Senior Payments Operations Lead

Bankwell Financial Group; New Canaan (CT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Bankwell Financial Group is seeking a Senior Payment Operations Analyst to lead complex payment processing functions, including wires, ACH, and FX, while ensuring regulatory compliance and strong control environments.

You will handle investigations, reconciliations, and screening, with collaboration across IT, Compliance, Finance, and Retail to maintain operational continuity and audit readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in payment operations within banking or financial services.
• Advanced knowledge of payment platforms (SWIFT, ACH, FedLine) and regulatory frameworks (BSA/AML, OFAC, KYC).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel; data analysis experience preferred.
• Nacha AAP and/or APRP certification strongly preferred.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy with high-risk processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with root-cause analysis.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities across systems and workflows.
• Strong written and verbal communication, collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Experience in risk management or regulatory compliance is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Execute daily payment processing activities—high value wires, ACH transactions, and FX payments; maintain accuracy and risk controls.
• Lead complex investigations into rejected transactions, processing errors, or unusual activity; provide timely resolutions.
• Perform daily processing of ACH, Wire and RDC files with accurate reporting.
• Conduct daily reconciliations to ensure activity aligns with ledgers and records.
• Perform fraud and sanctions screening; escalate as needed.
• Identify and mitigate operational, regulatory and fraud risks within payment workflows.
• Maintain audit-ready records of transactions, exceptions, and system changes.
• Ensure AML/KYC compliance across payment workflows and regulatory readiness.
• Lead UAT for system enhancements, integrations, and platform upgrades.
• Collaborate with IT, Compliance, Finance, Retail to resolve systemic issues.
• Produce and analyze recurring and ad hoc payments reports for management and audits.
• Assist with deposit operations and broader banking operational needs when required.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

5+ years payment ops

SWIFT/ACH/FedLine

BSA/AML/KYC

Excel proficiency

Nacha AAP/APRP

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Multitasking

Communication skills

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Economics or related

Tools

Excel

SWIFT

FedLine

Job description

Bankwell Financial Group is seeking a Senior Payment Operations Analyst to lead complex payment processing functions, including wires, ACH, and FX, while ensuring regulatory compliance and strong control environments.

You will handle investigations, reconciliations, and screening, with collaboration across IT, Compliance, Finance, and Retail to maintain operational continuity and audit readiness.