BSA/AML Investigations Analyst II
We are a hybrid, remote-office company dedicated to growing our talent anywhere!
We have onsite locations in: Sioux Falls, SD, Scottsdale, AZ, Louisville, KY, Troy, MI, Franklin, TN, Easton, PA.
At Pathward, we take tremendous pride in our purpose to create financial inclusion for all™. We are a financial empowerment company that works with innovators to increase financial availability, choice, and opportunity for all. We strive to remove barriers that traditional institutions put in the way of financial access, and promote economic mobility by providing responsible, secure, high quality financial products.
We are a team of problem solvers and innovators who celebrate our differences and know that our unique perspectives make us stronger and well-positioned for success. We celebrate, and embrace, our team members through our *HUMBLE*HUNGRY*SMART approach, and we believe that we are strongest when we embrace the voices of our employees, customers, partners, and the communities we serve.
About the Role:
The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) / Anti-Money Laundering (AML) – Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM) Case Analyst II serves as an experienced investigator responsible for independently managing complex alerts and cases, including higher‑risk customer activity, complex transaction patterns, and emerging financial crime typologies. This role requires advanced analytical judgment, strong SAR writing capabilities, while contributing to program enhancements and cross‑functional initiatives. Analysts at this level exercise independent judgment, serve as subject-matter resources within the team, and are expected to operate with minimal supervision while maintaining high standards of quality and regulatory compliance.
What You Will Do:
- Independently investigate and resolve complex alerts and cases, including in‑depth analysis of transaction flows, payment behaviors, and customer activity across multiple products and platforms.
- Prepare, review, and file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), ensuring high‑quality narratives, clear articulation of suspicion, and robust supporting documentation.
- Support KYC, onboarding, and customer risk matters, including complex or escalated cases.
- Identify investigative trends and contribute to the tuning and optimization of transaction monitoring rules and scenarios to reduce false positives while maintaining detection effectiveness.
- Serve as a subject‑matter resource on investigative techniques, SAR quality, and regulatory expectations.
- Provide informal mentorship and guidance to Analyst I staff, including SAR narrative review, investigative coaching, and quality feedback.
- Support FinCEN 314(a) and 314(b) information sharing requests, law enforcement inquiries, and subpoena/legal process responses in coordination with Legal and Compliance.
- Maintain current knowledge of BSA/AML and OFAC regulations, FinCEN guidance, and evolving financial crime typologies relevant to payments, merchant acquiring, and fintech activities.
- Consistently meet or exceed production, quality, and leadership expectations across assigned workstreams.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support the BSA/AML-SAM Operations Team.
What You Will Need:
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as Finance, Criminal Justice, Business, or a related discipline.
- Preferred certifications (not required):
- Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS)
- Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS)
- Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)
- Typically requires 3-4 years of relevant experience in BSA/AML investigations, financial crime analysis, or regulatory compliance.
- Demonstrated expertise in SAR drafting, complex investigations, and transaction monitoring systems.
- Experience in banking, fintech, payments, merchant acquiring, money transmission, or digital wallets highly desirable.
- In‑depth knowledge of BSA/AML laws, USA PATRIOT Act requirements, OFAC sanctions, and related regulatory frameworks.
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to independently assess complex risk scenarios.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and articulate risk clearly.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, support operational improvements, and operate with minimal supervision.
- Adaptable to evolving regulatory expectations, technologies, and business models.
- Proficiency with transaction monitoring and case management platforms (e.g., Actimize, Verafin, or similar) and core banking or data analytics tools strongly preferred.
The responsibilities listed above are not all inclusive and may be changed at any time.
Salary range: $17.25 hourly – $28 hourly
The salary range reflects the minimum and maximum target for a new hire in this role. Individual pay within the range will be determined by multiple factors which can include but are not limited to a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary for your location during the hiring process. Ranges may be modified in the future.
This role is also eligible for an annual performance-based incentive opportunity. Pathward offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees, including health insurance, 401(k) retirement benefits, life insurance, disability benefits, paid time off, and more.
#LI-Remote
Don’t have everything listed under qualifications? If you’re excited about this role but your experiences don’t match exactly to everything in the posting, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other Pathward roles. Pathward is an equal employment opportunity employer and considers candidates for roles without regard to their race, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability or any other category protected by law.
Who we are:
Our commitment to inclusion is woven into our DNA. We believe that we are strongest when we embrace the voices of our employees, customers, partners, and the communities we serve.
We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, pregnancy, national origin, age (age 40 and over), disability, genetic information, marital status, hair texture or hairstyle, ancestry, service in the uniformed services, protected veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence or any other class protected by federal, state and local laws.
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