Payments Specialist

Essential Responsibilities

• Process incoming and outgoing domestic and international wires promptly, accurately, and according to guidelines maintained in the bank’s Wire Transfer Policy and related procedures.
• Handle wire returns, investigations, and research.
• Clear false positive OFAC suspect wire transactions and work with branches and members to obtain supporting information when required.
• Review ACH origination files received through TowneBank’s various systems, performing extensive reviews for high-risk files using multiple systems to gather pertinent information to determine authenticity, fraud detection, and limit control.
• Work with management for escalations and approvals along with detailed reporting for ACH Origination anomalies.
• Perform research and process all ACH Origination file and item deletions/reversals to ensure NACHA guidelines are followed.
• Handle ACH Proof of Authorizations with logging, tracking, and providing by timeframes documented in NACHA rulebook.
• Process ACH Automated Returns and Exceptions for chargeback processing, department notification, batch completion, and balancing.
• Research and process incoming ACH exception items and generation of notification of change entries as required.
• Research and return appropriate government ACH deposits for ACH Reclamations and Death Alert notifications according to the ACH rules and US Treasury Green Book.
• Handle time sensitive payment fraud cases including investigation, notification internally and with other financial institutions, tracking, and completion of affidavits.
• Provide feedback to management team on ways to improve back-office processes/procedures related to Payment Processing.
• Understand regulatory requirements related to ACH and Wire Transfers (including OFAC).
• Provide exquisite member and branch support related to wire transfer and ACH processing by phone and email.
• Gather & combine all daily files for long term storage retention.
• Varying work schedules to cover payments processing deadlines.
• Providing exquisite member service to members and family members by phone and email.
• Following the bank’s security guidelines daily.
• Adheres to applicable federal laws, rules, and regulations including those related to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).

Minimum Required Skills & Competencies

• Excelling in time management, prioritizing a diverse range of daily tasks with efficiency to meet tight deadlines while maintaining composure, attention to detail, and accuracy under pressure.
• Consistently reliable and punctual, demonstrating a strong commitment to meeting deadlines and maintaining a dependable presence.
• Adaptable to dynamic environments, handling workflow changes and unexpected challenges with ease.
• Thrive in member and peer interactions, showcasing strong communication skills and professionalism over the phone, in person, and via email/chats.
• Demonstrates the ability to quickly grasp and adapt to new processes and systems.
• Proficient in relevant software and tools, such as Excel, Word, Adobe PDF, Microsoft Teams, shared files, group calendars.
• Leverages teamwork and collaboration skills to work efficiently with others in achieving shared goals in a tactful and professional manner.

Desired Skills & Competencies

• 1+ years of previous banking industry experience.
• Knowledge and understanding of wire transfers and/or ACH (Origination & Receiving) processing.
• Understanding of the ACH Rules and Regulations.
• Previous experience with EFT payments.