Director, Network Operating Rules - Cross-Border

At Early Warning, we’ve powered and protected the U.S. financial system for over thirty years with cutting-edge solutions like Zelle®, Paze®, and so much more. As a trusted name in payments, we partner with thousands of institutions to increase access to financial services and protect transactions for hundreds of millions of consumers and small businesses.

Early Warning follows a hybrid work model to allow for a more collaborative working environment.

Candidates responding to this posting must independently possess the eligibility to work in the United States, for any employer, at the date of hire. This position is ineligible for employment Visa sponsorship.

Overall Purpose

This position provides strategic leadership and day-to-day management of the operating rules, product standards, and governance processes that support Early Warning's products and services. The role partners closely with Product, Operations, Technology, Risk, Legal, Compliance, and other functional areas to develop, maintain, communicate, and enforce operating rules that enable scalable, secure, and compliant product offerings while supporting the company's business objectives. For new products and services, this role establishes the operating rules framework, governance model, and supporting documentation necessary to enable successful product launch and long-term network operations.

Essential Functions

• Manage the development and ongoing maintenance of operating rules, product standards, and governance requirements to support new products, services, processing models, and strategic initiatives across the company’s products and services. 
• Partner with product development teams throughout the product development lifecycle to provide guidance and recommendations regarding the rules, standards, and governance requirements needed to support new products, transaction types, and business capabilities. 
• Lead engagement and collaboration with other functional areas (e.g., Product, Operations, Risk, Legal, Compliance, Technology) to ensure business, operational, regulatory, and customer requirements are incorporated into operating rules and product standards. 
• Identify industry and regulatory trends that impact the business and incorporate applicable changes into operating rules, standards, and governance processes to support business strategy. 
• Lead the development of operating rules governance frameworks, including approval processes, change management, decision forums, and supporting documentation required for new and evolving products.
• Provide consulting and guidance to internal departments, customers, and business partners on the interpretation and application of operating rules and product standards. 
• Ensure all operating rule and product standard changes are reviewed and approved in accordance with established governance processes. 
• Manage the periodic publication of operating rules, rule change notifications, product standards, technical specifications, and related documentation, ensuring consistency across customer-facing materials. 
• Review and interpret documentation (e.g., operating rules, technical specifications, and industry standards) from third-party payment networks and industry organizations to identify required business and system updates. 
• Develop and maintain effective governance processes supporting rule development, change management, exception management, and customer communications. 
• Develop scalable operating models, documentation standards, and governance practices that support future growth of the operating rules function.
• Support the company's commitment to risk management and protecting the integrity and confidentiality of systems and data. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Education and/or experience typically obtained through completion of a bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Operations, or other related fields. 
• Typically, 12+ years of progressive experience in financial services, payments, network operations, operating rules, product governance, compliance, or related roles. 
• Experience developing operating rules, governance frameworks, or product standards for payments, financial services, or technology platforms.
• Direct experience developing and implementing network operating rules and equivalent payment-scheme rules.
• Demonstrated experience building a new payment capability, rules framework, governance model, or operating structure from the ground up.
• Strong understanding of payments, financial services, and product governance. 
• Highly effective verbal and written communication and presentation skills with all levels of the organization, as well as senior executives and customers. 
• Demonstrated leadership strength and the ability to build and lead a team. 
• Excellent analytical skills and strong attention to detail. 
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills to build partnerships and alliances internally and with external partners at all levels of the organization. 
• Proactive self-starter. 
• Organized with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and achieve objectives in a fast-paced environment. 
• Unyielding commitment to the highest professional ethics. 
• Background and drug screen. 

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position. Incumbents will follow instructions and perform other related duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or similar advanced degree
• Significant knowledge of cross-border payment operations, including participant obligations, transaction processing, risk allocation, exceptions, disputes, settlement, and customer protections.

Physical Requirements

Working conditions consist of a normal office environment. Work is primarily sedentary and requires extensive use of a computer and involves sitting for periods of approximately four hours. Work may require occasional standing, walking, kneeling, and reaching. Must be able to lift 10 pounds occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently. Requires visual acuity and dexterity to view, prepare, and manipulate documents and office equipment including personal computers.  Requires the ability to communicate with internal and/or external customers.

Employee must be able to perform essential functions and physical requirements of position with or without reasonable accommodation.

The base pay scale for this position in:

Phoenix, AZ / Chicago, IL / Washington, DC in USD per year is: $154,000 - $193,000.
New York, NY/ San Francisco, CA in USD per year is: $186,000 - $232,000.

Additionally, candidates are eligible for a discretionary incentive plan and benefits.

This pay scale is subject to change and is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific candidate, which is always dependent on legitimate factors considered at the time of job offer. Early Warning Services takes into consideration a variety of factors when determining a competitive salary offer, including, but not limited to, the job scope, market rates and geographic location of a position, candidate’s education, experience, training, and specialized skills or certification(s) in relation to the job requirements and compared with internal equity (peers). The business actively supports and reviews wage equity to ensure that pay decisions are not based on gender, race, national origin, or any other protected classes.

Some of the Ways We Prioritize Your Health and Happiness 

• Healthcare Coverage – Competitive medical (PPO/HDHP), dental, and vision plans as well as company contributions to your Health Savings Account (HSA) or pre-tax savings through flexible spending accounts (FSA) for commuting, health & dependent care expenses.

• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Featuring a 100% Company Safe Harbor Match on your first 6% deferral immediately upon eligibility.

• Paid Time Off – Flexible Time Off for Exempt (salaried) employees, as well as generous PTO for Non-Exempt (hourly) employees, plus 11 paid company holidays and a paid volunteer day.

• 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave

• Maven Family Planning – provides support through your Parenting journey including egg freezing, fertility, adoption, surrogacy, pregnancy, postpartum, early pediatrics, and returning to work.

And SO much more! We continue to enhance our program, so be sure to check our Benefits page here for the latest. Our team can share more during the interview process!

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Early Warning Services, LLC (“Early Warning”) considers for employment, hires, retains and promotes qualified candidates on the basis of ability, potential, and valid qualifications without regard to race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability status or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and municipal laws. The company also prohibits discrimination on other bases such as medical condition, marital status or any other factor that is irrelevant to the performance of our employees.