Director, Payment Operations

Director, Payment Operations

The Director, Payment Operations plays a critical role in advancing the organization's payments strategy and provides leadership, vision, and direction for WPCU's comprehensive payment operations. This includes oversight of managed credit card programs, debit card processing, ACH and draft clearing, wires, and emerging payment solutions. This position is responsible for all essential back‑office payment functions, ensuring that credit card, debit card, and electronic payment activities are executed accurately, efficiently, and in full compliance with all regulatory and risk requirements. The Director leads the design, analysis, and implementation of operational strategies that balance strong operational performance with an exceptional member experience. In this role, the Director oversees the full scope of payment operations management—setting goals, managing the financial budget, executing strategic initiatives, and maintaining strong relationships with critical third‑party payment vendors. The ideal leader is collaborative, an effective communicator, hardworking, and a servant‑minded professional who aligns with WPCU's service‑driven and results‑focused culture.

1) Develops and implements a cohesive and compelling vision for WPCU's payment operations, capitalizes on current technologies to meet or exceed member needs, partner-employee needs, financial goals, and operational goals. Champions, develops, and communicates WPCU's payment operations strategy to internal and external audiences. (25%)

a) Provides insights and develops strategies to expand capabilities, increase revenue, enhance member experience, and reduce operational risks.

b) Stays informed on trends and developments, ensures products and services remain viable and relevant to continually meet the needs of our members and targeted organizational expectations.

c) Stay informed and provide direction for the credit union's real-time payments (RTP) strategy so the credit union can remain relevant to members' evolving payment needs

2) Ensure assigned business units are operating efficiently and reliably, are in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and rules, and performing at a high level. This includes monitoring and reporting on business activity and working with the senior leadership team, the retail leadership team, and the lending leadership team in amending strategies and plans as required by changing circumstances. (20%)

a) Maintains knowledge of diverse types of payments systems and fraud mitigation strategies to minimize potential losses.

b) Maintains a strong compliance posture by monitoring processes and procedures for all business units related to all forms of regulatory compliance.

c) Assesses business units operational risks, identifies potential gaps and works with the Enterprise Risk Management Team to mitigate or properly accept the risks in accordance with established risk tolerance targets.

d) Communicates and collaborates with business units to provide technical leadership, from strategic decision-making to project planning, management, and execution, to ensure products and processes are reviewed and aligned with service delivery objectives and goals.

e) Participates as a member of the Business Continuity Team. Contributes to risk assessments and business impact analysis reviews.

f) Oversees activities of each business units' business continuity plan review and provides management response. Ensures the critical functions are documented and can be performed in the event of a disaster.

3) Develops and prepares subordinates for advancement through training, coaching, and feedback, with a focus on developing leadership skills. (20%)

a) Ensures department leaders are motivated and knowledgeable in their respective areas with processes, procedures, associated regulations, and compliance rules.

b) Positively influences others by demonstrating competency in leadership expectations, such as instilling a shared vision, strategic agility, emotional intelligence, communication skills, business acumen, relationship skills, developing individuals, teams, and service orientation.

c) Offer team members assistance when necessary to help develop a fully competent and cohesive workforce, demonstrating excellent interpersonal skills and maintaining open and respectful communication with partners.

4) Oversees vendor relationships related to their respective areas. Reviews and participates in the negotiation of vendor contracts and assures vendors comply with regulatory and service level agreements. (20%)

a) Manages key vendors and consultative relationships including but not limited to Velera, Visa, STAR/MoneyPass, Fiserv, Epcor, and Corporate One.

b) Manages and approves contracts, invoices, and subscriptions that have monthly expense implications.

5) Provides senior leadership with in-house expertise and ongoing oversight of various operating budgets, staffing plans, goals, and key performance indicators for WPCU's payment operations. (15%)

a) Develops each business units' business plan priority, action steps, budgetary implications and tactics that support the organizational strategic business plan and goals.

b) Oversees the monitoring and evaluation of service delivery, work quality, and productivity and reports out results to senior leadership.

Required Skills

A. Specialized or Technical Knowledge and Skills: The Director, Payment Operations must possess a working knowledge of multi-channel financial services operations with leadership experience in payment systems and credit and debit card services. In addition:

1) A Bachelor's Degree in Business or a related field, or more than seven (7) years' experience in a senior level management position. Candidates with non-business degrees may qualify when considerable experience in any of the areas of responsibility is demonstrated.

2) At least seven (7) years' experience managing and leading large teams is required.

3) Specialized experience in payment systems, credit and debit card services, and error and dispute resolution.

4) Knowledge of governing regulations, compliance, and fraud mitigation processes as it relates to payment systems, credit and debit card services, and error and dispute resolution.

5) Prior experience leading large, strategic initiatives and proven history of delivering results.

6) Proven experience working with third party vendors for contracted services, monitoring service level agreements (SLAs), and re-negotiating of expiring contracts.

7) Demonstrated ability to lead multiple functions.

8) Demonstrated ability to develop sound and efficient operational processes, build consensus, establish trust, communicate effectively, and foster a culture of change.

9) Demonstrated ability to analyze complex situations and solve problems and / or design recommendations to accomplish business and tactical goals.

10) Demonstrated ability to create business cases to support new solutions and processes.