Wire Specialist

Role:

To perform and support the daily processing of electronic payments, with primary responsibility for the accurate and timely processing of wire transfers. This position ensures transactions are properly reviewed, documented, processed, posted, and balanced in accordance with established procedures, internal controls, regulatory requirements, and processing deadlines.
The Wire Specialist also supports other payment functions and provides payment-related assistance to members and internal staff. This position requires strong attention to detail, organization, documentation, sound judgment, and the ability to identify and escalate discrepancies or unusual activity.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities:

• Process incoming and outgoing wire transfers accurately and within established deadlines. Review wire instructions and supporting documentation for completeness and accuracy; input, verify, send, post, and balance wire transactions as assigned. Maintain complete and accurate wire documentation and research exceptions, discrepancies, rejects, and returns. Identify and escalate unusual or potentially high-risk activity as appropriate.
• Answer incoming department telephone calls and assist members and internal staff with payment-related questions and service requests. Research and resolve payment inquiries, transaction discrepancies, and exceptions, escalating complex or higher-risk issues as appropriate. Coordinate with internal departments, financial institutions, processors, and vendors as needed to resolve payment-related matters.
• Process and support electronic payment activity, including ACH, real-time payments, external transfers, remote deposit capture, drafts, cards, and other payment channels as assigned. Research and process exceptions and transaction discrepancies and ensure items are handled accurately and within applicable deadlines.
• Complete assigned balancing, reconciliation, reporting, record retention, and quality-control activities accurately and within established deadlines. Maintain organized and complete documentation to support transaction history, internal controls, audits, examinations, and regulatory requirements.
• Assist staff and members in person within the facility.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Performance Measurements:

1. Process wire transfers accurately and within established processing deadlines while maintaining complete supporting documentation.
2. Provide accurate, professional, and timely assistance to members and internal staff through department telephone calls and other communication channels.
3. Complete assigned electronic payment processing, balancing, reconciliations, and reports accurately and timely.
4. Identify, research, and appropriately escalate payment discrepancies, exceptions, unusual activity, and potential fraud.
5. Maintain accurate and organized documentation in accordance with department procedures, internal controls, record-retention requirements, and applicable regulations.
6. Demonstrate reliability in departmental coverage and effectively manage assigned responsibilities while assisting with overall department needs.
7. Suggest and support improvements to payment processes, procedures, controls, and operational efficiency.

Knowledge and Skills:

Experience: Three years to five years of similar or related experience.

Education: (1) A two-year college degree, or (2) completion of a specialized certification or licensing, or (3) completion of specialized training courses conducted by vendors, or (4) job-specific skills acquired through an apprenticeship program.

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: Must possess strong attention to detail, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Must be able to accurately process financial transactions, maintain detailed documentation, prioritize time-sensitive work, follow established controls and procedures, and recognize situations requiring additional review or escalation.

Physical Requirements:

Work Environment:

This Job Description is not a complete statement of all duties and responsibilities comprising the position.