FIU Analyst
Pacific Western Bank
- Santa Ana, CA
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Promotes a risk-aware culture, ensures efficient and effective risk and compliance management practices by adhering to required standards and processes.
- Monitors customer accounts and researches moderate to complex transactions to identify suspicious activity in association with the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), USA Patriot Act, and other Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations.
- If aligned to support the Payments business:
- Oversee (sub)merchants’ credit card processing activities using different risk monitoring tools and reports provided by the PFs/ISOs.
- Monitor and investigate the processing, chargebacks, refunds, and fraud on merchant accounts for anomalies and make a real time decision on increasing or decreasing exposures and reserves.
- Investigate high risk accounts to identify fraudulent merchants, card testing, account takeover, and other fraud vectors.
- Assesses detected events from surveillance and escalates potential illicit activities including but not limited to money laundering, fraud, or terrorist financing.
- Utilizes systems, investigative techniques and tools to collect, collate, and analyze complex financial and background information.
- Reviews potential watch list matches and conducts initial research and analysis.
- Interacts with peers, departmental management, and other internal or external constituents in order to deliver comprehensive views on investigative and intelligence matters.
- Compiles all required information for BSA records associated with Alert Assessments, CTR, DOEP reviews, and OFAC Watch List Screenings, and ensures supporting documentation is complete and accurately recorded internally.
- Alerts management of suspicious findings and prepares a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) narrative.
- Drafts and updates any associated desktop procedures.
- Utilize analytics to optimize existing fraud strategies, in order to reduce false positive rates and increase fraud detection rates while minimizing user friction.
- Identify gaps in current systems, policies and strategies, and recommend enhancements and process improvements to mitigate emerging fraud risks through a collaborative approach with stakeholders.
- Assists with any ad-hoc projects that relate to BSA, AML, compliance, and Payments risk (if aligned to support Payments business).
- Accountable for strict adherence to all regulatory and payment network (if applicable) deadlines, internal service level agreements, production expectations, and consistent and accurate application of policies and procedures.
- Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works ethically and with integrity; upholds organizational values; accepts responsibility for own actions.
- Follows policies and procedures; completes tasks correctly and on time; supports the company’s goals and values.
- 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.
- 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.
- Performs other duties and projects as assigned.
- Demonstrates knowledge of, adherence to, monitoring and responsibility for compliance with state and federal regulations and laws as they pertain to this position including but not limited to the following: Regulation Z (Truth in Lending Act), Regulation B (Equal Credit Opportunity Act), Fair Housing Act (FHA), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) in conjunction with the USA PATRIOT Act, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Customer Information Program (CIP), Right to Financial Privacy Act (RFPA, state and federal) and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).
- Demonstrates basic knowledge of investigative and intelligence concepts, principles and techniques.
- Demonstrates basic knowledge of the intelligence cycle, analytic tradecraft, and writing.
- Demonstrates basic knowledge of the overall Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), USA PATRIOT Act (USAPA), and Title 31 Code Federal Regulations Chapter X requirements.
- Demonstrates basic knowledge of production analysis and report writing environments.
- Knowledge of CTR, DOEP reviews, and OFAC compliance management requirements, policies, procedures, and practices for various client types.
- Working knowledge of BSA/AML regulations, requirements, and tools.
- Experience working with various transaction & risk monitoring tools/systems.
- Knowledge of various non-retail banking products and services including; merchant services (if applicable), deposit, investment, treasury and cash management, equipment lending, commercial real estate, lending, and credit products, or other financial instruments.
- Familiarity with specialized financial services industry related systems and applications required.
- Analytical mindset with a critical, investigative approach to problem solving.
- Detail oriented coupled with a high level of curiosity and risk awareness.
- Effective organizational and time management skills.
- Intermediate skills in computer terminal and personal computer operation; Microsoft Office applications including but not limited to: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
- Intermediate typing skills to meet production needs of the position.
- Intermediate math skills; calculate interest and percentages; balance accounts; add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals; locate routine mathematical errors; compute rate, ratio and percent, including the drafting and interpretation of bar graphs.
- Exceptional oral, written and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex information accurately, clearly and quickly at the peer-level.
- Ability to maintain a high level of integrity and confidentiality of data, established data systems, and investigations.
- Ability to compose letters, outlines, memoranda, and basic reports and/or to orally communicate technical information.
- Ability to understand complex problems and to collaborate and explore alternative solutions.
- Ability to understand opposing points of view on highly complex issues and to negotiate and integrate different viewpoints.
- Ability to consistently apply a high level of detail and sense of curiosity in every case.
- Ability to operate in a highly collaborative and team oriented environment.
- Ability to work in an up-tempo, fast paced and evolving environment.
- Ability to make informed critical decisions within the area of responsibility.
- Ability to take initiative and work independently with minimal supervision in a structured environment.
- Ability to work both independently and to collaborate cross-functionally.
- High School Diploma or equivalent work experience.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- One (1) to three (3) years of financial crimes risk management or financial intelligence experience related to transaction monitoring, investigation research and analysis on potentially suspicious activity.
- Experience working at a large bank or financial services firm preferred.
- Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification, Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS), or other applicable industry designation preferred.
- If aligned to support the Payments business - Experience in/knowledge of the payments/credit card processing industry a plus.