Team Lead, Financial Crimes, AML

Upgrade is a fintech company that provides affordable and responsible credit, mobile banking, and payment products to everyday consumers. We were the fastest growing company in the Americas last year according to the Financial Times and Upgrade Card was the fastest growing credit card in America two years in a row. We have delivered over $33 billion in affordable and responsible credit to our 5.5M customers. The company is backed by some of the most prominent technology investors and was recently valued at $6.3B.

We have built an energizing, collaborative and inclusive culture where team members help each other, learn and innovate to move the company and its customers in the right direction, and own the outcome of their efforts.

Upgrade has been named a “Best Place to Work in the Bay Area” three years in a row, “Top Companies to work for in Arizona” and one of the "Best Engineering Department" awarded annually by Comparably. We've also received recognition for being a best company for Diversity, Women, Culture, and Veterans.

We are looking for new team members who get excited about designing and delivering new and better products to join a team of 1850 talented and dedicated professionals. Come work with us if you like to tackle big problems and make a meaningful difference in people's lives.

About the Role:

The position of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Team Lead is a part of the Financial Crimes team, which reports up through the Risk & Compliance group. The AML team is responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating the risks associated with money laundering, terrorist financing, and other unusual or illicit activities within Upgrade. 

As an AML Team Lead, you will work under the leadership of the AML Manager and will assist in managing the day to day activities of production-based Investigations Analysts. Additionally, you will play a critical role in guiding the team to ensure quality and production expectations are met, as well as maintaining overall team cohesion.  

If you have the experience and credentials to demonstrate meaningful expertise in anti-financial crimes work, a sense of adaptability, responsibility and ownership towards problem solving, and the interpersonal skills to foster and contribute to a culture where people are eager to learn and grow professionally, this may be the role for you.

What You’ll Do:

• Manage the day-to-day operations and activities of the Financial Crimes Investigations Team
• Serve as a liaison between the team and management by communicating the team’s needs, progress, and concerns while offering constructive solutions to resolve any issues or obstacles
• Provide coaching and feedback to AML Investigations Analysts to help team members grow and improve in their investigations skills
• Identify and design broader training opportunities for the team as informed by Quality Assurance scores and trends
• Assign cases and projects to team members based on their skills and workload while ensuring that tasks are completed in a timely manner and to a high standard
• Serve as a subject matter expert within AML and answer questions from AML Investigations Analysts to provide the guidance necessary to resolve and complete a case 
• Assist in process development and documentation by proactively identifying potential opportunities for enhancements of all AML Team processes 
• Facilitate collaboration and communication with other departments and bank partners as needed

What We Look For:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• CAMS, CGSS, and/or CFE certification
• 5+ years of experience in anti-financial crimes work (AML investigations, Fraud Investigations, EDD, KYC, Sanctions, etc.)
• 2+ years experience in leading teams, managing projects, and workforce management
• Working knowledge of fraud and AML typologies and current financial crime patterns and trends
• Understanding of financial products, including credit cards, lending products, and deposit accounts
• Excellent research, analytical, and communication skills
• Experience in in meeting regulatory and business deadlines with a sense of urgency while maintaining high standards for quality and professionalism
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and Atlassian products
• Experience with LexisNexis research tools (AML Insight, Bridger) and/or ComplyAdvantage preferred, but not required
• Strong leadership, organizational, project management, and time management skills

What We Offer You: 

• Competitive salary and stock option plan
• 100% paid coverage of medical, dental and vision insurance 
• Flexible PTO
• Opportunities for professional growth and development  
• Paid parental leave
• Health & wellness initiatives

The compensation range of this position in San Francisco, CA is USD $95,000-$110,000 annually plus equity and benefits. Within this range, an individual's base pay will be dependent on a variety of factors, including without limitation, job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

#BI-Hybrid  #LI-Hybrid 

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We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.