Payment Ops Specialist

The Payment Operations Specialist supports the accurate, timely, and compliant processing of payment and exception channels, with a primary focus on exception processing, check processing, dispute resolution, and Zelle payment operations. This role is responsible for managing, researching, and resolving transaction issues related to check processing, Image Enabled ATM transactions, Remote Deposit Capture (RDC), shared branching activity, Zelle transactions, and non posted or suspense items. This position plays a critical role in resolving payment discrepancies, managing Zelle exceptions and disputes, supporting fraud detection and mitigation efforts, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies. The specialist serves as an operational resource for resolving complex payment issues across multiple systems while maintaining data integrity and minimizing financial risk. Key Responsibilities: The Payment Operations Specialist analyzes, processes, and maintains a broad range of payment activities supporting check processing, Remote Deposit Capture (RDC), image enabled ATM transactions, shared branching, Zelle transactions, lockbox activity, and exception processing, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with credit union policies and regulatory standards. This role manages Zelle payment operations by monitoring transaction activity, researching and resolving exceptions, handling member disputes, coordinating reversals or credits when applicable, and partnering with Risk Management to identify and mitigate potential fraud scenarios. The specialist researches, analyzes, and resolves payment exceptions, disputes, rejects, and non posted items, including misapplied items, chargebacks, ATM adjustments, RDC discrepancies, shared branching exceptions, system rejects, unresolved returns, and CheckFree returns. In addition, the role performs end to end processing for domestic and foreign collection items, large return items (incoming and outgoing), Oil and Gas Lease Drafts, DealerTrack transactions, virtual sorter activity, file transfers, and in clearing operations. Daily responsibilities include completing balancing, reconciliations, general ledger validations, and resolving suspense accounts to ensure financial accuracy and integrity. The specialist processes subsystem postings and identifies, researches, and reconciles non posting items from platforms such as IMPACS and related systems. The position also provides dispute resolution and operational support for check adjustments, ATM disputes, RDC claims, shared branching transactions, Zelle disputes, and dealer reversals, collaborating with Risk Management to investigate, document, and escalate potential fraudulent activity as needed. The Payment Operations Specialist monitors payment workflows and exception queues to identify trends, processing errors, or systemic issues, documents findings, and escalates complex or high risk items appropriately. The role executes opening, midday, onsite, and closing operational tasks to maintain continuity of payment services and adherence to established service level agreements. Additionally, the specialist responds to moderate volumes of inbound and outbound ACD and non ACD calls from members, branches, and internal departments, providing clear and professional communication to resolve payment inquiries, disputes, and balancing issues. This position collaborates cross functionally with Risk Management, the Member Contact Center, Branch Operations, Account Services, Asset Recovery, vendors, and external financial institutions to resolve transaction discrepancies, support outage recovery, and provide after hours operational support as needed.High School diploma required. Relevant certifications, coursework, or continued education related to payment operations or financial services. Equivalent experience may substitute for formal certification or education requirements. Minimum of three (3) years of experience in a financial institution environment performing payment operations, exception processing, dispute resolution, or transaction reconciliation functions. Relevant experience may include check processing, Remote Deposit Capture (RDC), ATM operations, shared branching, Zelle payments, non posted item resolution, balancing, or back office settlement activities. Familiar with NACHA rules and regulations and understanding of regulations CC, D, E, Z, and J. Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, Visio) and basic understanding of workflow concepts and process methodologies. Strong analytical and problem solving abilities; excellent attention to detail; effective written and verbal communication skills; and a proven ability to manage competing priorities while providing professional and courteous service in a fast paced operations environment.