Payments Specialist

We are seeking a Payments Specialist who will work at the TowneBank Member Service Center in Suffolk Virginia. You will partner closely with branch and department staff to offer exquisite service with the swift handling of one or more of the department payments processing functions, delivered with only the highest ethical standards.

Essential Responsibilities

• Being the subject matter expert for one of the two Lines of Business (Wires or ACH)
• Assist with new employee training
• Process special projects through to completion as assigned (with guidance)
• 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.
• Process online wires including extensive review of wires for fraud and authenticity.
• Handle wire returns, investigations, and research
• Will clear false positive OFAC suspect wire transactions and work with branches and members to obtain supporting information when required.
• Will 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.
• Will 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.
• Will research and return appropriate government ACH deposits for ACH Reclamations and Death Alert notifications according to the ACH rules and US Treasury Green Book
• Understanding of ACH processing rules for ODFI’s and RDFI’s including return timeframes, notification of change, error resolution and reclamations.
• 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
• Understanding of 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).
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Minimum Required Skills & Competencies

• Has 1+ years of previous banking industry experience
• Has knowledge and understanding of wire transfers, ACH (Origination & Receiving) or related experience.
• Excels 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.
• Is consistently reliable and punctual, demonstrating a strong commitment to meeting deadlines and maintaining a dependable presence.
• Is adaptable to dynamic environments, handling workflow changes and unexpected challenges with ease.
• Thrives in customer 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
• Proficiency in relevant software and tools, such as Excel, Word, Adobe PDF, Microsoft Teams, shared files, group calendars
• Demonstrates exceptional typing efficiency, combining speed and accuracy to deliver high-quality data input/output and communications in a fast-paced environment
• Leverages teamwork and collaboration skills to work efficiently with others in achieving shared goals in a tactful and professional manner
  
  

Desired Skills & Competencies

• 2+ years of experience in customer service environment, preferably in a financial services industry
• Previous experience with processing electronic payments in a mid to large size financial institution
• Functional knowledge of all ACH Rules and Regulations
• Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) Certification
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word via email and verbally.
• Exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, use your arms and legs, and sit most of the time.
• Have close visual acuity to perform activities such as analyzing data, viewing a computer terminal, reading, and preparing documentation.
• Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential responsibilities.