Fora is the modern travel agency, empowering anyone with a passion for travel to build a thriving advisory business. We're modernizing the $100B+ travel agency industry by combining powerful technology, data, and community to enable thousands of entrepreneurs to build on our platform. Our business-in-a-box platform gives travel entrepreneurs everything they need to launch and scale, from cutting-edge tools and personalized training to a vibrant community and exclusive industry partnerships. At the heart of it all is our mission: to help the next generation of travel entrepreneurs turn their love for travel into a fulfilling career, whether full-time or part-time. We believe that everyone, from seasoned professionals to first-time advisors, can build something both profitable and personal.
Founded in 2021 by seasoned entrepreneurs, Fora has grown steadily since, expanding to a team of 200+ full-time employees based in downtown New York City. In 2026, we announced our $60 million Series D investment round, led by Forerunner and Tactile Ventures, with continued participation from existing investors Thrive Capital, Insight Partners, and Heartcore Capital. We've also been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Startup 2024, Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies 2025 and 2023, and we were most recently recognized as one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2026.
We're building the first truly unified platform for all travel needs—leveraging the best of human expertise and technology to transform how people plan and book travel.
Fora is seeking a Senior Manager of Payment Operations to oversee the end-to-end processes that determine a core part of the advisor experience: ensuring advisors are paid accurately and on time. Reporting to the Director of Payment Operations, this role will own booking ingestion and commission payouts while leading a team across HQ and offshore support.
This is an operator’s role. The Senior Manager of Payment Operations will drive process improvements and automation efforts while serving as a key connective point between Payment Operations and cross-functional partners across Product, Engineering, and Advisor Experience. The scope of the role is highly dynamic and execution-oriented. Responsibilities may range from resolving payment issues alongside Engineering, to partnering with Product on advisor-facing earnings tools, to redesigning workflows that improve operational efficiency and scalability.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives in fast-moving environments, takes ownership from start to finish, and enjoys building better systems and processes while developing strong cross-functional relationships.
Key ResponsibilitiesThis role oversees two core functions: bookings ingestion and advisor payouts, across all of the following areas:
- Operational process management: Design, document, and continuously improve end-to-end workflows across booking ingestion and payouts, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
- Automation & escalation: Identify automation opportunities, implement solutions that reduce manual work, and build clear escalation paths for exceptions and issues.
- Strategic collaboration: Serve as the key liaison across Operations, Product, Engineering, Data, and Advisor Experience. Aligning FinOps with broader business objectives and driving cross-functional initiatives.
- Team leadership: Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing team across HQ and offshore. Including hiring, performance reviews, and day-to-day development.
- Performance monitoring: Own KPIs across bookings and payouts, track trends, and deliver regular reporting and actionable insights to senior leadership.
- Experience: 5–8 years across a combination of consulting, investment banking, or high-growth startup environments. Experience in hands-on operational role is strongly preferred.
- Operator mindset: Comfortable balancing strategic thinking with hands-on execution. This role combines team leadership with day-to-day ownership of operational work and process execution.
- Stakeholder management: Track record of working cross-functionally and translating operational needs into clear requirements.
- Analytical rigor: Data-driven approach to decision-making; comfortable building dashboards, tracking KPIs, and surfacing insights.
- Communication: Exceptional written and verbal skills across a wide range of audiences.
- Judgment: Sound decision-making in fast-moving environments.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Industrial Engineering or related field.
- Background in a marketplace, fintech, or payments business
- Experience at a startup or high-growth company where processes were built from scratch
- Familiarity with payment operations tooling and comfort partnering with engineering teams
- Actively experimenting with AI tools in day-to-day work, with genuine interest in how AI can transform operational functions
- MBA or other advanced degree
Compensation for this role varies based on experience, with an indicative range of $140K–$195K + equity. Final compensation will depend on the level at which the candidate is hired, as we’re considering multiple levels for this role.
- Unlimited vacation
- Health Insurance (including an option completely covered by Fora HQ)
- Dental & Vision Insurance
- Wellhub Memberships
- 401k plan with company match
- Commuter Benefits
- Supplemental Life Insurance
- Stock Options
This role is based in our beautiful New York City office (Tribeca/Fidi) with lots of natural light and great views.
We’re forging our own path
Fora has always been about driving change within the industry. We’re not interested in maintaining the status quo.
We’re stronger together
Community is our cornerstone and collective power is our strength. We believe we can all go further when we operate together, using our combined leverage to unlock better opportunities and outcomes for our advisors, partners, and travelers.
We believe in technology
We believe technology is an answer to some of the most fundamental challenges the travel industry faces. We believe advancements in AI, bold investments in our platforms, and a world-class data infrastructure will transform the work of our advisors and our partners, while creating better travel experiences for travelers.
We’re here to serve
We operate in service of our community and believe that when they’re empowered to focus on what they do best, we all win. It’s why we relentlessly advocate for our advisors and prioritize their best interest every step of the way.
We mean business
Fora is equal parts fun, meaningful work and serious travel business. We’re unlocking opportunities for thousands of travel entrepreneurs, delivering a stream of high-quality guests at scale for our partners, and providing a superior travel experience for our travelers. It’s a better equation for the future of our industry.
WORK AUTHORIZATION
Authorization to work in the United States is required for full-time roles based in our New York City office. Fora is unable to sponsor or assist with U.S. work authorization. Roles based outside of the United States are not subject to this requirement.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Fora is committed to an equitable hiring process and an inclusive work environment. BIPOC and traditionally underrepresented candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We will not discriminate and will take action to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any other characteristic protected by law.
