Payments Program Manager

OnPoint Credit Union•Portland, OR

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Payments Program Manager leads execution of strategic payment initiatives across OnPoint and serves as the primary liaison among Payments, Digital Banking, Product, Technology, Operations, Compliance, Finance, and external vendors. The role drives implementation, governance, and adoption across debit cards, credit cards, digital payments, disputes, settlement improvements, fraud controls, rewards, and emerging payment technologies, with a focus on coordination, execution, and measurable results. The position establishes and improves program governance, develops roadmaps and implementation plans, tracks milestones and performance, and monitors status, budget impacts, risks, dependencies, and issue resolution. It prepares executive updates, status reports, dashboards, and governance materials, and ensures program objectives align with organizational strategy and regulatory requirements. The manager leads complex cross-functional projects involving payment products, services, processes, and vendors. The role coordinates internal teams and external partners, manages project documentation and change requests, supports business cases and benefits tracking, and helps plan testing and production deployments. It also researches payment opportunities and supports initiatives involving debit, credit, ACH, wires, real-time payments, digital wallets, card controls, disputes, and other payment services. The position partners with Compliance, Risk, Information Security, and Audit to address regulatory, operational, and security requirements; identifies and escalates risks and control gaps; and supports audits, examinations, and regulatory reviews. It builds stakeholder relationships, communicates program status and decisions, recommends improvements, and provides leadership to cross-functional teams without direct supervisory responsibility. The role has a hybrid work environment, standard business hours, and occasional travel may be required.

Requirements

Five or more years of experience in program management, project management, payments, financial services, or a related field.
Experience managing complex cross-functional projects and strategic initiatives.
Strong project and program management skills, including knowledge of project management methodologies and best practices.
Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
Strong written, verbal, presentation, and stakeholder communication skills.
Ability to develop executive presentations, status reports, dashboards, and governance materials.
Ability to work effectively across functions and influence outcomes without direct authority.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and project management tools.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with payment products, card programs, ACH, real-time payments, wire services, or related payment operations.
Experience managing vendor relationships and implementation efforts.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Payments industry certification or related financial services credential.
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Project Management, Information Systems, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience working in the financial industry.

Responsibilities

Establish, lead, and continuously improve project governance structures for the payments program and related initiatives.
Develop program roadmaps, implementation plans, milestones, and performance measures.
Monitor project status, budget impacts, risks, dependencies, and issue-resolution activities.
Prepare executive-level updates, status reports, and program dashboards.
Ensure program objectives align with organizational strategy and regulatory requirements.
Facilitate steering committee, stakeholder, and project team meetings.
Lead complex cross-functional projects involving payment products, services, processes, and vendors.
Define project scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements.
Coordinate activities across internal teams and external partners; track performance and implement corrective actions as needed.
Manage project documentation, change requests, decisions, assumptions, and risks.
Support business case development and benefits realization tracking.
Support strategic initiatives involving debit, credit, ACH, wires, real-time payments, digital wallet integrations, card controls, disputes, and other payment services.
Evaluate opportunities to improve member experience, operational effectiveness, and program performance.
Conduct research, analysis, and benchmarking to support strategic recommendations, product enhancements, and implementation planning.
Serve as a key liaison with payment processors, card networks, fintech partners, and service providers.
Coordinate implementation activities, testing efforts, and production deployments.
Monitor vendor performance against contractual commitments and service expectations; support vendor governance, issue management, and strategic relationships.
Partner with Compliance, Risk, Information Security, and Audit teams to incorporate applicable regulatory, operational, and security requirements.
Identify and escalate program risks and control gaps, and support audit requests, examinations, and regulatory reviews.
Build effective relationships and facilitate collaboration among business leaders, operational teams, project participants, and external partners.
Communicate program status, risks, and key decisions to leadership and stakeholders.
Exercise independent judgment in managing projects, priorities, risks, and stakeholder relationships.
Recommend strategic and operational improvements based on program performance and business needs.
Influence outcomes through collaboration, communication, and effective program governance.
Provide leadership for cross-functional project teams without direct supervisory responsibility.