Vice President, Operations

Purpose of Position

Manage a group of payments processing specialists responsible for processing high-volume, time-sensitive transactions. Oversee payments and reconciliations processes, payment support, check clearing, and processing chargebacks.

Monitor quality of service and delivery times and provide subject matter knowledge to the team on complex and escalated payment queries.  Manage disputes and exceptions related to payments and lead investigations for operational issues, ensuring timely resolution of live service issues.  Prepare cash flow forecasts to ensure that funds are available for processing.  Ensure day-to-day operational readiness and compliance with internal controls and regulatory policies and standards. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define payment processing workflows.

This position is also responsible for managing and ensuring robust and efficient day–to-day functioning of the operations department related to Deposits, Foreign Exchange, Money Market, Letter of Credit, Cheque Clearing and Swaps, demonstrating a good knowledge of treasury products and activities. The position will also be responsible for liaising with Risk, Compliance and Audit by conducting and demonstrating solid understanding of all regulatory compliance requirements impacting domestic and international payments. Also performing due diligence, recognizing potential sources of risk and acts on findings in line with the agreed controls and guidelines provided by FINTRAC or other regulatory bodies in Canada. The Operations team provides a high level of customer service to the bank’s clients by answering all queries and conducting investigations in a prompt manner.

This position is also responsible for ensuring that the Bank’s policy and procedures are followed according to established guidelines by building engagements through continuous consultation and involvement to promote the benefits of new ideas and changes

Key Accountabilities

• Complete daily payments processing activities, processing inbound and outbound payments for all product areas supported. Ensure payment transactions are fully captured and all payment-related information is processed adhering to established service level agreement and industry guidelines and applicable regulatory and policy standards.
• Liaise with Risk, Compliance and Audit and other cross-functional teams to support investigations, review risk and incident reporting and ensure continuity of BAU processes.  Liaise with vendors and other service providers in order to improve processes and client experience.   Manage operational relationships with correspondent banks and partners.  Provide training to staff on all operational processes and organizational initiatives. Coach, mentor and manage staff ensuring effective performance management and driving employee engagement.
• Trains and provides day to day guidance to staff in the Operations Department by upholding team values and facilitating the development of expertise.
• Provides a high level of customer service to ensure all client queries and investigations are resolved promptly.
• Liaise with Risk, Compliance and Audit and other cross functional teams to support investigations, review risk and incident reporting and ensure continuity of BAU.
• Act as liaison with other banks in the resolution of inter-bank issues managing disputes and exceptions related to payments and lead investigations for operations issues ensuring timely resolution of service.
• Verifies and approves all outgoing payments and messages, all clearing, FX, Money Market, Swap, and Loan transactions and new and amendments to L/C, incoming and outgoing documents as well as all payments re L/C’s.
• Complete daily payment processing activities ensuring transactions are adhering to industry guidelines with applicable regulatory and policy standards.
• Checks reconciliation of Nostros daily, ensuring that outstanding items are cleared on a timely basis. 
• Checks and approves brokerage payments monthly ensuring they are accurate and paid on time.

Key Accountabilities - Cont'd

• Reports incidents or potential risks to the direct manager or above and takes prompt actions to remediate.
• Attends compliance training and integrates the learning requirement into their functional areas ensuring adherence to policies and procedures.
• Ensure staff are properly trained for business disaster recovery. Also guaranteeing proper cross training is in place for all procedures related to the department.
• Drafts, amends and updates Operations Manuals in a timely manner at least on an annual basis.
• Ensures record keeping requirements are met for records controlled by Operations Department.
• Initiates, participates in and assists Branch projects as needed.
• Participates in all GIS testing requirements as needed to facilitate systems upgrades and enhancements.
• Other relevant duties as assigned by superiors.

Responsibilities

Responsible for policies and procedures of the Operations Department.

Responsible for opening/closing vault and safe.

 Authorized signatory on Swap Agreements, co-signatory on bank cheques, certificates of deposit, etc.

Assume Operation staff duties during vacations et

 As assigned, BPO duties for software applications (e.g., SMBC GIS) used Operations Department.

Responsibility for Resources:

Responsible for directing staff in all time-critical processing and operational activities, as well as general affairs/office services.

Decision Making Responsibility:

To release payments through SWIFT.

Many and varied decisions are made on a daily basis, concerning all facets of the operations department, as well as areas that effect the department (i.e. Treasury and Business Promotions)

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent in Finance or Commerce.                          
• Demonstrate thorough operational knowledge of payments and related activities; knowledge of high volume payments processing, reverse-wire, real time payments (RTP) and digital payment processing. Demonstrate good knowledge of treasury products and activities.  
• Ability to define, develop and implement operational policy and procedures; demonstrate ability to define controls and develop management action plans in response to audit investigation outcomes. Demonstrate good understanding of fraud mitigation and risk management related to payments and reconciliations.  Demonstrate solid understanding of all applicable regulatory and compliance requirements impacting domestic and international payments and remittance transaction processing.
• Minimum of 10 years previous Schedule II/Schedule III bank experience with extensive knowledge in Treasury Operations, DDA, and Trade Finance. 
•  Knowledge of Canadian clearing arrangements.
•  Strong knowledge and understanding of SWIFT messages and system.\
• Good understanding of Canadian Payments Association Rules and FINTRAC requirement.
• Good interpersonal, strong organizational and communications skills. Ability to multi-task & work initiatively to motivate the team.

Computer Applications:             SWIFT, Montran, GIS applications (FOX, OBS, Profile, Comfort), MS Office,