Financial Crime Investigator

Westpac; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks standard holiday + wellbeing 5

Additional purchased leave up to 4 wks

Banking benefits & superannuation

Growth and development opportunities

Recognition of high performers

Volunteer days

Job summary

Westpac is seeking a Financial Crime Investigator in New Zealand to manage a portfolio of investigations from initial assessment to final outcome. You will focus on fraud and scams affecting customers and the bank, analyzing transactions, interviewing customers, and forming evidence-based decisions.

You will identify emerging fraud trends and influence improvements to prevention and controls while collaborating with internal teams and external agencies.

Qualifications

• Experience in an investigative or analytical role within fraud, scams, financial crime, financial services, government, law enforcement, or another relevant environment.
• Strong investigative thinking with ability to analyse transactions and customer activity to establish what occurred.
• Ability to connect information, recognise patterns and inconsistencies, and make clear, well-supported decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including conducting sensitive customer interviews and asking effective investigative questions.

Responsibilities

• Investigate scams, payment and account fraud, and other financial crime matters.
• Analyse transactions and account activity, gather evidence and interview customers and relevant parties.
• Identify emerging fraud patterns and advise on preventative action to strengthen controls.

Skills

Investigative thinking

Fraud/financial crime knowledge

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Pattern recognition

Attention to detail

Relationship-building

Customer interview skills

ACAMS/ACFE qualification

Education

ACAMS or ACFE qualification

Relevant qualification in IT, Law, Commerce or Criminology

Job description

Financial Crime Investigator

Mō te tūranga | About the Role

Every transaction tells a story. Your role is to look beyond the numbers, connect the evidence and determine what has happened.

As a Financial Crime Investigator, you’ll manage a varied portfolio of investigations from initial assessment through to final outcome, with a strong focus on fraud and scams affecting our customers and the bank. Your work will include investigating scams, payment and account fraud, identity-related fraud alongside wider financial crime matters such as money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions, tax evasion, and anti-bribery and corruption.

In this customer facing role, you’ll analyse transactions and account activity, gather and assess evidence, interview customers, and other relevant parties, and bring different pieces of information together to make clear, well-reasoned and evidence-based decisions.

A key part of the role is understanding the customer experience and how the fraud or scam occurred. You’ll consider how a customer may have been targeted or manipulated, identify opportunities for recovery or further preventative action, and balance strong investigative thinking with empathy and fairness.

This is more than investigating what has already happened. You’ll identify emerging fraud and scam trends, patterns of criminal behaviour, potential links between cases, and gaps in processes or controls. The insights you uncover will help us understand how criminals are adapting their methods and where we can strengthen our approach to preventing financial crime and protecting customers.

Working alongside colleagues across the business and relevant external agencies, you’ll help protect our customers and strengthen Westpac’s financial crime control environment.

If you’re naturally curious, enjoy piecing together complex information and evidence, and are motivated by work that can make a meaningful difference for customers, this could be your next opportunity.

Nā tāu rourou | What will you bring?

• Experience in an investigative or analytical role within fraud, scams, financial crime, financial services, government, law enforcement, or another relevant environment
• Strong investigative thinking, with the ability to analyse transactions, customer activity and other evidence to establish what has occurred
• The ability to connect information, recognise patterns and inconsistencies, and make clear, well-supported decisions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the confidence to conduct sensitive customer interviews and ask effective investigative questions
• An understanding of fraud, scams and wider financial crime risks, or the curiosity and ability to quickly develop this knowledge
• Sound judgement and attention to detail, balanced with a fair, empathetic and customer-focused approach
• Resilience and adaptability, with the ability to navigate changing priorities and an evolving financial crime landscape
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to collaborate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• The ability to look beyond an individual case and identify trends, emerging threats and opportunities to strengthen processes or controls
• A relevant qualification in areas such as IT, Law, Commerce or Criminology, or an ACAMS or ACFE qualification, would be an advantage but is not essential

Westpac Hei Wāhi Mahi | Working at Westpac

In addition to immersing yourself in a supportive team environment, you’ll receive some great job perks and benefits including:

• 4 weeks standard holiday + 5 additional days of wellbeing leave to support you to be your best
• Additional purchased leave options up to 4 weeks per year
• Banking benefits, insurance discounts and superannuation scheme
• Growth and development – we provide opportunities for development and promote internal mobility
• Recognition - we recognise and reward our star performers
• School holiday subsidy - help you balance work and family during school holiday
• 2 Volunteer days per year

Ko mātou tēnei | Our Organisation

At Westpac, we’re working together to build a fairer and stronger New Zealand for our people, customers, and communities. For over 160 years we’ve been driven by our purpose to Create Better Futures Together.

What makes us unique are the incredible people we’re lucky enough to have walk through our doors every day. The giant ‘W’ on our building doesn’t just stand for Westpac – it says, double you. We’re a place that values, rewards and recognises individuality. Where you can be your whole self, your true self, and your best self. We’re recognised as a place where talent is developed, where passions are fuelled and where ambitions of all shapes and sizes thrive. And it all starts with you!

The people of Aotearoa, New Zealand hail from many cultures and backgrounds. At Westpac New Zealand, we draw on this enormous talent pool to cultivate a team rich in ability and empowered to reach its full potential. Our aim is to be brave challengers, celebrating our differences and relentlessly advocating for our customers. It starts with us – we believe that when we care deeply and do our best for our people, they’ll do their best for our customers. We encourage people from all walks of life to apply, including those who are neurodivergent, have chronic health conditions or disabilities – your attitude and passion are as important to us as your experience, qualifications and capabilities.

Applications close:

7 November 2026