AML Monitor/Test Ofcr Sr - FIU \u0026 OFAC

The AML Monitoring and Testing Officer is responsible for the compliance testing performed at the Amerant Bank, N.A. and its affiliated entities, including Amerant Investments, Inc. and Amerant Trust, N.A. including creation, implementation, and maintenance of the compliance testing program. A portion of this position will focus on enhancing data quality and participating in systems implementation for the BSA department. This role will identify deficiencies in the compliance program and recommendations for remediation, and report to the direct team leader. Maintain a detailed knowledge of all applicable BSA / AML and OFAC sanctions related laws, regulations, regulatory changes, industry guidance, trends and emerging areas of concern.

Responsibilities :

• Assist the Compliance Risk Strategy / Planning Officer in expanding and maintaining of the BSA / AML and OFAC compliance testing function at Amerant Bank, N.A. and its affiliated entities, including Amerant Investments, Inc. and Amerant Trust, N.A.
• Perform AML / BSA / OFAC compliance testing to mitigate exposure to regulatory sanctions, fines, and penalties, and ensure compliance with federal and state regulations and organizational policies and procedures.
• Identify, evaluate, and report to the BSA Management any current or prospective risks from potential violations of, or nonconformance with laws, rules, regulations, and prescribed practices.
• Work in collaboration with AML Risk Strategy & Planning Officer to review business processes within BSA Compliance and evaluate key controls or QA business functions to ensure effectiveness.
• Identify control gaps, trends, themes, tendencies that indicate risks and facilitate deep dives into any significant current or emerging risk areas
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive process improvements, enhance data accuracy, and increase overall compliance efficiency.
• Provide recommendations based on data analysis and assist in the implementation or enhancement of any system used by the BSA department.
• Conduct thorough data analysis using advanced Excel techniques, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros, and complex formulas, to assess trends and potential risk areas for each respective testing review.
• Assist the Compliance Risk Strategy / Planning Officer in the creation of a data reconciliation process to ensure data extraction, curation and reconciliation are conducted for proper reporting and generation of alerts.
• Act as a Subject Matter Expert from a policies and procedures perspective, supporting adjacent units for technical questions or requests with the ability to use the knowledge to proactively improve controls in place.
• Mitigate exposure to losses by identifying and evaluating risk controls; providing compliance review results; and make recommendations to improve internal controls.
• Identify, evaluate, and monitor recommendations to assess, reduce, eliminate, or control any current or prospective risks to earnings or capital arising from violations of, or nonconformance with, laws, rules regulations, prescribed practices, internal policies and procedures or ethical standards. Ensure appropriate testing and assessment of BSA / AML and OFAC compliance related functions and system of internal controls, including but not limited to :

Compliance with customer identification requirements (“CIP”)

Minimum Education and / or Certifications :

Bachelor’s Degree required, preferably in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, management or relevant field, Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Professional in Anti-Money Laundering (CPAML) or AML / BSA / OFAC certifications.

Minimum Work Experience Requirements :

4 years in the financial services industry, preferably in anti-money laundering compliance in an international banking environment or other related experience such as risk management, internal audit (i.e., conducting BSA / AML and OFAC Independent Reviews), or similar control-related experience

Technical and / or Essential Knowledge :

Strong verbal, written communication, and organizational skills with the ability to summarize and present findings in a clear and concise manner. Training, presentation, and analytical skills. Independent thinker and ability to manage numerous tasks and sensitive information in a professional manner in a fast-paced deadline driven environment.  Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional units; ability to navigate a complex organization to influence people across cultures. Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information in a professional manner. MS Word Advanced, MS Excel Advanced, and MS PowerPoint Advanced are required. Bilingual English / Spanish preferred. Experience with SQL, Python, or other data analysis tools is a plus.

Functional Skills & Knowledge :

Must be a team player, ability to problem solve under pressure. Self-starter with proven ability to plan and work independently. High level of professionalism, self-motivation, and sense of urgency; ability to re-prioritize work as the immediate needs of the business change. Ability to work with cross-functional teams to ensure collaboration and effective results. Ability to recognize the need for change management initiatives, and the ability to lead while maintaining and driving engagement throughout the team. Attention to detail and accuracy is a plus.