Overview:
The Payments Team Lead is a working leadership position responsible for coordinating the daily activities of the Payments Systems team while actively supporting payment processing and operational functions. This position provides day-to-day direction, coaching, quality oversight, and operational support across ACH, wire transfers, debit and credit cards, disputes, chargebacks, and related electronic payment activities.
The Team Lead serves as the primary operational resource and first point of escalation for the Payments Systems team, ensuring work is completed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established procedures, internal controls, regulatory requirements, and payment network rules. The position works closely with the Payments Systems Manager to maintain appropriate staffing and coverage, strengthen operational controls, develop associates, improve processes, and support reliable payment services for members and internal business partners.
Responsibilities:
Team Leadership & Daily Operations
- Coordinate daily workflow and assign and prioritize work across payment operations based on transaction volumes, deadlines, staffing, service levels, and operational risk.
- Provide day-to-day direction, coaching, and support to Payments Systems associates; promote accountability, accuracy, collaboration, and consistent execution.
- Manage daily staffing and coverage needs, including approving routine time-off requests while ensuring appropriate operational coverage and segregation of duties.
- Serve as the first point of escalation for associate questions, operational issues, and complex member or branch inquiries; resolve issues within established authority and escalate higher-risk or material matters to the Payments Systems Manager as appropriate.
- Monitor individual and team productivity, service levels, processing deadlines, work queues, and operational performance; address concerns and communicate significant trends or issues to the Payments Systems Manager.
- Participate in associate performance evaluations by providing documented feedback regarding performance, development, productivity, accuracy, teamwork, and adherence to established expectations.
- Provide ongoing coaching and performance feedback and partner with the Payments Systems Manager on significant performance concerns or corrective action.
- Coordinate onboarding, training, and cross-training to develop appropriate depth of knowledge and backup coverage across critical payment functions.
- Promote communication and knowledge sharing across the team to reduce key-person dependencies and ensure continuity of operations.
Payment Operations & Processing
- Perform assigned payment-processing responsibilities as part of the position's regular workload while maintaining sufficient capacity to fulfill Team Lead responsibilities.
- Maintain working knowledge across ACH, wire transfers, debit and credit cards, disputes, chargebacks, provisional credit, payment adjustments, and related payment operations.
- Provide operational backup across payment functions based on staffing, transaction volume, deadlines, absences, and business needs.
- Assist with the research and resolution of payment exceptions, returns, reversals, adjustments, recalls, disputes, transaction discrepancies, posting issues, and other complex payment-related matters.
- Support timely and accurate processing of ACH and wire activity, card servicing, dispute resolution, provisional credit, reconciliations, adjustments, and other assigned payment activities.
- Assist associates with complex transaction research and determine appropriate resolution within established procedures and delegated authority.
- Coordinate operational response to payment-processing interruptions, system issues, vendor issues, or other events affecting daily payment activities and escalate significant events appropriately.
Quality Control, Risk & Compliance
- Perform and coordinate quality-control reviews to ensure payment transactions and operational activities are processed accurately, timely, and in accordance with established requirements.
- Monitor adherence to payment procedures, internal controls, authorization requirements, dual-control practices, segregation of duties, transaction limits, verification requirements, and other established risk controls.
- Identify processing errors, control weaknesses, recurring exceptions, or operational risks and take appropriate action within established authority; escalate material concerns to the Payments Systems Manager.
- Support compliance with applicable laws, regulations, payment network rules, and internal policies governing ACH, wire transfers, card operations, disputes, and electronic payments.
- Assist with daily balancing, reconciliation, exception monitoring, and research as necessary to ensure payment activity is appropriately accounted for and discrepancies are resolved timely.
- Support internal and external audits, regulatory examinations, control reviews, and information requests by assisting with documentation, transaction research, procedure validation, and corrective actions.
- Escalate suspected fraud, unusual activity, significant processing errors, potential operational losses, control failures, or compliance concerns in accordance with established procedures.
Procedures, Training & Continuous Improvement
- Maintain current procedures, job aids, checklists, and operational documentation for assigned payment functions and ensure team members consistently follow established processes.
- Identify opportunities to improve payment workflows, strengthen controls, reduce operational risk, increase efficiency, and enhance service to members and internal business partners.
- Implement approved operational improvements within established authority and assist the Payments Systems Manager with broader process, system, and control changes.
- Monitor recurring exceptions, errors, service issues, and workflow challenges to identify root causes and recommend corrective actions.
- Assist with testing, implementation, training, and operational readiness for payment system enhancements, new products, vendor changes, regulatory changes, and process improvements.
- Provide training and communication to Payments Systems associates and internal business partners regarding procedures, process changes, and payment-related operational requirements.
Collaboration & Operational Support
- Partner with the Payments Systems Manager and other departments, including Deposit Operations, Accounting/Finance, Technology, Fraud, Compliance, and member-facing teams, to research and resolve payment-related issues.
- Assist with vendor and processor issue resolution and escalate significant service, system, or performance concerns to the Payments Systems Manager.
- Support business continuity and operational coverage during system outages, staffing disruptions, high-volume periods, or other events affecting payment processing.
- Serve as a resource to branches and other internal teams regarding payment processes, transaction research, operational procedures, and issue resolution.
- Perform other duties and projects as assigned to support Payments Systems operations and organizational objectives.
Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent required; associate's or bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field preferred.
- 4+ years of progressively responsible experience in payment operations, banking operations, credit union operations, or a closely related financial-services environment.
- Experience with multiple payment functions such as ACH, wire transfers, debit/credit cards, disputes, chargebacks, or electronic payment processing strongly preferred.
- Previous experience providing work direction, training, coaching, quality review, or informal/formal leadership preferred.
- Working knowledge of payment operations controls and applicable requirements, including ACH/NACHA rules, wire transfer controls, OFAC requirements, Regulation E, card network rules, dispute/error-resolution requirements, and related operational risk practices.
- Strong understanding of internal controls, dual control, segregation of duties, transaction authentication, reconciliation, exception management, and fraud-risk considerations within payment operations.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize workloads, coordinate coverage, meet time-sensitive processing deadlines, and make sound operational decisions in a high-volume environment.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to research complex transactions, identify root causes, and determine appropriate resolution.
- Demonstrated ability to coach and develop others, provide constructive feedback, and promote accountability and teamwork.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with associates, members, management, vendors, and internal business partners.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to manage operational responsibilities and leadership responsibilities simultaneously.
- Ability and willingness to maintain proficiency across multiple payment functions and participate in ongoing cross-training and professional development.
Equal opportunity employer as to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.