Analyst Settlement Operations

At Western Union, we’re more than a trusted name in global payments. We’re moving beyond remittances, beyond cash, and beyond the expectations of our customers.

Our talented teams enable us to transform into a digital-first company, built on the strength of our retail foundation and powered by next-generation payments. All this with the goal of helping people prosper.

Our customers inspire us to push boundaries and create services that make life easier and communities stronger. Wherever you are in the world, we’re committed to shaping the next generation of financial experiences.

Join our Settlement Operations team as a Settlement Operations Analyst and serve as a key operational leader supporting complex settlement functions, strategic initiatives, and business partnerships. This role is ideal for a highly skilled professional who combines deep operational expertise, analytical capabilities, stakeholder management, and continuous improvement experience to drive performance, strengthen controls, and enhance operational effectiveness across products, entities, and settlement processes.

Role Responsibilities

As a Settlement Operations Analyst, you will act as a senior operational expert responsible for managing complex settlement activities, representing Settlement Operations across assigned business areas, supporting strategic initiatives, and driving improvements that enhance operational efficiency, risk management, and customer experience. You will partner closely with business units, agents, financial institutions, and cross-functional teams to ensure operational excellence and achievement of key performance objectives.

Key responsibilities include:

• Perform and oversee complex settlement, funding, refund, cash application, remittance, billing, and reconciliation activities, ensuring accuracy, validity, and timeliness.
• Monitor daily, weekly, and monthly operational KPIs and proactively identify risks, trends, and opportunities for performance improvement.
• Serve as a key point of contact and trusted business partner for assigned products, entities, business units, agents, and financial institutions.
• Provide timely support and resolution for highly complex operational inquiries, escalations, and settlement issues affecting customers and business partners.
• Lead and participate in projects impacting settlement operations, including process enhancements, system implementations, operational transformations, and product upgrades.
• Analyze operational processes and recommend improvements that increase efficiency, reduce risk, improve controls, and enhance customer and partner experiences.
• Support implementation of approved process improvements, automation initiatives, and operational change management activities.
• Ensure settlement processes comply with company policies, regulatory requirements, audit standards, and risk management frameworks.
• Act as a subject matter expert for assigned settlement processes, products, and entities, representing Settlement Operations in cross-functional discussions and business initiatives.
• Develop process documentation, standard operating procedures, job aids, and best practices to support operational consistency and knowledge management.
• Deliver training and ongoing knowledge transfer to new and existing team members, supporting workforce capability and operational readiness.
• Conduct investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action planning for complex operational issues, settlement exceptions, and reconciliation discrepancies.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across Operations, Finance, Compliance, Risk, Product, Technology, and Business teams to support strategic objectives and operational execution.
• Support governance, performance reporting, and business reviews by providing insights, recommendations, and operational expertise.

Basic qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience in settlement operations, financial operations, payments, remittance services, reconciliations, banking, fintech, or related financial services environments.
• Advanced knowledge of settlement operations, transaction processing, reconciliations, exception management, funding, and financial controls.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex operational issues and driving resolution through analytical problem-solving and root cause analysis.
• Experience supporting operational performance through KPI monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong understanding of risk management principles, audit requirements, compliance standards, and operational governance practices.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience utilizing data analysis and reporting tools to drive business decisions.
• Strong project participation experience with demonstrated ability to support operational implementations and process transformations.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to operate independently while effectively influencing cross-functional teams and business partners.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience serving as a business-facing representative for operational functions, products, or legal entities.
• Experience leading operational improvement initiatives, automation projects, process redesign efforts, or system enhancement implementations.
• Knowledge of global settlement operations, money transfer services, payments processing, and financial institution settlement models.
• Experience supporting enterprise-wide programs, strategic initiatives, or cross-functional transformation efforts.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, Continuous Improvement, or other process optimization methodologies.
• Experience developing and delivering operational training programs and mentoring team members.
• Strong ability to translate business needs into operational solutions and process improvements.
• Experience working in global, highly regulated, and matrixed organizations.