Who We Are:

FFB is an award-winning, single-branch bank that originated in Fresno, CA. Since its opening in 2005, FFB’s mission has been to provide customers with 1st class banking services. At FFB, we understand that every person who walks through our doors is unique. Therefore, we strive to provide each customer with a carefully crafted banking solution that is tailored to their individual needs. It's with this customer-first mentality that FFB has become one of the leading community banks in the nation.

Despite being headquartered in Fresno, CA, members of the FFB team come from all over the country! Since we believe that people are our greatest asset, we are always seeking ambitious, passionate candidates who share FFB’s goals and values regardless of where they live. If you feel that you could be a great addition to our team, then we encourage you to reach out and apply!

Recent Awards and Recognitions:

• Voted Best Bank by Best of Central California People's Choice 2022
• Rated the #10 Community Bank in the Nation
• Ranked #6 on American Banker’s Top Publicly Traded Community Banks List 2022

What You Should Expect While Working at FFB:

• Company ownership through our Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP)
• A friendly, close-Knit work culture that encourages growth
• Opportunities to Participate in Community Networking Events
• Benefits Package
• Medical/Dental/Vision
• Life Insurance
• Paid Vacation
• Employee Stock Ownership Program
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Training & Development
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Internal Job Posting & Referral Program

Ideal Candidate:

FFB prides itself on its core values of Teamwork, Relationship, Authenticity, and Commitment (TRAC). We expect that our team members will reflect these values in the workplace in various ways:

• Teamwork – We collaborate, hold each other accountable, and win together.
• Relationship – We are trustworthy, transparent, and respectful.
• Authentic – We are humble, vulnerable, and we speak up.
• Commitment – We are owners...Be hungry, responsive, and have a sense of urgency.

About the Position:

The Central Operations Officer is responsible for managing the Central Operations Department and payment processing strategies for the Bank. The teams are responsible for Core Processing, Online Banking, ACH/Wire Processing, Debit Card Processing, Item Processing, Remote Deposit Capture, and Bill Pay. Ensures Department activities run smoothly with low error rates and efficiency. Provides team strategic leadership, supervision, resource allocation, and training within the department. Ensures a high level of internal and external customer service. Assists in establishing and attaining departmental goals that align with Bank goals. Ensures processes and procedures meet regulatory requirements, industry best practices for risk management, and safe and sound banking practices.  

Essential Duties:

Areas of Responsibility:

• Digital Banking – Product Management, Support, Configuration, Implementation, Processing, and Risk Management
• Core Processing – Support, Configuration, Processing, and Risk Management
• Wire/ACH/Debit Card/Credit Card/Fed – Support, Configuration, Processing, Originator Reviews, Board Reporting, and Risk Management
• Treasury Management – Product Management, Risk Management
• Remote Deposit Capture – Product Management, Customer Reviews, Configuration, Implementation, Processing, and Risk Management.
• Third Party Payments – Operations and Risk Management of: Money Service Businesses, Payments, ISO Merchant processors.

Operational Ownership - Assures operational processing, risk management, governance, and quality control activities are executed at a high level for the Bank. 

• Identifies and implements new payment methods, systems, and processes for the Bank.
• Responsible for analyzing, setting, and enforcing parameters, product limits, and controls to ensure risks are mitigated in all areas of Responsibility.
• Responsible for creation and presentment of Senior Management and Board reporting.
• Responsible for operations-related vendor management. Ensures vendors provide adequate services and support per contracts and agreements. Ensures critical vendors apply appropriate security and handling of confidential information. Ensures that critical vendors perform adequate DR/BCP testing and results.
• Analyzes, reviews, recommends, and initiates corrective actions, process improvements, and vendor solutions.
• Manages certification and audit activities for operations department; and ensures department complies with established Bank policies, procedures, and regulations. 
• Improves and maintains advanced subject matter expertise regarding your area of responsibility.
• Improves and maintains subject matter expertise on industry operational standards, best practices, and regulatory matters.
• Consistently applies effective decision making and advanced problem-solving skills toward issue resolution, inquiries, approvals, and improvement requests as they apply to existing policies and procedures, keeping within assigned approval limits.
• Continually enhances policies, processes, and procedures in your area of responsibility.
• Assumes responsibility for various department functions in the absence of staff members as needed.
• Ensure proper process, governance, and procedures meet FDICIA and SOX related control requirements.

Personnel Management - Provides supervision and support to all areas of the department; fosters a strong and positive customer service culture; oversees activities of assigned department personnel; mentors and provides corrective performance improvement plans proactively. Provides leadership to ensure that complex external and internal customer operations related transactions, problems or inquiries are answered in an accurate and timely manner. Plays a positive role in the development and growth of assigned department staff through excellent communication, training and career development plans, cross-training, and appropriate delegation of duties. Performs effective personnel management through staffing resource management, performance reviews, performance improvement plans, and disciplinary actions, hiring strong employees; and supervising the daily activities of the department.

Budget Responsibilities - Manages annual operations budget and provides future projections based on historical data and input from executives; reviews expenditures to ensure budget achievement; identifies potential expense savings; and notifies appropriate executive(s) in the event expenditures exceed budgets. Reviews and approves operations related invoices for accuracy and expense saving opportunities. Implements cost controls for the department and monitors expenses to ensure compliance with budget.

Reporting and Data Analysis – Creation, Preparation, and analysis of various operations related reports; reviews policy, risk assessments, process, and procedure documentation for accuracy and completeness; authors and educates about critical documentation for management’s review; presents and explains reports and documentation to senior management.

Assists staff and vendors throughout the organization with operations related initiatives, issues, inquiries, and support.

Participates and/or leads various internal committees and project initiatives as assigned by senior management.

Treats people with respect; works with urgency; communicates appropriately; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works ethically and with integrity; upholds organizational values; accepts responsibility for own actions.

Demonstrates knowledge of and adherence to EEO policy; shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; educates others on the value of diversity; promotes working environment free of harassment of any type; builds a diverse workforce and supports affirmative action. 

Follows policies and procedures; completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports the Bank’s goals and values; benefits the bank through outside activities.

Performs the position safely, without endangering the health or safety to themselves or others and will be expected to report potentially unsafe conditions. The employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations and orders issued pursuant to the OSHA Act of 1970, which are applicable to one’s own actions and conduct.

Management and Maintenance of Core, Digital banking, Imaging, Teller, New Accounts, Wire/ACH, and bill payment systems and services. Ensure that staff and customers are provided appropriate and timely information regarding systems updates, alerts, and maintenance.

Responsible for the implementation, servicing, and management for all aspects of delivery of digital products and services.  Ensures that the operations team configures, manages, and reviews customer access to those systems.  Review, execute, and manage agreements and necessary documentation.  Ensures quality and completeness of agreements and documentation.  

Conducts daily callback of maintenance reports to ensure controls and procedures are being followed.

Coordinates training of Central Operations staff, including material presented to employees during the new hire orientation process.

Assists in the development and implementation of new, and upgrades of current, Internet banking products and services.

Demonstrates knowledge of and adherence to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy; shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; educates others on the value of diversity; promotes working environment free of harassment of any type; and builds a diverse workforce and supports affirmative action.

Assures compliance with all Bank policies, procedures and processes, and all applicable state and federal banking laws, rules and regulations, and adheres to Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) policy.

Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports the Bank’s goals and values; and benefits the Bank through outside activities.

Performs the position safely, without endangering the health or safety to themselves or others and will be expected to report potentially unsafe conditions. The employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations and orders issued pursuant to the OSHA Act of 1970, which are applicable to one’s own actions and conduct. 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or equivalent level of experience and industry education.
• AAP and CTP certifications or equivalent experience required.
• 5+ years advanced experience, knowledge and training in progressively responsible bank operations, management and supervisory activities.
• Subject matter expertise in all aspects of complex transaction processing environments including:

Fedline Federal Reserve – EUAC level experience

ACH, Wire, FedNow, Real Time Payments, VISA/Mastercard rules

Third Party Payment Processing – Money Service Businesses, ISO Merchant processors

NACHA rules, regulations, and processing standards

Core, Item, and Statement Processing systems

Be prepared to master, launch, and manage FedNow and other emerging payments channels in the industry.

Risk Assessment and implementation of mitigating controls to manage operational risk.

Payments Automation

Payments Fraud Monitoring systems and processes

Account and GL Reconciliation

Advanced knowledge required of related state and federal banking compliance regulations, and Bank accounting policies and procedures.

Merchant payment processing as an Acquiring Bank and ODFI.

• The incumbent in this position must be able to perform at an advanced level in the following areas: detailed work, problem solver, independent learner, customer contact, logical and common-sense reasoning, math, clear communications, create and present complex information to non-technical audiences, verbal and written communication, analytical reasoning. 
• Ability to conduct independent research and analysis and apply these concepts into bank best practices using regulatory guidance, business periodicals, professional associations, and Internet resources.
• Excellent organizational skills, project management, time management, and the ability to provide leadership, supervision and training for employees using positive supervisory techniques to ensure maximum productivity; 
• demonstrated ability in organization and delegation skills. Excellent prioritization and delegation skills to successfully manage multiple tasks and interruptions.
• Advanced skills in personal computer operation; core banking systems; document imaging; Microsoft Office.
• Advanced financial math skills and knowledge: ability to calculate interest, statistics, and percentages; Ability to balance accounts and locate routine mathematical errors thorough understanding of bank accounting principles.
• Exceptional verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to apply common sense to carry out instructions and instruct others, train personnel, write reports, correspondence and procedures, speak clearly to customers and employees.
• Thorough understanding of management and authoring of procedures and process workflow.
• Ability to effectively manage Bank operations: setting objectives, develop strategies, initiative execution; budgeting, and developing policies and procedures); initiative to organize various functions necessary to accomplish department or Bank activities; effectively staff (selecting, training and developing employees); directing employees towards the desired objectives (delegating, motivating, resolving problems); controlling the function (developing performance standards, measuring results, taking corrective action and rewarding employees as appropriate).
• The incumbent for this position must be able to operate all office equipment and software needed to fulfill their duties.
• Current California driver’s license and a vehicle with appropriate insurance coverage if required to drive in the course of performing assigned duties and responsibilities.