Senior Manager of Payment Operations

Senior Manager of Payment Operations

The Senior Manager of Payment Operations is responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of check, Automated Clearing House (ACH), Bill Pay, Zelle and wire transaction processes within the Credit Union. The Senior Manager leads a team of Payment Operation Specialists ensuring seamless and efficient payment processing while maintaining the highest level of accuracy and compliance to relevant regulations and policies. The Senior Manager is responsible for providing focus to optimizing payment workflows to enhance the overall performance of the department.

Payment Processing Management : Oversee and manage the end-to-end payment processing for checks (paper and digital / MRDC), ACH, Bill Pay, and Wire transactions. Maintain insight into the delegation of workload to maximize production and collaboration of payment operations teams. Ensure that payment activities are executed accurately, timely, and adhere to daily deadlines set by federal and local agencies. Identify opportunities to streamline payment processes and procedures, providing focus to improvement of operational efficiency. Partner with Payment Operations leadership to update and implement procedure changes as necessary.

Leadership and Team Management : Provide leadership, guidance, and ongoing development to a team of individually performing payment operation specialist, as well as payment operations leadership. Foster an environment of engagement, collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement to promote employee satisfaction and retention. Establish and communicate clear performance expectations, while conducting regular evaluations with direct reports. Prepare and communicate regular reporting of payment processing metrics and KPIs for senior leadership.

Risk Management and Compliance Adherence : Monitor and assess risk associated with payment operations and implement effective risk strategies, in collaboration with key internal stakeholders and vendors. Stay updated on industry regulations and best practices related to payments, implementing procedures changes as necessary. Conduct routine self-audits of the Check, ACH, Wire department, as well as providing participation to audits conducted by Compliance teams. Develop and implement contingency plans for payment operations to ensure business continuity during unexpected interruptions.

Vendor and Financial Institution Relations : Partner with Operations Program Managers to maintain vendor relationships, making suggestions for improvements as necessary. Build and maintain relationships cross-functionally within the organization.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

What you will need :

Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, or related field preferred.

Equivalent combination of education and experience required.

6+ years of payment operations functions and regulatory guidelines required.

6+ years of experience with Regulation CC, Regulation E, NACHA, UCC required.

4+ years of leadership experience required.

1+ year of fraud identification / prevention experience required.

Excellent communication skills are required. Must be able to influence change with direct reports and across internal and cross-functional teams. Incumbent must have the ability to build upon ideas and strategies in a proactive manner so that fundamental initiatives can be realized required.

Strong organizational skills, the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and quickly adapt to a changing environment and crisis management required.

Aptitude for process efficiency, strong operational oversight and compliance with regulatory requirements required.

Demonstrated ability to make effective decisions in a timely manner, that produce results aligned with organizational strategy required.

Proficient with MS Office Suite Products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) required.

Accredited ACH Professional (AAP), Electronic Transaction Association Certified Payment Professional (ETA CPP), Mastercard / Visa Payment Certifications, other industry recognized payment certifications preferred.

We are proud to be an EEO / AA employer M / F / D / V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.