Manager - Settlement Services

The Manager of Payment Operations is responsible for end-to-end oversight of the credit union’s digital and deposit payment systems, including wires, ACH, bill pay, mobile deposits, check processing, and related settlement services. This position manages independently all day-to-day operations, staff oversight, system administration, risk and compliance, vendor coordination, and enterprise-level project initiatives. Manages the professional development and training of staff, tactical management to determine the most efficient way to use resources to ensure operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, member satisfaction, and business continuity across all money movement channels.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  

Departmental Oversight and Strategy

• Fully accountable for all payment operations, including wires, ACH, RDC, bill pay, check processing, online money transfers.
• Sets operational goals and drive continuous improvement aligned with organizational strategy.
• Monitor performance, identify trends, and take proactive measures to strengthen operations.
• Collaborates and works closely with enterprise executive leaders around development and integration efforts for industry leading technology and systems enhancements to drive innovation and Member experience.

Team Leadership and Workforce Management

• Provides direct leadership, coaching, and support for all staff in the absence of mid-level supervisors.
• Establishes team accountability, delegate responsibilities, and lead knowledge development across all functions. Provide training to attain knowledge and skills, direct performance for understanding accountability in the role as well as delegating tasks as appropriate.
• Fosters a culture of ownership, responsiveness, and service excellence.

Program and System Administration

• Manages and oversees all technology platforms supporting payment and settlement processes.
• Manages vendor escalations, system performance, release testing, and updates. Ensures proper communication protocols are in place with critical vendors and key business partners.
• Evaluates tools for automation and future enhancements to support scalability and compliance.

Risk, Fraud, and Compliance Oversight

• Serves as the senior risk owner for payment-related fraud and operational exceptions.
• Ensures compliance with the appropriate regulations and functions including Reg E, UCC, BSA/AML, NACHA, OFAC.
• Partners with Legal, Compliance, Fraud Operations and Risk to mitigate exposure and maintain process integrity.
• Responsible for oversight of documentation accuracy, retention and reporting

Project Management

• Independently leads departmental and cross-functional projects, including new system rollouts, platform integrations, and process overhauls.
• Defines scope, builds timelines, coordinates stakeholders, manages deliverables, and monitors post-go-live performance.
• Represents the department in enterprise-level initiatives and ensures alignment between business needs, vendor capabilities, and member experience.
• Develop business cases, process documentation, test plans (UAT), and change management strategies.
• Resolving operational and member service disruptions and proactively supporting all payment services for members

Program Management & Vendor Coordination:

• Management and support end-to-end responsibility for assigned payment systems, including vendor coordination, issue resolution, release testing, user management and change communication.
• Monitors platform performance and risk indicators; conduct root cause analyses for transaction failures or member-impacting incidents.
• Serves as TDECU’s primary point of contact with external partners and 3rd party vendors to provide direction for programs, offers and incentives.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

• Maintains and executes Business Continuity Plans for all payment operations. Works with internal partners of our Incident Management teams.
• Serves as the primary DR lead before, during and after emergency scenarios, including mandatory relocation and remote operations.
• Ensure team preparedness and uninterrupted member support in the event of system or environmental disruption.

Budget, Finance, and Vendor Management

• Manages department budget and financial reporting, ensuring cost controls and operational efficiency and meeting budget goals for the department.
• Oversees vendor relationships, contracts, SLAs, and renewals.
• Collaborate with Finance and AP for expense tracking, forecasting, and reconciliation.

Stakeholder and Member Experience Collaboration

• Partners with Member Care, IT, Digital Banking, Legal, Compliance, and Business Services to support a seamless money movement experience.
• Serves as SME for all payment operations in strategic discussions, vendor evaluations, and platform roadmaps.
• Ensures member-impacting processes are designed and maintained for security, clarity, and speed.
• Provides tools and resources to create a member centric partnership. Collaborate with security and fraud teams to support company mitigation efforts.

Reporting, Documentation, and Audit Support

• Maintains internal policies, SOPs, escalation paths, and knowledge base articles for team alignment and audit readiness.
• Acts as a liaison for internal and external financial audits, regulatory and risk reviews, ensuring timely resolution of findings.
• Compiles and monitors transactional and processing data to track usage and efficiency of the department’s processes and the overall payment systems. Review reports to identify gaps in processes and opportunities to expand the department’s process for further efficiency and operational cost savings.

If applicable, please provide:

# of Direct Reports:

10

# of Indirect Reports:

N/A

Financial Responsibility: (Indicate type and amount of budget, sales volume, etc. for which this position is responsible)

$24 Billion In Money Movement Services Processed Annually

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree (BS or BA) or equivalent from a four-year college or technical school is preferred. In lieu of degree, 5+ years of experience within payment operations or supervision is required.
• Certifications such as AAP, APRP, NCP, PMP, are preferred or relevant project management credential, or financial operations, particularity in money movement or treasury management preferred.

Experience:

• Five to seven years of experience in managing and/or training others.
• 5-7 years relevant financial experience and strong supervisory experience/skills required.
• Knowledge of Treasury Service products and operational item processing operations preferred.
• Experience in assessing workflows, leading a team, mentoring, coaching, and training staff is Required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proficient in payment systems, regulations, vendor platforms, and operational metrics.
• Effective in leading multi-disciplinary teams and multiple competing priorities.
• Skilled in project coordination, communication planning, UAT, documentation, and timeline management.
• Adept in Microsoft Office, financial systems, and collaboration tools.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate and effectively convey financial concepts and information across teams and present to stakeholders.
• Proven ability to analyze complex processes and implement practical, scalable solutions.
• Strong detail orientation ensures quality, consistency and alignment.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, organize, negotiate, and make important decisions.
• Flexible and innovative in a fast paced, growth-oriented and time-critical environment.
• Comfortable working independently or one-on-one with peers and key stakeholders.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

(The physical demands and work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position and/or may be encountered while performing essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• While performing the essential duties of this position, an employee would frequently be required to stand, walk, and sit.
• Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• Our company offers a dynamic hybrid work arrangement, which requires three days of on-site work, in the Houston (Post Oak location), TX office.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Texas Dow Employees Credit Union is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, protected veteran status, sex, religion, disability, genetic information, national origin, or other status protected by federal, state or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.