Wire Operations Manager

Centier Bank•Merrillville, IN

26d

About The Position

The Wire Operations Manager provides leadership, oversight, and subject matter expertise for the Bank’s Wire Transfer Operations. This role ensures timely and accurate processing of all incoming and outgoing domestic and international wire transfers, in accordance with regulatory requirements, Fedwire standards, internal policies, and risk management expectations. The Manager drives operational efficiency, workflow optimization, control effectiveness, and team development while collaborating with Technology, Treasury Management, Retail, Risk, Fraud Operations, and other business partners. The Wire Operations Manager also plays a key role in automation, digitization, vendor engagement, and continuous process improvement to strengthen operational performance and client experience

Requirements

Strong understanding of domestic and international wire systems, including Fedwire, SWIFT, wire security protocols, and fraud mitigation controls.
Excellent knowledge of applicable regulations and internal control requirements.
Demonstrated leadership skills with ability to motivate and develop staff.
Ability to troubleshoot complex operational or system issues and implement effective solutions.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to leverage data for decision‑making (reflecting Operations Optimization expectations).
Excellent communication skills—verbal, written, and interpersonal—with ability to work effectively with internal and external clients.
High attention to detail, accuracy, and sound judgment in decision‑making.
Strong organizational and time‑management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities.
Proficiency with banking systems, Microsoft Office, and workflow/automation tools.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Information Technology, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
7–10 years of experience in banking operations, with at least 3 years in wires or payment operations leadership.
Demonstrated experience in process transformation, automation, or operational efficiency projects.
Experience with Fedline, wire platforms, and high‑value payment authentication procedures.

Nice To Haves

Industry certifications (e.g., AAP, APRP) preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily wire transfer processing, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with established procedures, processing schedules, and service‑level expectations.
Maintain strong operational controls, monitor KPIs, and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements including OFAC, Regulation J, UCC 4A, and Bank Secrecy Act guidelines (modeled after operations and compliance expectations in the Data Processing Manager and Deposit/Payment Ops Director roles).
Serve as the escalation point for complex wire cases, exceptions, repair items, investigations, and client inquiries.
Manage user access and permissions for Federal Reserve systems (in alignment with the Data Processing Manager’s Fedline responsibilities).
Ensure appropriate handling of legal matters, documentation, holds, fraud claims, and risk events related to wire transfers.
Review audit and regulatory reports, remediating issues and ensuring a strong control environment.
Partner with Fraud Operations and Treasury Management on wire‑related fraud mitigation, including callbacks, authentication controls, and exposure limit monitoring.
Maintain detailed procedures, participate in annual reviews, and ensure operational readiness for internal/external audits.
Provide leadership and coaching to Wire Team members, including hiring, training, performance reviews, coaching, and ongoing development (aligned with expectations for leaders in all three documents).
Foster teamwork, professionalism, and collaboration with teams across Deposit Operations, Payment Operations, and technical partners.
Recognize and celebrate team successes and support a culture of continuous improvement.
Identify and implement automation, workflow improvements, and digitization strategies for wire processing (leveraging themes from the Operations Optimization Manager role).
Engage with core banking and wire system vendors to ensure efficient performance, evaluate enhancements, and drive optimization.
Analyze wire data to produce operational intelligence, dashboards, and performance insights; collaborate with analytics teams as necessary.
Participate in planning and execution of larger operational transformation initiatives within Deposit & Payment Operations.
Partner with Treasury Management to support new wire clients, high‑risk client reviews, implementation, and exposure limit evaluation.
Work with Retail, Commercial Banking, IT, Compliance, BSA/AML, and other departments to ensure seamless wire delivery, uptime, and client satisfaction.
Contribute to department‑level planning, annual goals, strategic programs, budgeting, and technology roadmap development.