Payments Operations Specialist

Vizo Financial Corporate Credit Union•Middletown Township, PA

just now•Hybrid

About The Position

The Payments Operations Specialist is responsible for the accurate and timely processing of incoming and outgoing payments across multiple channels. In addition to daily transaction processing, this role supports back-end operational functions including system configuration, data reporting, payment reconciliation and balancing, client billing, payment investigations, fraud monitoring, and OFAC screening and decisioning. The specialist ensures transactions comply with internal policies and regulatory requirements while contributing to operational efficiency. This full-time position is primarily work from home, however, the candidate will occasionally need to attend mandatory meetings, required training or cultural events in person. Candidates must reside within a reasonable commuting distance to one of our four Vizo Financial locations (listed below) or within the state of Texas. This ensures team members can participate in on-site activities and collaborate effectively. Middletown, PA Pittsburgh, PA Greensboro, NC Columbia, SC

Requirements

A high school diploma or general education degree (GED) with 3-5 years of experience in payments operations, payment processing, banking operations, or a related financial services function. An equivalent combination of education and directly related experience may be considered.
Must obtain at least one payments industry accreditation (AAP, NCP, AFPP, APRP) within 24 months of hire. Additional accreditations are strongly encouraged.
Working knowledge of ACH, wire transfer, positive pay/corporate share draft processing, instant payments, international wires, and foreign check collection.
Familiarity with applicable regulatory frameworks including Nacha Operating Rules, OFAC, BSA/AML, Reg CC, UCC Articles 3/4/4A and emerging payments regulations.
Attention to detail and ability to work accurately in a deadline-driven environment. Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities across functional areas.
Analytical thinking and problem-solving ability, particularly in investigating payments exceptions and reconciliation discrepancies. Ability to interpret and apply regulatory guidelines related to ACH, OFAC, and fraud prevention.
Clear written and verbal communication skills for cross-team collaboration and documentation.
Microsoft Office Suite of applications (Outlook, Office 365, Word, Excel), payment processing platforms, core banking systems, OFAC screening and sanctions filtering systems, ACH fraud monitoring tools, and general internet.
Ability to learn and navigate new payment technologies as needed.
Strong analytical, troubleshooting and problem resolution skills.
Understanding of electronic funds transfer services, operations, rules and compliance requirements.
Strong organizational and research skills with the ability to adapt to changing requirements, to learn quickly, to think logically and analytically and to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
Ability to work independently, take initiative and act with minimal information and supervision.
Ability to handle stress in a high volume and fast-paced environment.
Ability to maintain employee and member confidentiality.

Nice To Haves

Additional accreditations (AAP, NCP, AFPP, APRP) are strongly encouraged.

Responsibilities

Process daily payment transactions including ACH, wire transfers, foreign checks, positive pay/corporate share drafts, and other payments according to established procedures and SLAs.
Monitor payment queues and escalate exceptions, failures, or suspicious activity to appropriate team.
Respond to internal inquiries from support, accounting, compliance/risk, and account management regarding payment status and issues.
Collaborate with the Payments Support Specialist team to share operational insights, root cause findings, and process updates that support front-line interactions.
Provide subject matter guidance to the Payments Support Specialist team on complex payment processing questions as needed.
Review and decision OFAC alerts generated by sanctions screening system for all applicable payment types, exercising independent judgment to evaluate risk.
Evaluate flagged transactions against SDN list and other relevant sanctions lists to determine true matches versus false positives based on available data and contextual analysis.
Document decisioning rationale and escalate confirmed or uncertain matches to the BSA/Compliance team in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Make time-sensitive decisions on whether to release or hold transactions pending further review, ensuring OFAC-related tasks are completed within required timeframes to avoid processing delays.
Monitor payment transaction activity for signs of unauthorized, fraudulent, or anomalous entries using established screening tolls and criteria.
Review and decision flagged ACH transactions within required timeframes, making independent decisions on whether to release, return, or hold items for further review.
Evaluate wire transfers flagged for anomalies such as new IP addresses, unusual amounts, new beneficiaries, or other risk indicators, making time-sensitive decisions on whether to process, hold, or escalate.
Coordinate with members/clients and internal teams on suspected fraudulent activity, including return processing and notification procedures.
Maintain awareness of current fraud trends, wire risk indicators, and Nacha rule updates that impact monitoring procedures.
Research and resolve payment exceptions including failed transactions, duplicate payments, unauthorized entries, and misdirected funds.
Manage and respond to payment trace requests, recalls, and return inquiries from members/clients, correspondents, and internal teams.
Investigate disputed transactions, gathering supporting documentation and coordinating with relevant parties.
Document investigation findings, root causes, and resolutions in accordance with departmental standards and audit requirements.
Escalate cases involving potential fraud, regulatory concerns, or significant financial exposure to management or compliance.
Perform daily reconciliation of ACH, wire, and positive pay/corporate share draft transactions against general ledger accounts to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Post and balance payment entries in the core processing system, verifying that all transactions are properly recorded.
Identify and resolve out-of-balance conditions promptly, researching discrepancies and coordinating with internal teams to correct errors.
Document reconciliation results and exception items in accordance with departmental and audit standards.