Senior Manager, Cards & Payments

Allegacy Federal Credit Union•Winston-Salem, NC

About The Position

At Allegacy, employees are accountable for living out the organization’s commitment to doing right and supporting members’ wellbeing. The Senior Manager, Cards & Payments provides strategic and operational leadership for the Credit Union’s Cards and Payments Operations functions. The position ensures payment services are delivered accurately, securely, efficiently, and in compliance with regulatory, network, and internal requirements while advancing operational excellence, process modernization, and organizational effectiveness across payment channels. The role oversees daily payment operations, including card services, ACH, wire transfers, checks, instant payments, and other payment channels. It leads and develops a high-performing team, maintains strong controls, reduces operational risk, and improves service delivery and the member experience. The Senior Manager serves as the primary operational liaison with payment processors, network partners, vendors, and internal stakeholders, and works closely with Technology, Risk Management, Fraud, Accounting, Retail Operations, Business Services, Member Care, and executive leadership. The position evaluates emerging payment technologies, strengthens risk management practices, and prepares the organization for future payments innovation. It is accountable for operational strategy, service delivery, vendor performance, organizational development, and enterprise partnership across consumer and commercial payment services. It does not own payment product strategy, portfolio growth targets, pricing, or marketing outcomes.

Requirements

Expert knowledge of payments operations, including cards, ACH, wires, and settlement processes.
Strong knowledge of payment regulations, network rules, and operational risk controls.
Ability to lead, motivate, and develop staff in a regulated, fast-paced environment.
Strong critical thinking, decision-making, and prioritization skills.
Ability to take initiative and operate independently with appropriate escalation.
Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and core banking/payment systems.
Understanding of general accounting principles and transaction reconciliation.
Five to seven years of relevant experience in payments, card services, or financial services operations.
Five or more years of supervisory or people-leadership experience.
Experience managing strategic vendor relationships and third-party service providers.
Experience leading large-scale operational improvement, conversion, implementation, or transformation initiatives.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university preferred.

Responsibilities

Build and sustain a high-performing organization through succession planning, leadership development, workforce planning, performance management, and employee engagement initiatives.
Ensure the team meets or exceeds established service levels and operational standards while maintaining compliance with regulatory and network requirements.
Oversee daily operations for debit and credit cards, ACH origination and receipt, wire transfers, check processing, and instant payments, including FedNow and RTP.
Assess and redesign workflows to improve efficiency, clarity, and control.
Develop and deliver training on operational procedures and conduct annual procedure reviews to ensure they remain current.
Identify opportunities to modernize payment processes through automation, straight-through processing, real-time capabilities, and workflow optimization.
Serve as an escalation point for complex payment issues, investigations, and internal support requests, ensuring appropriate resolution, documentation, and communication.
Develop working relationships with internal partners, including Fraud/Risk, Technology, Accounting, Retail Operations, Business/Commercial Services, and Member Care.
Collaborate with payment processors, networks, and internal Technology partners to resolve operational issues, coordinate changes, and support enhancements.
Monitor exception reports, operational controls, and settlement activity to ensure quality and mitigate risk.
Analyze operational metrics and reporting to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities; prepare and review reports tracking KPIs and service levels.
Participate in audits, risk assessments, and regulatory examinations related to payments operations, and support remediation of findings and corrective action plans.
Ensure compliance with applicable regulations and rules, including Reg E, Reg Z, NACHA rules, UCC Article 4A, PCI-DSS, and card network requirements.
Maintain an understanding of the interdependence between the core system, payment platforms, and vendor systems to support effective operational integration.
Coordinate operational testing, validation, and readiness for system updates and approved payment initiatives, ensuring documentation and procedures are updated promptly.
Perform other duties as needed to support the organization.