Senior Transaction Monitoring Specialist

Propel Consult; Manama; On-site; BHD 18,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Propel Consult seeks a Senior Transaction Monitoring Specialist for a licensed crypto-assets platform regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain and VARA. You will lead daily monitoring, adjudicate alerts, and escalate cases within SLAs to support the AML/CFT framework.

You will calibrate monitoring rules, develop typologies, review due diligence, and mentor junior analysts while staying current with regulatory developments. Reporting to the Head of Compliance.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in Compliance/AML/financial crime or risk function with a regulated VASP.
• CAMS certification is required; ICA Advanced Certification or Diploma is an advantage.
• Working knowledge of digital assets and blockchain analytics tools is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the daily transaction monitoring process across both entities, adjudicating alerts and clearing or escalating cases.
• Investigate unusual or potentially suspicious activity with audit-ready documentation and escalation to MLRO/DMLRO.
• Review calibration of monitoring rules, thresholds and scenarios to reduce false positives while maintaining coverage.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Investigation skills

Communication skills

Independent worker

Team collaboration

Education

CAMS certification

ICA Advanced Certification or Diploma

Tools

MS Excel

Chainalysis

Elliptic

TRM

Job description

About Company & Role Purpose

A leading licensed crypto-assets trading platform regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and Dubai's Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) is seeking a Senior Transaction Monitoring Specialist. The role supports the Compliance Function and takes a lead role in the day-to-day operation of its transaction monitoring framework. The successful candidate will work with professionals across the organisation to help ensure adherence to applicable regulatory requirements and the Company's AML/CFT Programme. This is a senior position within the function and reports to the Head of Compliance

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES, ACCOUNTABILITIES AND ACTIVITIES

• Own the daily transaction monitoring process across both entities, adjudicating system-generated alerts, conducting enhanced due diligence on flagged activity, and clearing or escalating cases within agreed service levels.
• Investigate unusual or potentially suspicious activity, document rationale to an audit-ready standard, and escalating to the MLRO/DMLRO, including preparing internal escalation reports and supporting the STR/SAR decision.
• Review the calibration of monitoring rules, thresholds and scenarios, identify tuning opportunities and false-positive drivers, and recommend changes to reduce noise while maintaining coverage of known typologies.
• Develop and maintain transaction monitoring typologies and red-flag indicators, applying them to emerging virtual asset risks (mixers, cross-chain activity, sanctions and high-risk exposure) and feeding findings back into rule design.
• Perform quality assurance and testing over the AML monitoring process, evaluate process deficiencies, assess the effectiveness of control measures, enhance reporting capabilities, and recommend corrective actions to the MLRO/Head of Compliance.
• Review client due diligence documentation where it intersects with monitoring outcomes and approve or reject records in line with the Company's AML/CFT policy and procedures.
• Identify and escalating activity or cases that fail to meet internal guidelines, regulatory requirements, and applicable AML law.
• Stay current on the AML and virtual asset regulatory landscape to identify emerging risks and drive enhancements to the monitoring programme.
• Support the Head of Compliance in implementing the board-approved compliance programme, ensuring the Company meets regulatory requirements and internal procedures.
• Assist the Head of Compliance and MLRO in preparing periodic and annual reports on compliance and transaction monitoring matters, including trend analysis and management information.
• Promptly escalating concerns relating to non-compliance, control gaps, or areas requiring revision.
• Provide guidance to junior analysts on monitoring, alert handling and EDD, and support consistency of investigation standards across the team.
• Undertake any other ad hoc assignments delegated by the Head of Compliance from time to time.

• 3–5 years of experience in a Compliance/AML/financial crime or risk function with a regulated VASP.
• Strong practical experience operating transaction monitoring systems and working with case management and screening tools, with the ability to interpret monitoring output and identify tuning opportunities.
• Well-versed in MS Excel and associated data analysis tools, with the ability to work with large transaction datasets and produce clear management information.
• Sound understanding of AML/CFT typologies and red-flag indicators, and the ability to apply them to virtual asset activity.
• CAMS certification required; ICA Advanced Certification or Diploma, or equivalent, an advantage.
• Working knowledge of digital assets and blockchain analytics tools (for example Chainalysis, Elliptic, or TRM) is preferred.

Skills

• Thorough understanding of AML/CFT obligations and internal procedures.
• Detail-oriented with a strong work ethic and sound investigative judgement.
• Ability to analyse data and identify patterns and anomalies in transaction activity.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including clear investigation write-ups.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Proactive in staying updated on the latest AML landscape and regulations.
• Adaptability to handle ad-hoc assignments and changing priorities.