Operations Manager

Full Time - Exempt

Role: Under the direction of the VP Operations, responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Operations Department to ensure efficient, accurate, secure, and compliant execution of critical back-office functions. Oversees payment processing activities, including ACH, draft processing, card services, wire transfers, IRA administration, and cash management services while ensuring service standards, operational controls, and regulatory requirements are consistently met. Partners with the VP Operations to implement departmental initiatives, process improvements, system enhancements, and operational changes that improve efficiency, strengthen controls, reduce risk, and enhance the member and employee experience.

Provides direct leadership, coaching, and oversight of Operations staff, ensuring appropriate staffing levels, employee development, performance accountability, and operational readiness. Monitors workflow distribution, operational performance, and department resources to support service excellence, risk mitigation, and business continuity.

This position is eligible for a hybrid work from home schedule, as set and approved by the position's manager in accordance with the credit union's Remote Work Policy.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

• 35% Direct and oversee daily deposit operations and payment services activities, ensuring the accurate, timely, and secure processing of transactions across ACH, wire, draft, card, IRA, and cash management functions. Monitor operational performance, service levels, workflow capacity, and key performance indicators to ensure operational effectiveness and business continuity.
• 20% Lead, coach, and develop Operations staff through all aspects of talent management, including workforce planning, recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, employee development, recognition, and corrective action. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and service excellence while ensuring adequate cross-training and operational coverage.
• 15% Partner with vendors, processors, and network providers to maintain service standards, resolve operational issues, and support product and service enhancements. Serve as a subject matter expert on payment operations and related services by providing guidance, education, and training to employees across the credit union while promoting exceptional service delivery for internal and external members.
• 15% Maintain compliance with applicable laws, regulations, network rules, and internal policies, including NACHA, OFAC, Regulation E, IRS requirements, and card network standards. Establish and monitor internal controls designed to mitigate operational risk, prevent fraud, and protect organizational assets.
• 10% Identify, coordinate and support operational improvement initiatives, payment modernization activities, system enhancements, and implementation projects. Provide subject matter expertise, assist with testing and validation, support employee readiness, and ensure successful department adoption.
• 5% Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Performance Measurements:

1. Provide direct supervision, coaching, development, training, performance management and leadership to the Operations team. Maintain a highly qualified staff, sufficient to meet long-term organizational goals and to ensure a high quality of work and excellent service is provided to all internal and external members. Ensure staffing levels, scheduling practices, cross-training efforts, and workload distribution effectively support operational demands, service expectations, and business continuity requirements.
2. Ensure the operations team maintains a working knowledge of applicable operational regulations, payment network requirements, policies, procedures, and best practices, including NACHA, OFAC, Regulation E, IRS requirements and card network rules, to support compliance and operational effectiveness.
3. Oversee and manage electronic and digital payment operations, including ACH processes such as account setup, exception clearing, NSF returns, and addendum and pre-note checks, while managing daily processing of member-originated digital banking transactions, bill payments, and ACH originations. Additionally, oversee Remote Deposit Service deposits, monitor for fraudulent activity, and coordinate Individual Retirement Account (IRA) processes while ensuring compliance with IRS requirements and regulations.
4. Ensure all business ACH originators are properly onboarded, risk-rated, monitored and maintained within approved exposure limits. Monitor ACH return rates, payment risk thresholds, exception activity, and internal controls to mitigate fraud, operational losses, and compliance risk.
5. Monitor operational performance through reporting, performance metrics, workflow analysis, service levels, processing accuracy, exception volumes, workload trends, and other key performance indicators. Utilize this information to proactively address issues, improve efficiency, strengthen controls, reduce errors, and enhance service delivery.
6. Maintain effective internal controls and monitoring practices that minimize operational losses, processing errors, fraud exposure, and compliance exceptions.
7. Maintain current departmental procedures, job aids, and operational documentation while ensuring procedural, operational, and regulatory changes are effectively communicated and incorporated into training for Operations staff and other affected departments across the credit union.
8. Maintain audit and examination readiness and ensure timely remediation of operational, compliance, audit and regulatory findings.
9. Oversee wire processing activities, exception handling, and operational controls to ensure accuracy, compliance, and timely processing.
10. Manage and oversee the operational functions of credit and debit card programs, including all aspects of card processing and VISA servicing functions. Collaborate with Lending, Marketing, and Member Experience leaders to increase card utilization, enhance program performance, and improve member adoption of card related products and services while remaining informed on emerging payment technologies and industry trends.
11. Coordinate operational support and service expectations with payment vendors, processors, and network partners. Assist with maintaining complete and accurate vendor documentation and support due diligence, risk management, and ongoing monitoring activities in accordance with company requirements.
12. Coordinate the operations duties of the overdraft privilege manager, return item processing (including representment of NSF items) and work with the collections department as necessary.
13. Facilitate the processing of branch and ATM/ITM cash ordering function for the branches and credit union.
14. Participates as an active member of assigned committees, project teams, and organizational initiatives by providing operational expertise, supporting decision-making, and contributing to organizational objectives.
15. Work effectively with other departments to support operations, resolve issues, and ensure smooth processing across functions.
16. Support the annual ACH audit process by providing requested documentation and information. Ensure appropriate corrective actions and process improvements are implemented in a timely manner.
17. Provide operational support for ATM/ITM installations, upgrades, testing, issue resolution, and ongoing service delivery to ensure an efficient, reliable, and secure member experience.
18. Maintain acceptable attendance and punctuality in accordance with credit union policies to ensure consistent leadership presence, operational effectiveness, and service delivery.
19. Travel as needed to branch locations.
20. Is accountable for full compliance with the credit union’s policies and procedures, internal controls, confidentiality standards, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), USA PATRIOT Act, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements, and all applicable regulatory and audit obligations.
21. Participate in training and professional development activities to acquire and maintain standards established by the credit union. This could include attending conferences, seminars and workshops as directed by management.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Experience: A minimum of five years of similar or related experience, with at least 2 years in a supervisory role. Prior experience working in the back office, deposit operations, card services, payments, and/or wire transfer area of a credit union or financial institution strongly preferred.

Education: Associate degree in Business, Finance, Accounting or related field, or completion of a specialized certification or licensing program relevant to the role, or equivalent combination of education, professional certifications, and related experience is required. Certification as an Accredited ACH professional is required. If not already certified, a condition of employment will require certification be obtained within 18 months of hire.

Interpersonal Skills:   Work involves much personal contact with others inside and/or outside the organization for the purpose of first-level conflict resolution, building relationships, and soliciting cooperation. Discussions involve a higher degree of confidentiality and discretion, requiring diplomacy and tact in communication.

Other Skills:   

• Requires strong planning, analytical, problem solving, organizational and people management skills.
• Requires intermediate mathematical skills (calculations and concepts involving decimals percentages, fractions, etc.)
• Requires an in-depth knowledge of credit union systems and other support service systems.
• Requires strong proficiency with using computers and various electronic channels for processing data and transactions.

Physical Requirements:  

• Involves sitting most of the time. Walking and standing are required occasionally.
• Repetitive finger movements to perform typing or otherwise working with paper files and documents.
• Requires close visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures; view a computer terminal; read; and assess work quality.

Work Environment:

• Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
• State of Pennsylvania residency required.
• Position is eligible for a hybrid work from home schedule, as set and approved by the position's manager in accordance with the credit union's Remote Work policy. In order to be approved to work from home, a cable modem or fiber internet connection is required which must have minimum service speed of 10M download / 2M upload, with less than 1% packet loss. Internet service and modem are the employee's expense.

Due to the nature of this role within a financial institution, candidates must be bondable in accordance with the Credit Union's bonding requirements and successfully complete all pre-employment requirements, including a background check and drug screening.

Candidates must also be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

 

Service 1st Federal Credit Union provides equal opportunity without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in employment and in our business activities.