Card and Merchant Services Manager

Citizens Business Bank•Rancho Cucamonga, CA

26d•$104,061 - $150,888

About The Position

The Card and Merchant Services Manager is responsible for overseeing the operational integrity, efficiency, and strategic development of the bank’s card and merchant services programs. This role ensures seamless delivery of card, ATM, and merchant processing services, while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies. Proactively oversees and delivers premium service to merchant services clients, ensuring a consistent and high-quality experience while supporting the bank’s revenue growth and risk management priorities. The Card and Merchant Services Manager is also responsible for end-to-end process associated with the timely and compliant handling of claims related to unauthorized or disputed electronic fund transfer transactions.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university in business, finance, or related field; five or more years related experience and/or training in card operations or merchant services; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.
Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.
Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.
Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions and percentages.
Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Experience with core banking systems, card processing platforms and CRM/case management tools.
Strong understanding of card network rules, merchant acquiring, Reg E regulations, and payment technologies.
Demonstrated operations and service-focused leadership through successful management of fast-paced, deadline driven teams.
Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities.
Ability to interpret and logically apply regulations.
Ability to interpret system reporting and prepare performance and productivity reports for senior management.
Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

Complies with, and stays abreast of, all policies and procedures, federal and state laws applicable to the job.
Manages the day-to-day operations for all matters related to debit card and ATM servicing, dispute resolution, and merchant services support.
Proactively manages servicing support for the Bank’s merchant services customers, ensuring accuracy and adherence to service levels in customer setup, training, and issue resolution.
Oversees the end-to-end Reg E claim lifecycle, including intake, investigation, provisional credit issuance, final determination, and customer communication.
Formulates and executes action plans to address team’s quality and productivity goals and proactively manage the team’s capacity.
Serves as the primary escalation point of contact for complex or unresolved customer and client issues related to card, ATM, and merchant services.
Collaborates with internal teams (Fraud Services, Compliance, Legal, etc.) to resolve escalated issues, leveraging cross-functional expertise as needed.
Engages with customers to gather feedback, identify service improvement opportunities, and foster long-term relationships built on trust and transparency.
Acts as the primary operations liaison to the Merchant Sales division, ensuring alignment on merchant onboarding, servicing, and issue resolution.
Tracks and analyzes residual income from merchant processing activities to ensure accuracy and profitability.
Investigates negative residuals, assessing root causes such as pricing discrepancies, merchant attrition, or operational inefficiencies.
Provides regular reporting and insights to senior leadership on merchant portfolio performance and trends.
Develops and maintains procedures for handling claims in accordance with regulatory requirements. Ensures claims are investigated thoroughly and resolved within mandated timeframes.
Tracks claims volumes, outcomes, and trends to identify areas for process improvement and risk mitigation.
Collaborates with Fraud Services, Compliance, and Legal teams to ensure proper documentation and audit readiness.
Provides training and guidance to staff on Reg E requirements and best practices.
Ensures appropriate cross-training is in place to leverage team members to support multiple tasks within the department.
Serves as the primary liaison with the bank’s card & merchant services vendors, including but not limited to Fiserv, Celero and Elan.
Manages vendor relationship by overseeing Service Level Agreements (SLAs), conducting vendor risk assessments, resolving issues, and leading performance reviews with designated vendors.
Identifies and implements process enhancements to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance customer experience.
Supports digital transformation initiatives related to card and merchant services.
Participates in cross-functional projects including new product launches, pricing reviews, system upgrades, and regulatory changes.
Develops and maintains dashboards and reports to track KPIs, operational trends, Reg E claim metrics, and risk indicators. Presents insights and recommendations to senior leadership.
Provide, present, and promote the Citizens Experience to all external and internal customers.
Other duties as assigned.