Director / AVP, BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations Risk and Reporting

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:

Job Summary

The Director / AVP, BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations Risk and Reporting is responsible for leading two critical support functions within BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations: (1) Monitoring Operations Risk ensuring the Bank's transaction monitoring program is risk-based, well-documented, and defensible through coverage assessments, rule tuning partnerships, and monitoring effectiveness analysis; and (2) Operations Reporting & Governance maintaining the policy and procedure lifecycle, coordinating training enablement, and managing audit, validation, and regulatory exam readiness.

This role serves as the operational connective tissue between frontline alert and investigation teams, data analytics, technology, program risk management, and assurance translating risk insights, regulatory feedback, and investigative outcomes into sustainable program improvements, examiner-ready documentation, and a governance infrastructure that supports repeatable execution. The Director / AVP is accountable for the quality, timeliness, and defensibility of all deliverables produced by both teams.

Scope of Responsibility

This role:

• Owns the monitoring coverage assessment program, including methodology, execution, documentation, and ongoing refresh
• Owns the BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations operational policy, procedure and standards lifecycle drafting through adoption and version control
• Directs rule tuning partnerships with Data Analytics and Technology, ensuring changes are risk-based, documented, tested, and governed
• Directs training coordination with Learning & Development, ensuring content is current, role-appropriate, and aligned to updated procedures
• Manages audit, validation, and regulatory exam coordination including response tracking, material review, and remediation documentation
• Provides monitoring effectiveness metrics, trend analysis, root cause analysis, and management reporting to senior leadership
• Does not directly manage alert or investigation production queues but supports operational teams through risk coverage expertise, governance infrastructure, and analytical insight

Key Responsibilities

Monitoring Coverage & Risk Assessment

• Lead and oversee periodic and ad-hoc coverage assessments of transaction monitoring rules and scenarios across all products, customers, and delivery channels (BaaS, payments, cards, tax, deposits, etc.)
• Ensure coverage assessments evaluate alignment between identified financial crime risks and typologies, existing rules and thresholds, alert volumes, false positive rates, and investigative outcomes
• Ensure coverage rationale, gaps, and recommendations are documented in an examiner-ready format with full traceability from risk assessment through configuration
• Maintain the AML Transaction Monitoring Coverage Assessment Methodology and ensure it reflects current regulatory expectations and lessons learned from validation and exam feedback

Rule Tuning & Analytics Partnership

• Direct the partnership with Data Analytics and Technology to support rule tuning initiatives, threshold adjustments, scenario enhancements, and population group configuration changes
• Oversee evaluation of alert quality, false positive drivers, and risk signal effectiveness — translating investigative feedback, SAR trends, and QA results into actionable tuning opportunities
• Ensure all rule changes are risk-based, documented through the Actimize SAM Rule Change Approval process, and traceable to the originating coverage assessment or root cause analysis
• Serve as the primary BSA/AML Operations liaison to Technology on monitoring system enhancements and configuration governance

Metrics, Trends & Root Cause Analysis

• Oversee analysis of monitoring metrics including alert volumes and mix, conversion rates (alert → case → SAR), emerging typologies, and recurring operational issues
• Direct root cause analyses on material trends, coverage gaps, or operational issues ensuring findings are documented and translated into corrective actions
• Develop and maintain management reporting on monitoring effectiveness

BSA/AML Governance & Documentation

• Oversee the policy and procedure lifecycle for BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations — including drafting, updates, validation, approvals, version control, and evidence of adoption
• Ensure procedures reflect current operating practices, regulatory guidance, and the Bank's risk posture
• Partner with Operations and Program Risk Management to translate regulatory findings, audit observations, and exam feedback into clear, practical standards
• Maintain governance documentation supporting rule purpose and risk linkage, coverage decisions, tuning rationale, and procedural change history

Training & Enablement

• Oversee coordination with Learning & Development to support development, maintenance, and deployment of BSA/AML training content — including new hire, annual, and role-specific curricula
• Ensure training aligns to updated procedures, program standards, and regulatory expectations
• Oversee training documentation and evidence of completion required for examiner and audit review, including knowledge checks, attestations, and completion tracking through the LMS

Audit, Validation & Exam Readiness

• Serve as the central coordination point for internal audit, independent testing, regulatory exams, supervisory reviews, and 2LOD/3LOD validation activities related to BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations
• Oversee tracking of requests, due dates, owners, and responses to ensure timely, complete, and defensible delivery
• Review all materials for consistency, accuracy, and defensibility prior to submission
• Direct management responses, issue tracking, remediation documentation, and closure evidence
• Identify themes and recurring findings to inform program improvements and reduce repeat observations

People Leadership

• Set priorities, allocate resources, and ensure deliverables are completed on time and to standard
• Coach and develop direct reports, identify skill gaps, and build bench strength within both functions
• Foster cross-functional collaboration between the two teams to leverage shared knowledge and avoid duplication of effort

What You Will Need:

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (JD, MBA, or Master's in a relevant field) preferred
• CAMS, CFCS, or equivalent financial crimes certification required
• 8+ years of progressive experience in BSA/AML, transaction monitoring, financial crimes compliance, or risk management with at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role
• Demonstrated experience with monitoring coverage assessments, rule tuning, and/or model governance
• Strong experience with policy/procedure development, audit/exam management, and regulatory readiness
• Working knowledge of transaction monitoring systems (e.g., Actimize, FCRM) and analytics/data concepts
• Proven ability to translate complex regulatory requirements and data-driven insights into clear, examiner-ready documentation and operationally practical standards
• Strong organizational, analytical, project management, and stakeholder communication skills
• Experience managing through regulatory remediation or consent order environments preferred

Measures of Success

• Clear, defensible monitoring coverage aligned to the Bank's risk assessment with documented rationale for all configuration decisions
• Documented and governed rule tuning activity that demonstrably improves alert quality and investigative efficiency
• Up-to-date, validated policies and procedures that reflect current operations and regulatory expectations
• Timely, well-organized audit and exam responses with minimal rework or repeat findings
• Training that is current, role-appropriate, and properly documented with evidence of completion
• Strong cross-functional partnerships with Analytics, Technology, Operations, Program Risk Management, and Assurance
• Positive examiner, audit, and validation feedback on monitoring effectiveness and governance infrastructure

The responsibilities listed above are not all inclusive and may be changed at any time.

Salary range: $86,000 – $145,000

 
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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