Director of Payment Products & Instant Payments Strategy

SummaryAccordia Bank is seeking a Director of Payment Products & Instant Payments to serve as the business owner and subject matter expert for ACH origination and instant payment rails, including FedNow and RTP. This strategic leadership role is responsible for product strategy, operational performance, risk oversight, fintech adoption, vendor management, and commercial positioning of the Bank's payment capabilities in a dynamic banking and fintech environment. Responsibilities Serve as the Bank's subject matter expert for ACH origination, FedNow, RTP, and related payment rails. Own the product roadmap for instant payments and ACH origination capabilities. Evolve the Bank's commercial ACH origination offering to support fintech and commercial client needs. Drive adoption of instant payment solutions across fintech partnerships. Lead cross-functional implementation efforts involving internal technology teams and external vendors. Coordinate testing, deployment, and rollout readiness for payment initiatives. Oversee operational performance, incident response, exception management, and platform health. Maintain expertise in NACHA Operating Rules, ODFI risk frameworks, and instant payment scheme requirements. Partner with Risk, Compliance, and BSA/AML teams to develop and maintain fraud controls and risk mitigation strategies. Represent the payments program during regulatory examinations and audits. Develop pricing strategies and commercial terms for payment products and services. Partner with Finance, Treasury, and Fintech Solutions teams to align pricing with business objectives. Build business cases and performance reporting related to adoption, revenue, and client satisfaction. Serve as the primary liaison between Bank Operations and technology teams on payment initiatives. Manage relationships with payment platform providers and other strategic vendors. Gather fintech requirements and advocate for those needs in product, platform, and pricing decisions. 7+ years of experience in payments operations, payments product management, banking, fintech, or a related field. Direct experience supporting ACH origination, real-time payments, instant payments, FedNow, RTP, or similar payment rails. Working knowledge of NACHA Operating Rules, ODFI risk and liability frameworks, and instant payment scheme requirements. Experience leading cross-functional technical implementations involving internal development teams and external vendors. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills. Ability to operate independently while effectively collaborating across technology, operations, risk, compliance, and business teams. Experience balancing operational, regulatory, risk, and commercial considerations in a highly regulated environment. Preferred Qualifications Experience with core banking platforms and cloud-native payment processing platforms. Experience supporting Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS), embedded payments, sponsor bank programs, or fintech-facing payment solutions. Experience developing pricing models, commercial terms, or product strategies for B2B financial services. Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) certification or willingness to obtain certification. Experience working directly with fintech partners and payment platform vendors. Benefits Competitive salary and performance-based bonus opportunities Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions Generous paid time off and company holidays Professional development, continuing education, and training opportunities Employee wellness programs and additional workplace perks