VP, Financial Crimes Governance Risk Lead

Vast Bank is looking to hire a VP, Financial Crimes Governance and Risk Lead! 

We're a company that believes in taking care of the people who make working here possible. In addition to competitive compensation, we offer a leading employee benefit package:

• Comprehensive benefits package & 401(k) match
• Professional development- opportunities for advancement! 
• Tuition assistance
• Transit reimbursement
• Paid time off
• & more! 

Summary Of Role

The Financial Crime Governance and Risk Lead is responsible for the management and delivery of Financial Crime policies, risk assessment methodologies and outputs, anti-money laundering (AML)/countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) transaction monitoring strategy, fraud monitoring strategy, customer risk rating methodology, and Financial Crime systems and data oversight. This role provides leadership across these areas to ensure a robust risk management program is implemented at the Bank to manage sanctions, fraud, and AML/CFT risks. The Lead will partner with the Financial Crime team, Information Security, Payments, Operations, Digital Banking, Risk, and business-line teams to deliver a comprehensive approach and documentation in managing these Financial Crime risks. This role will be critical in establishing and maintaining the Financial Crime program’s governance and risk processes through the launch and scaling of Tokenized Deposits.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintains the Bank’s Financial Crime policies, ensuring updates as needed.
• Leads the Bank’s annual and ongoing Financial Crime risk assessments, including AML/CFT, Sanctions, and Fraud. This includes the identification of inherent risks across the Bank’s customers, geographies, and products/services, identifying existing coverage, and clearly articulating the residual risk to inform management accordingly.
• Develop and maintain the Bank’s AML/CFT and Fraud monitoring approach to ensure coverage is requisite to its risk profile.
• Tracks Financial Crime industry trends, regulatory changes, and threat intelligence to inform risk mitigation strategies.
• Continuously enhances Financial Crime risk management efforts, identifying opportunities to reduce risk while supporting compliant and fair customer access to banking services.
• Aids in the delivery of training and guidance to staff, management, and cross-functional teams on Financial Crime risks, typology examples, policy applicability, and mitigation tools/approaches.
• Prepares clear and timely fraud trend analyses, fraud dashboards, and loss reports for clear fraud oversight.
• Supports in the operational delivery of the Financial Crime program as needed.
• Ensure team members are delivering outcomes in line with the Bank’s policies and procedures.
• Supports Fair Access Banking by ensuring controls and decisioning align with nondiscriminatory practices, consumer protection laws, and equitable access principles.

Knowledge & Skills
Experience

• 10+ years of experience in financial crimes, fraud prevention, or related governance and risk roles within a financial institution.
• Strong understanding of Financial Crime risk assessment frameworks.
• Strong understanding of AML/CFT transaction monitoring frameworks.
• Strong understanding of payment systems (ACH, wires, checks, cards, RTP), fraud typologies, and digital-banking risk.
• Working knowledge of regulatory requirements including Reg E, OFAC, BSA/AML, and Fair Access Banking principles.

Education/Certifications/Licenses
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Criminal Justice, or related field; or equivalent work experience.

Interpersonal Skills
A significant level of trust and diplomacy is required to be an effective subject matter expert in the position. In-depth dialogues, conversations and explanations with customers, direct and indirect reports and outside vendors of a sensitive and/or highly confidential nature is a normal part of the day-to-day experience. Communications can involve motivating, influencing, educating and/or advising others on matters of significance.

Role Important Behavioral Skills

• Strong communication skills to develop good working relationships and to promote cooperation and compromise among various departments.
• Display the ability to research and comprehend a high level of knowledge in current and developing regulations.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationship at all levels by proactively participating and contributing to a positive work environment, controlling emotions and temperament, and exhibiting courteous, respectful, and professional behavior.
• Ability to quickly adapt to changing environments, processes, and technologies. Technological ability and willingness to work remotely from home as required.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain composure under pressure or adverse circumstances, using effective strategies for managing personal stress.
• Ability to maintain personal and work direction when faced with ambiguity.

ADA Requirements

Physical Requirements

Is able to bend, sit, and stand in order to perform primarily sedentary work with limited physical exertion and occasional lifting of up to 25 lbs. Must be capable of climbing / descending stairs in an emergency situation. Must be able to operate routine office equipment including computer terminals and keyboards, telephones, copiers, facsimiles, and calculators. Must be able to routinely perform work on a computer for an average of 6-8 hours per day, when necessary. Must be able to work extended hours or travel off site whenever required or requested by management. Must be capable of regular, reliable, and timely attendance.

Working Conditions

Must be able to routinely perform work indoors in climate-controlled shared work area with minimal noise.

Mental and/or Emotional Requirements

Must be able to perform job functions independently or with limited supervision and work effectively either on own or as part of a team. Must be able to read and carry out various written instructions and follow oral instructions. Must be able to complete basic mathematical calculations, spell accurately, and understand computer basics. Must be able to speak clearly and deliver information in a logical and understandable sequence. Must be capable of dealing calmly and professionally with numerous different personalities from diverse cultures at various levels within and outside of the organization and demonstrate highest levels of customer service and discretion when dealing with the public. Must be able to perform responsibilities with composure under the stress of deadlines / requirements for extreme accuracy and quality and/or fast pace.  Must be able to effectively handle multiple, simultaneous, and changing priorities. Must be capable of exercising the highest level of discretion on both internal and external confidential matters.

EEO Statement It is the policy of Vast Bank to afford equal opportunity in all phases of employment without regard to an individual’s race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, unfavorable military discharge for qualified individuals with disabilities, and for qualified disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era, to the extent required by applicable local, state and federal law.