Senior Wire Specialist

Golden State Bank•Upland, CA

11d•$65,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The Senior Wire Desk Specialist is responsible for accurately, promptly, and securely processing, verifying, and monitoring domestic and international wire transfers in accordance with Bank policies, procedures, internal controls, and applicable regulatory requirements. The role helps mitigate operational and fraud risk by ensuring wire requests are authorized, reviewed, processed, and documented appropriately. The Senior Wire Specialist serves as an operational resource for wire activities and collaborates with Branches, Deposit Operations, Specialty Deposits, Lending, Accounts Payable, Bankers, and Relationship Managers to facilitate transactions, resolve issues, and support client needs. The role requires accuracy, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage time-sensitive transactions while maintaining a high level of service. The specialist may also provide cross-functional operational support and perform additional duties as business needs, staffing requirements, and departmental priorities require.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 2 years of wire operations experience.
Proficiency with SWIFT, Fedwire, FedLine Advantage, PCBB, and other wire-transfer platforms.
Familiarity with core banking systems such as Jack Henry CIF 20/20.
Strong knowledge of AML, OFAC, and regulatory compliance in wire processing.
Intermediate computer-operation skills and proficiency with Adobe and Microsoft Office Suite applications.
High attention to detail and accuracy.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to manage multiple responsibilities, competing priorities, and time-sensitive requests while maintaining accuracy and composure in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to understand and follow instructions and procedures, provide clear guidance, and communicate professionally with coworkers and external parties.
Punctuality and effective time-management skills.
Self-motivation and initiative, with the ability to work independently, take ownership, and proactively identify and address operational needs and issues.
Professional conduct and appropriate behavior in workplace interactions.

Responsibilities

Process and review domestic and international wire transfers through SWIFT, Fedwire, and other internal and external payment systems.
Verify wire instructions, supporting documentation, transaction details, and currency conversion for accuracy.
Monitor wire queues, prioritize pending transactions by urgency, and resolve processing exceptions to ensure timely execution.
Escalate discrepancies and potential fraudulent transactions through appropriate channels.
Perform the final review and release of wire transfers through internal and external systems.
Process and follow up on service messages.
Input domestic, international USD, and foreign-exchange wire transfers; process domestic and international incoming wires.
Process general ledger transactions and SWIFT messages through Pacific Coast Bankers Bank (PCBB).
Track wire logs for balancing.
Ensure wire transfers comply with AML, BSA, and OFAC requirements.
Conduct due diligence on wire instructions to detect potential fraud or suspicious activity; work with the BSA team on flagged transactions and required documentation.
Communicate with internal departments, troubleshoot wire issues, provide transaction status updates, and educate departments and team members on wire policies and best practices.
Reconcile incoming and outgoing wire transactions daily, investigate discrepancies, maintain accurate records, and generate reports for management and audit purposes.
Identify opportunities to improve wire-processing efficiency and automation; participate in system upgrades, testing, and implementation of enhancements.
Keep up to date on wire-transfer industry trends, regulatory changes, and best practices.
Perform other operational duties as assigned, including CTR monitoring and processing, non-posted items, NSF and FRB returned items, posting and balancing armored deposits, ACH returns and notifications of changes, stop payments, legal process handling, and large item reports.