non-program support for the Division of Mental Hygiene.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the direction of the Director of Compliance and Payments, the Deputy Director of Compliance and Payments will perform the following tasks:
- Act as the primary liaison for the Director in internal and external meetings, effectively communicating key decisions, strategic recommendations, and organizational updates.
- Supervise and provide leadership to a staff of 2 Supervisors, with 4-5 analysts.
- Maintain compliance with all DOHMH, local, state, and federal regulations for MHy contracts.
- Oversee all MHy provider payments and enforce timely processing schedules.
- Set up control mechanisms to track contract spending.
- Lead, train, and coordinate staff to ensure tasks are performed efficiently and accurately.
- Review intra-city and grant agreements to establish claiming policies and procedures.
- Handle and resolve vendor inquiries, manage vendor relationships.
- Investigate and resolve any issues or discrepancies in billings and payments.
- Point-person for all internal and external audit requests.
- Provide technical assistance to Program staff, contracted providers, and others as necessary.
- Lead bi-weekly meetings with program and Central Finance staff.
- Prepare financial analyses and reports as necessary, including, but not limited to, trend analyses, spending reports and forecasting.
- Other ad hoc projects.
Minimum Requirements:
-
A master's degree from an accredited college and 3 years of satisfactory full-time professional experience working in one or a combination of the following areas: working with the budget of a large public or private concern in budget administration, accounting, economic or financial administration, or fiscal or economic research; in management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research or program evaluation; in personnel or public administration, recruitment, position classification, personnel relations, labor relations, employee benefits, staff development, employment program planning/administration market research, economic planning, or fiscal management; or in a related area; or
-
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and 2 years of satisfactory full-time professional experience listed above.
Preferred Skills:
- Strong knowledge of the entire Microsoft Office Suite with emphasis on MS Word, Excel, and Access.
- Experience in government payment process, fiscal analysis and/or budgetary oversight.
- Knowledge of government contracting/procurement process.
- Familiarity with mental hygiene services (mental health, developmental disabilities, alcohol & drug abuse; behavioral health, etc.).
- Display exceptional writing, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
Work Location: 42-09 28th Street, Queens, New York 11101
To Apply: Submit a resume and cover letter on our website at https://rfmh.applicantpro.com/jobs/. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.
The Mission of the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) is to promote the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a focus on providing hope and supporting recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Applicants with lived mental health experience are encouraged to apply. RFMH is deeply committed to supporting underserved individuals, organizations, and communities. To this end, RFMH is focused on implementing activities and initiatives to reduce disparities in access, quality, and treatment outcomes for underserved populations. A critical component of these efforts is ensuring that RFMH is a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees' unique attributes and skills are valued and utilized to support the mission of the Agency. RFMH is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
The Research Foundation is a private not-for-profit corporation and is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation are not state employees, do not participate in any state retirement system, and do not receive state fringe benefits. Excellent Benefits Package. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer - Disabled/Veteran, 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) compliant.
Position Announcement
Deputy Director of Compliance and Payments
Salary Grade 25: $95,774 - $115,000
The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. is seeking one (1) qualified candidate to fill the full-time position for the Bureau of Division Management - Deputy Director of Compliance and Payments.
The Mental Hygiene Division of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is responsible for policy, programs, and provider oversight related to mental health; alcohol and drug use; developmental delays and disabilities; and early intervention services. The work of the Division is informed by the goals of improving clinical and rehabilitative services; integrating mental health, substance use, and primary care; promoting healthy childhood development; reducing racial/ethnic and socioeconomic health inequalities; and promoting recovery. The Bureau of Administration provides all non-program support for the Division of Mental Hygiene.
Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the direction of the Director of Compliance and Payments, the Deputy Director of Compliance and Payments will perform the following tasks:
- Act as the primary liaison for the Director in internal and external meetings, effectively communicating key decisions, strategic recommendations, and organizational updates.
- Supervise and provide leadership to a staff of 2 Supervisors, with 4-5 analysts.
- Maintain compliance with all DOHMH, local, state, and federal regulations for MHy contracts.
- Oversee all MHy provider payments and enforce timely processing schedules.
- Set up control mechanisms to track contract spending.
- Lead, train, and coordinate staff to ensure tasks are performed efficiently and accurately.
- Review intra-city and grant agreements to establish claiming policies and procedures.
- Handle and resolve vendor inquiries, manage vendor relationships.
- Investigate and resolve any issues or discrepancies in billings and payments.
- Point-person for all internal and external audit requests.
- Provide technical assistance to Program staff, contracted providers, and others as necessary.
- Lead bi-weekly meetings with program and Central Finance staff.
- Prepare financial analyses and reports as necessary, including, but not limited to, trend analyses, spending reports and forecasting.
- Other ad hoc projects.
Minimum Requirements:
-
A master's degree from an accredited college and 3 years of satisfactory full-time professional experience working in one or a combination of the following areas: working with the budget of a large public or private concern in budget administration, accounting, economic or financial administration, or fiscal or economic research; in management or methods analysis, operations research, organizational research or program evaluation; in personnel or public administration, recruitment, position classification, personnel relations, labor relations, employee benefits, staff development, employment program planning/administration market research, economic planning, or fiscal management; or in a related area; or
-
A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and 2 years of satisfactory full-time professional experience listed above.
Preferred Skills:
- Strong knowledge of the entire Microsoft Office Suite with emphasis on MS Word, Excel, and Access.
- Experience in government payment process, fiscal analysis and/or budgetary oversight.
- Knowledge of government contracting/procurement process.
- Familiarity with mental hygiene services (mental health, developmental disabilities, alcohol & drug abuse; behavioral health, etc.).
- Display exceptional writing, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
Work Location: 42-09 28th Street, Queens, New York 11101
To Apply: Submit a resume and cover letter on our website at https://rfmh.applicantpro.com/jobs/. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.
The Mission of the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) is to promote the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a focus on providing hope and supporting recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Applicants with lived mental health experience are encouraged to apply. RFMH is deeply committed to supporting underserved individuals, organizations, and communities. To this end, RFMH is focused on implementing activities and initiatives to reduce disparities in access, quality, and treatment outcomes for underserved populations. A critical component of these efforts is ensuring that RFMH is a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees' unique attributes and skills are valued and utilized to support the mission of the Agency. RFMH is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
The Research Foundation is a private not-for-profit corporation and is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation are not state employees, do not participate in any state retirement system, and do not receive state fringe benefits. Excellent Benefits Package. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer - Disabled/Veteran, 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) compliant.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Payments Specialist
Target fintech companies and payment processors first
Companies like payment processors, digital wallets, and fintech platforms hire Payments Specialists frequently and have established immigration programs. Their HR teams understand OPT timelines and are more likely to initiate H-1B visa sponsorship before your authorization expires.
Confirm your degree supports a STEM OPT extension
Finance, information systems, and applied mathematics degrees often qualify for the 24-month STEM extension. Verify your CIP code with your DSO before applying, since an extra two years of work authorization significantly improves your sponsorship timeline and makes you a safer hire.
Lead with payment systems knowledge in your application
Fluency with ACH, SWIFT, card networks, or reconciliation platforms signals specialty occupation to employers. Listing these skills prominently helps hiring managers and immigration counsel quickly confirm the role meets H-1B specialty occupation standards before making an offer.
Ask about sponsorship policy before the final interview round
Raise the H-1B sponsorship question after receiving genuine interest but before the offer stage. Framing it as a planning question rather than a demand keeps the conversation constructive and filters out employers who cannot sponsor before you invest significant time in their process.
Document your OPT authorization clearly in every application
State your work authorization status, EAD expiration date, and STEM extension eligibility upfront in cover letters or application notes. Payments roles often involve compliance-sensitive environments where employers want authorization confirmed early, reducing friction in the hiring process.
Use Migrate Mate to find OPT-friendly Payments Specialist openings
Migrate Mate filters job listings for employers open to OPT and visa sponsorship, saving you from applying to roles that will screen you out. Browsing roles there focuses your effort on companies already familiar with F-1 work authorization requirements.
Payments Specialist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Payments Specialist roles qualify as specialty occupations for H-1B sponsorship?
Most Payments Specialist positions qualify as specialty occupations because they typically require a bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, or a related field. Roles involving ACH operations, payment reconciliation, fraud analysis, or treasury systems tend to meet the degree-specific requirement USCIS uses to evaluate H-1B eligibility. Your offer letter and job duties description both matter when your employer's immigration counsel makes that determination.
Can I work as a Payments Specialist on F-1 OPT without any additional authorization?
Yes. Your OPT Employment Authorization Document allows you to work full-time for any employer in a role directly related to your degree. A finance, business, or economics degree aligns clearly with Payments Specialist duties. You must have your EAD in hand before your start date, and your role must relate to your field of study to maintain valid F-1 status.
Which degree fields support OPT authorization for Payments Specialist jobs?
Finance, accounting, economics, business administration, and information systems degrees all support OPT authorization for Payments Specialist roles. If your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as financial mathematics, applied statistics, or management information systems, you may also qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, giving you up to three years of total work authorization.
Where can I find Payments Specialist jobs that are open to OPT students?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and international candidates. It surfaces Payments Specialist roles at employers who are open to sponsoring work visas, so you spend less time filtering out companies that won't consider candidates needing authorization. The platform is particularly useful as your OPT expiration approaches and sponsorship timing becomes critical.
What happens to my Payments Specialist job if my OPT expires before H-1B approval?
If your employer files your H-1B petition before the April 1 deadline and you maintain valid OPT through October 1, you're covered by cap-gap protection, which automatically extends your work authorization through the start of the new fiscal year. If your OPT expires before cap-gap kicks in or your petition isn't selected in the lottery, you'd need to stop working until another authorization is secured.