BANK OPERATIONS SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION

Retail banking runs on precision. When payment reconciliations slip or Federal Reserve adjustment requests pile up unprocessed, downstream exposure compounds fast. The Bank Operations Specialist owns the back- and middle-office functions that keep those failure modes from surfacing - transaction posting, return-item resolution, remittance accuracy, and escalation routing between branches and third-party payment networks. This seat sits within the operations division of a regulated depository institution, accountable to compliance, fraud prevention, and the operational continuity that branch staff depends on daily.

As the Bank Operations Specialist, you will process and reconcile daily payment flows, manage return items and foreign collections, and serve as the primary escalation point between internal departments and external financial institutions. You will report into the Operations Manager or VP of Banking Operations, supporting branch and back-office teams across a portfolio of transaction types governed by federal banking regulations.

Career Impact: Hands-on ownership of Federal Reserve adjustment processing and payment reconciliation builds specialized expertise that is directly portable across retail banking, fintech operations, and treasury services roles.

Business Impact: Accurate, timely processing of deposited-item returns and outgoing remittances directly limits loss exposure and protects the institution's compliance standing with regulatory counterparties.

Growth Opportunity: Exposure to cross-functional work spanning compliance, KYC, fraud, and product teams positions you to advance into Operations Lead, Payments Operations Manager, or Back Office Manager roles within 2-3 years.

• Research and process returned deposited checks promptly to prevent financial loss and maintain account accuracy.
• Process Federal Reserve adjustment requests, interbank inquiries, and collection items within required timelines.
• Monitor and reconcile all incoming and outgoing remittances to ensure successful, accurate completion.
• Review large deposit images and flag irregularities to support fraud prevention and loss mitigation efforts.
• Serve as the escalation point between internal support teams and third-party payment service providers on customer transaction issues.
• Coordinate with IT on payment-related system issues to ensure timely resolution and minimal operational disruption.
• Draft and maintain policy and procedure documents governing the banking operations team's core processes.
• Partner with compliance, fraud, and product teams to improve operational workflows, including refunds and transaction reconciliation.

• High school diploma or equivalent; associate's or bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or Accounting preferred or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of banking operations, branch operations, or directly related financial services experience, with demonstrated accuracy in high-volume transaction environments.
• Working knowledge of branch functions, banking operations workflows, and basic accounting principles.
• Solid understanding of federal banking regulations and compliance requirements that govern payment processing and deposit operations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience coordinating with branch personnel and external financial institutions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple time-sensitive tasks concurrently while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to assess and mitigate operational risk, including fraud exposure and payment loss scenarios.

• Experience processing foreign collections, interbank large-item returns, or cross-border remittance workflows.
• Familiarity with KYC, AML, or fraud operations processes in a regulated depository environment.
• Prior exposure to banking operations process improvement initiatives, including documentation of new or revised procedures.
• Experience coordinating with IT or product teams on payment-related tooling or process automation projects.

• Return-item processing turnaround time, measured against the institution's loss-prevention SLA.
• Remittance accuracy rate, reflecting the percentage of outgoing payments posted without error or reversal.
• Federal Reserve adjustment request resolution rate, tracking timely completion within regulatory deadlines.
• Escalation closure time for third-party payment inquiries, measuring responsiveness to branch and customer issues.
• Procedure document currency rate, tracking the proportion of team SOPs reviewed and updated within the annual cycle.
• Typical tools: spreadsheet and productivity suites (commonly Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets); banking core systems and internal ticketing platforms vary by institution.

• Base Salary Range: $42,000 to $62,000 annually, depending on experience and institution size
• Bonus: Annual performance-based bonus, typically 3% to 7% of base salary
• Equity: Generally not offered at this level in banking operations roles
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution standard across most US banks
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus federal banking holidays
• Common Perks: Tuition reimbursement, 401(k) with employer match, employee banking fee waivers

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Employment contingent on successful completion of a background check, which may include credit history review consistent with applicable federal and state law. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process - please contact HR to request support. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Bank Operations Specialist delivers daily operational support to bank employees across the corporation via phone and email, processing Federal Reserve adjustments and mitigating fraud and loss risk. Working across affiliate departments and branches, this role strengthens compliance with Federal Regulations and enables accurate, timely resolution of operational issues throughout the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide daily assistance via phone and email, including diversified operational support to all bank employees throughout the corporation.
• Assess and mitigate risk, including potential losses and fraud.
• Process adjustment requests from the Federal Reserve, customers, and other banks.
• Learn and understand Federal Regulations that impact the process.
• Provide documentation assistance and general operational support for the corporation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a business-related field or High School Diploma with equivalent experience.
• 1 or more years of branch or banking operations or directly related experience.
• Working knowledge of branch functions, banking operations, and accounting principles.
• Ability to work with affiliate bank departments and branches.
• Knowledge of computer software including spreadsheets and word processing programs.
• Accurate with strong customer service, processing, and communication skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines and resolve problems.

Embedded within the financial operations team, the Bank Operations Specialist owns the end-to-end processing of returned deposited checks, foreign collections, and large deposit reviews to prevent institutional loss. Working closely with branch personnel, other financial institutions, and department staff, this role ensures accurate account posting and timely resolution of chargebacks and collection inquiries.

Core Functions

• Research and process returned deposited checks on time to prevent loss.
• Post transactions to accounts.
• Communicate with branch and department personnel regarding inquiries on chargebacks, large deposits, and collection items.
• Communicate with other financial institutions regarding large item returns.
• Process, track, and monitor foreign collections.
• Review large deposit images for loss prevention.
• Maintain proper daily filing for file retention.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in a business-related field or High School Diploma with equivalent education or experience.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Well-organized with the ability to manage multiple tasks and handle time-sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to work well independently and in groups.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs, including Excel and Word.

Reporting to banking leadership, the Bank Operations Specialist manages back- and middle-office operations, including remittance processing, debit card issuance, and payment reconciliation for a retail banking environment. Partnering with product, engineering, compliance, and third-party services, this role builds internal tools and improved operational processes that directly advance efficiency and customer experience outcomes.

Primary Duties

• Ensure all incoming and outgoing remittances are processed accurately and on time.
• Manage a variety of banking operations, including issuing debit cards and payments.
• Monitor all payments and verify successful processing.
• Serve as the escalation point between the internal support team and third-party services for customer queries.
• Handle payment, recall, non-receipt of funds, and compliance queries, and investigate to solve issues.
• Coordinate with IT on all payment-related issues for timely resolution.
• Draft and review policy and procedure documents within the Banking Operations team's responsibility.
• Improve operational processes including refunds, transaction reconciliation, and rewards program operations.
• Work with product, operations, and engineering teams to plan and build internal tools that improve efficiency and customer experience.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or Accounting, preferred but not essential.
• 3 to 5 years of experience in banking operations.
• Knowledge of financial services, payments, operational processes, and customer experience principles.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Suite, especially Excel and Sheets.
• Strong control mindset, analytical skills, and high degree of accuracy.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Adaptable, self-motivated, and able to work collaboratively across departments, including compliance, KYC, fraud, product, and marketing.