AML/BSA Lead Analyst

Under the direction of the AML BSA Program Manager, the AML/BSA Analyst III (Officer) is responsible for the independent evaluation of complex customer relationships, transactional activity, and financial crime risk indicators, and for taking appropriate action to mitigate the risk of money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctions exposure.

This role applies advanced regulatory knowledge, investigative expertise, and sound judgment in the interpretation and application of applicable laws and regulations, including the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) standards, the USA PATRIOT Act, and regulations administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The Analyst III leads high-risk investigations, conducts complex Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) reviews, and supports the ongoing enhancement of the institution’s AML and Sanctions compliance program, systems, and controls.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Independently review and investigate complex alerts, cases, and transactional activity, leveraging AML monitoring systems (e.g., Verafin).
• Identify, analyze, and document suspicious activity patterns, trends, and anomalies across multiple products and customer types.
• Determine appropriate case disposition and recommend SAR filings in accordance with regulatory expectations.
• Produce clear, concise, examiner-ready documentation supporting investigative conclusions.
• Perform and/or review complex CDD and EDD assessments for high-risk customers, including foreign exposure, MSBs, and other elevated-risk relationships
• Analyze customer risk based on ownership structure, geography, transaction behavior, and product usage.
• Recommend and document risk ratings, monitoring strategies, and account actions aligned to the bank’s risk appetite.
• Perform and investigate OFAC and sanctions alerts, including name screening, transaction screening, and customer-level reviews.
• Analyze potential sanctions matches, conduct research, and determine true match vs. false positive outcomes.
• Escalate confirmed or potential matches in accordance with OFAC regulatory requirements and internal procedures.
• Support compliance with sanctions programs, including restricted/blocked party identification and reporting obligations.
• Ensure adherence to BSA/AML, OFAC, and USA PATRIOT Act requirements in all assigned activities.
• Support and/or perform regulatory reporting activities, including:
• Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)
• Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs)
• 314(a) information sharing requests
• OFAC-related documentation and escalation
• Risk Assessment
• Exam and Audit Reports
• Maintain supporting documentation to meet audit and regulatory examination standards.
• Identify emerging risks, control gaps, and inefficiencies in transaction monitoring, CDD/EDD, and sanctions processes.
• Provide recommendations to enhance:
• Monitoring scenarios and thresholds
• Sanctions screening effectiveness
• Workflow efficiency and case management
• Support AML and sanctions system optimization and automation initiatives.
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for complex AML and sanctions investigations.
• Provide guidance, training, and mentorship to Analyst I and II team members.
• Act as an escalation point for high-risk or complex cases requiring advanced analysis.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Fraud, and Lines of Business to address financial crime risk.
• Ensure work meets established quality, accuracy, and timeliness standards.
• Participate in:
• Internal quality assurance processes
• Regulatory examinations
• Internal and external audits
• Support issue resolution and remediation of findings as required.

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Criminal Justice, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 2-4 years of AML/BSA, financial crimes, or related compliance experience
• Experience wish using Verafin a plus
• Demonstrated experience in:
• Complex investigations and case management
• CDD/EDD reviews for high-risk customers
• SAR decisioning and narrative writing
• Sanctions/OFAC alert review and disposition
• Strong knowledge of:
• BSA/AML regulatory requirements
• OFAC sanctions programs and screening processes
• USA PATRIOT Act requirements

• Certified AML Specialist by ABA or ACAMS, preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in finance or a related field.
• 2-4 years related experience in a bank (or some element) compliance program.
• 1-3 years related experience directly related to AML/BSA area of compliance.

Our culture embraces diversity, equity, & inclusion; one where everyone feels valued and heard. For more information on JFG's culture and diversity efforts, including our employee resource groups, please visit the Diversity section of our career website.