Director, Payment Operations - Patelco Credit Union

About Patelco Credit Union:

Patelco Credit Union is a not-for-profit credit union with a purpose to build financial health and wellbeing for our members. Since 1936, Patelco has grown from $500 in assets to over $9 billion in assets and is the 7th largest credit union in California with branches throughout Northern California.

 

We are here for our members throughout all their stages of life. Meeting them with the products and services to help them plan purposefully for their futures and to secure our life-long partnership as their trusted financial advocate. As one team, we are all committed to delivering service, empowering financial literacy, creating products, and providing new technology for our members.

 

We believe that work should be rewarding, challenging, and enjoyable. We’re dedicated to creating a positive and supportive culture where our team members can thrive. If you’re looking to use your skills and knowledge to make a difference in our members’ lives, Patelco could be the perfect fit for you.

Overview:

The Director of Payment Operations is responsible for the planning and execution of money movement and management, of operations and compliance with the rules, regulations and policies that govern financial institutions. Responsibilities will be to lead implementation of systems, managerial oversight and processes for regulatory requirement and operational efficiency. This position will be responsible for providing strategic insights, innovation and developing initiatives to improve service quality and member experience to contribute to grow the business and provide exceptional value to internal teams and members.

 

The Director of Payment Operations is responsible for the development and execution of payment strategies and will partner with functional partners to achieve strategic initiatives. In this role, the Director, Payment Operations is a key position that is responsible for driving the operations, development and delivery of payments in ACH (Receiving and Origination), check in-clearings and returns, wire transfers, bill payment, mobile deposits, Zelle, real time payments  and in the area of money movement including administration of Individual Retirement Accounts and Health Savings Accounts. The position also includes other processes that support the product and services related to member accounts such as deposits and payments, account research and adjustments, subpoenas, levies and court orders.

 

The Director, Payment Operations will be required to think enterprise-wide and to plan for all aspects of money movement to deliver on the strategic plans and works in a collaborative environment with project management, core system, technology development, vendors and other department leaders while managing projects to define and design service platforms at the enterprise level and ensuring end to end service delivery with risks and control components in place as well as creating opportunities through business transformation. This position will be responsible for systems, configuration, tools, software/applications implementation testing as well as systems releases and resources required to enable organizational performance to deliver member experience.  

 

 

 

Responsibilities:

• Accountable for the direction and the full range of operation of Payment Operations Departments
• Oversee compliance in the performance of day-to-day functions to ensure regulatory adherence
• Responsible for audit results including remediation plans and act as liaison with internal and external auditors
• Demonstrate the ability to review and implement Risk Assessments for department functions
• Provide successful leadership in leading tactical action plans for the credit union to achieve goals
• Direct and oversee project management functions to maximize efficiencies within the Department
• Manage the end-to-end product development lifecycle, including ideation, requirements gathering, prototyping, testing, and launch
• Monitor product performance and conduct regular analysis to identify areas for improvement and optimization
• Drive process of improvement and initiatives for operational efficiency and enhanced service delivery
• Develop and implement new procedures, process, and systems for continuous improvement
• Implement initiatives to increase operational efficiency, quality, and productivity
• Leads enhancements of payment systems and account servicing to leverage automation
• Manage operational development and deployment of enhancements and/or new systems
• Maintains an in-depth knowledge of regulations and change in the regulatory requirement
• Achieve a deep understanding of trends in the payment industry and possible impact
• Research new developments and technical advancements in the industry, using knowledge gained to implement and incorporate changes that will further organizational goals
• Perform planning and creating annual department budget and ensuring adherence to budget
• Develop action plans to meet short- and long-term organizational objectives
• Evaluate and make recommendations for vendor selection and monitor vendor performance and standards; conduct due diligence reviews
• Ensure service level standards are met while maintaining a high level of quality and consistency; serve as primary contact for escalated member issues
• Ensure Business Resumption Plan is established and reviewed annually to ensure compliance to Credit Union guidelines.
• Conduct one on one coaching with direct reports to ensure personal development and all areas are reviewed and aligned to attain corporate mission, vision, and goals
• Build and maintain partnerships with leaders to collaborate to meet overall objectives
• Develop, maintain, and distribute monthly productivity, ability to analyze data and statistics to build business intelligence
• Stay abreast of industry trends, regulatory changes, and competitive landscape to inform product roadmap and strategy
• Strong project management skill sets and effective ability to prioritize accordingly
• Ability to take on other duties as assigned while managing competing priorities

Functional Competencies

• Enterprise thinker who leads, manage, problem-solves and demonstrate strong analytical skills to drive business decisions; active learning and change leader
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills. Uses facts and data as basis for formulating solutions and understanding impacts; strong critical thinking skills, organizational planning and collaboration
• Creative thinker, courage to question and to challenge the existing business model. Ability to develop, gain buy in to execute on new strategies and tactics
• Proven success to drive employee performance improvements and the ability to lead others through influence management; manage resources to optimize efficiency and effectiveness
• Effective communications and teamwork skills with high concentration on service orientation
• Coach, develop and set clear expectations for managers/supervisors and team
• Be able to work in a highly demanding environment with flexible hours while exhibiting professionalism, initiative, innovation, and resourcefulness
• Strong vendor management and leadership qualities to lead cross functional group
• Model Patelco Credit Union’s high integrity and values
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Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance or related field or equivalent work experience required
• 7+ years of work experience in managing payment systems including ACH, Wire Transfers, In-clearings, Mobile Deposit, bank operations, financial services industry, customer service, account servicing
• 5+ years minimum at the managerial level in the financial industry
• Extensive knowledge of EFT, NACHA, UCC, Reg E, Reg CC and Federal Reserve Regulations in payments/settlements including IRS Rules for IRA and Health Savings Accounts, levies, subpoenas and court orders
• Knowledge of banking products; savings and loans
• AAP (ACH) and/or NCP (Checks) Certification Preferred
• Excellent leadership, communication skill and organizational skills required
• Knowledge in building reports and data analysis to drive business intelligence in planning
• Advance knowledge in Microsoft suite especially Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to travel for team visits, training and meeting. Driver license required.

Physical Activities/Requirements

• This position is in our Dublin HQ office
• This position is eligible for hybrid work arrangement

Target Base Pay:

$129,605 - $162,015 per year

Compensation at Patelco:

Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Patelco Credit Union considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer. We offer a competitive total rewards package including a wide range of medical, dental, vision, financial, and other benefits.

We Offer:

Physical Health:

• Exceptional Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance benefits
• Onsite fitness center at HQ and rewards for completing wellness related activities 

Financial Health:

• Competitive compensation packages with bonus opportunity
• 401(k) with 3% Safe Harbor and 5% employer match
• Discounts on loan products
• Tuition reimbursement

Emotional Health:

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• PTO for part-time and full-time positions
• Paid holidays

Personal Development:

• On-the-job training and skills development
• Internal transfer opportunities for career growth
• Volunteer work

Flexible work arrangements available for specific positions

 

Patelco Credit Union is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans

 

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