Vice President, Operations Manager Greater Saint Paul, MN Area

Position: Vice President, Operations Manager

Type: Full Time Salaried (Exempt from Overtime), 40 hours per week

Location: On site-Lake Elmo, MN

Reports to: Vice President, Cash Management

Benefits Include: Medical, Dental, Vision; Bank paid Life Insurance, Long Term Disability; Floating Holiday time, vacation and sick time; 401(k); Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

Primary Objective of the Position:

Provides leadership and oversight for the Bank’s payment and transaction processing functions to ensure accurate, secure, controlled, efficient, and timely cash management and operational services. Oversees ACH receiving and origination, domestic and international wires, exception processing, Positive Pay, Lockbox, and related services. Partners with Digital Banking/Cash Management, Retail Banking, Compliance, Information Technology, Finance, and other business areas to manage operational risk, improve processes, and implement cash management solutions.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Significant banking operations experience with progressively increasing responsibility.
• Strong working knowledge of ACH, wire transfers, deposit/payment processing, exception handling, and commercial cash management services.
• Experience managing operational teams, processes, systems, or major implementations.
• Experience with Jack Henry preferred.
• Preferred professional certifications/accreditations: AAP – Accredited ACH Professional; APRP – Accredited Payments Risk Professional; NCP – National Check Professional; AFPP – Accredited Faster Payments Professional.

Major Responsibilities

• Operational Risk & Controls: Maintain payment-processing controls, authorization, segregation of duties, verification, and transaction limits. Ensure accurate, timely processing and backup coverage for critical functions.
• Cash Management Operations: Oversee ACH, online and manual wires, Positive Pay, ACH block/filter services, Lockbox, and related payment and fraud-prevention services. Partner on customer implementations; ensure setup, testing, documentation, and handoffs are complete, with independent verification of authorities, limits, funding, security, and configurations before production.
• ACH Operations: Lead ACH receiving and origination, including files, returns, notices of change, reversals, and settlement. Maintain approved Originator agreements and risk parameters, setup and access controls, and procedures. Monitor unusual activity and exceptions; ensure documented approvals and escalation. Partner on risk management, audits, control reviews, and remediation.
• Wire Operations: Oversee domestic and international wires, including authentication, verification, approval, release, reconciliation, and exceptions. Maintain dual control, segregation of duties, and authorized changes to payment information. Escalate high-risk activity and own wire-system testing, implementations, upgrades, and optimization.
• Reconciliation & Exception Management: Oversee balancing and reconciliation. Ensure timely research, resolution, and escalation of unusual or aged items; address recurring errors through root-cause analysis and corrective action.
• Project Implementation & Process Improvement: Lead payment and operational product implementations, system testing, and upgrades. Establish plans, responsibilities, procedures, and post-implementation reviews. Improve workflows and automation to strengthen accuracy, efficiency, and customer experience.
• Vendor & System Management: Coordinate with vendors and IT to resolve operational issues and implement technology that improves automation, controls, scalability, and customer capabilities.
• Leadership & Team Development: Lead and coach operational employees; establish expectations, service standards, procedures, and accountability. Maintain cross-training and succession coverage, foster risk awareness and customer service, and advise other Bank teams on complex processing matters.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Payment risk and controls: Strong understanding of payment risk, internal controls, segregation of duties, and fraud prevention.
• Process improvement: Demonstrated ability to identify inefficiencies and improve operational processes.
• Analysis and project management: Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and project-management skills.
• Collaboration: Ability to work effectively across Operations, Digital Banking, Compliance, IT, Finance, and customer-facing teams.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Compensation: $100k-$130k. Final compensation is determined individually, taking into account experience, seniority, merit, education, training, and other relevant business factors.

Lake Elmo Bank is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To request accommodation, please contact the human resources department.