Merchant Boarding Specialist

Merchant Boarding Specialist

Opportunity Description

We don't hire for open roles, we hire for impact.

At Alternative Horizons Group, we're building the most sought-after payment partnership for businesses the traditional system rejects. We serve merchants in hemp, wellness, and emerging industries who are building the future—and they depend on us not just to process payments, but to be a proactive partner in their success.

This isn't a job. It's an
opportunity to build something exceptional.

Our Core Values:

• Run Through The Storm
• We face obstacles head-on with unshakeable belief that solutions exist
• Own Your Outcomes
• Your attitude, effort, and execution are always within your control
• Compound Value
• Every interaction makes relationships stronger and creates knowledge that scales

What You'll Own:

As our Merchant Boarding Specialist, you'll own the entire merchant approval process from verbal commitment through processor approval—transforming what's currently our biggest operational bottleneck into a competitive advantage.

Your Core Responsibilities:

• End-to-end boarding process:
  Manage merchant applications, documentation collection, MPA preparation, and processor submissions for both Argyle and West Town processors
• BAMFAM implementation:
  Build and execute the "Book A Meeting From A Meeting" process—scheduling 1-hour or less sessions with merchants to complete all documentation live, eliminating weeks of back-and-forth
• Underwriting liaison:
  Act as the bridge between merchants and underwriting teams, gathering required documents, responding to processor requests, and ensuring fastest-possible approval timelines
• Process optimization:
  Document every workflow, identify bottlenecks, and continuously improve the boarding experience—you're not just following processes, you're building them
• Merchant experience:
  Deliver white-glove onboarding that makes clients feel supported (not hassled) during the documentation phase, maintaining our 95%+ retention rate
• Warm handoffs:
  Coordinate seamless transitions to our Customer Success Manager once merchants are approved and ready for implementation

Critical Systems You'll Master:

• Go High Level (CRM and pipeline management)
• IRIS CRM (application processing and processor submission)
• PandaDoc (agreement preparation and e-signatures)
• Microsoft Outlook/Exchange (automated workflows)
• Slack (team coordination)

What Success Looks Like:

30 Days:

• Independently process 3-5 merchant applications end-to-end with zero submission errors
• Successfully complete 2-3 BAMFAM calls with merchants, gathering all documentation live
• Document current process gaps and propose initial improvements

60 Days:

• Own 100% of merchant boarding operations (sales team fully freed from underwriting admin)
• Achieve 95%+ first-time-right submission rate with processors (no rejections for documentation errors)
• BAMFAM model operational for 40-50% of suitable merchants (others using automated pre-app workflow)

90 Days:

• Sales partner spending zero time on underwriting administration (down from 30%)
• Average time from verbal commit to processor submission reduced by 50%+
• Merchant satisfaction score of 4.5+ out of 5 for onboarding experience
• Complete process documentation and training materials ready for future team growth

Who Thrives Here:

• A-players
  who want impact over titles
• Self-sufficient operators who don't need hand-holding
• People who measure success in outcomes, not hours logged
• Individuals who believe "we'll figure it out" is a viable strategy
• Team members who dominate the controllables: attitude, preparedness, and effort
• Extreme attention to detail
• You catch every missing document, every typo, every inconsistency before it causes delays
• Process builders
• You see "build out this workflow" as an opportunity, not extra work
• Punctuality obsessed
• Deadlines are sacred; if you say 2pm, it's done by 2pm
• Document-fluent professionals
• You've worked in banking, CPA offices, payroll, or similar roles where you understand business entity structures, EIN letters, articles of incorporation, bank statements, and KYC/AML requirements without needing training
• Calm communicators
• You can guide anxious merchants through paperwork without making it feel like a burden
• Systems thinkers
• You document solutions so problems never happen twice

Who Won't Fit:

• Anyone who needs external motivation to perform
• People who blame circumstances instead of controlling what they can
• Individuals who accept "good enough" instead of pushing for excellence
• Those who keep knowledge siloed instead of compounding it for the team
• Detail-averse individuals
• If you frequently make small mistakes or miss things in documents, this role will frustrate you and harm the business
• Creative chaos types
• If you thrive on variety and get bored with repetitive, process-driven work, you'll be miserable here
• Relationship-focused sellers
• This isn't a sales role; if you need constant client interaction and relationship-building to feel fulfilled, look elsewhere
• People who need hand-holding
• You'll get training, but after 30 days, you own this independently

Compensation & Growth:

Compensation:
$55,000-$65,000 base salary (depending on experience)

Includes a salary adjustment designed to offset the cost of health coverage.

Generous paid time off:
24 total paid days per year — 17 company days (11 holidays + 5 fixed closure days + your birthday off) + 7 PTO days.

On-site
role in downtown
West Palm Beach.

Growth Path:

• Merchant Boarding Specialist
  → Own the process, perfect the BAMFAM model, become indispensable
• Senior Merchant Boarding Specialist
  → Train backup support, handle complex/high-value deals, optimize processor relationships
• Merchant Operations Manager
  → Oversee boarding + post-approval operations as the company scales

Why This Matters:
Every hire matters. Every role has a clear growth path. We invest heavily in continuous learning because your ceiling is our ceiling. This is a lean, high-performing team building something exceptional—and the people who help us scale will grow alongside the company.

How to Apply:

Send your resume and Loom video to

Required submissions:

1. Resume
2. Focus on roles involving business documentation, compliance, banking, payroll, or payment processing

3. 3-5 minute Loom video
   introducing yourself and answering these three questions:

4. Which of our three core values resonates most with you—and why?

5. Give a specific example of when you "ran through the storm" instead of around it (a time you faced a major obstacle and refused to give up until you found the solution)
6. Why AHG? What excites you about this opportunity specifically?

You can create a free Loom account here:

Our Core Values

Our core values are the foundation of Alternative Horizons Group. The right person for this role will appreciate each of these values, personally embody them, and understand why each is critical to building something exceptional.

Run Through The Storm

When obstacles appear, we charge forward—not around them. We face challenges with unshakeable belief that solutions exist, and we have the tenacity to find them. Like the buffalo running through the storm, we know the only way out is through. We embrace "we'll figure it out" over "we can't do this."

Own Your Outcomes

We take full ownership of what's within our control—our attitude, effort, and preparation. When obstacles arise, we focus our energy on solutions rather than circumstances. If it's in your power to execute, you execute—no exceptions.

Compound Value

Every interaction makes the relationship stronger. Every problem solved becomes documented knowledge. Every client success becomes proof for the next client. We don't just process transactions—we compound value for merchants, for the team, and for ourselves. Excellence scales through systems, not heroics.

This is your foundation. Everything else—growth, impact, and building something exceptional—starts here.