BSA Analyst - Retail

Patriot-Bank,-N.a.; Orange (CT); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Patriot Bank is seeking a BSA Analyst to provide subject-matter expertise on CIP, KYC, CDD, and EDD within Retail Banking, supporting risk-based decisions and regulatory compliance across the customer lifecycle.

You will partner with BSA Operations, Risk, Fraud, and Compliance, review watchlist alerts, and assist with CTRs/SARs while driving governance, documentation, and remediation initiatives. Strong analytical and communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 3+ years of experience in BSA/AML or related risk within a financial institution.
• Experience supporting audits, regulatory examinations, or remediation efforts.
• Strong expertise in CIP, KYC, CDD, EDD, customer risk rating, and retail BSA/AML requirements.
• Ability to apply risk-based judgement to complex scenarios.
• Excellent analytical, investigative, and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including documentation of risk decisions.
• Ability to influence and partner across functions without direct authority.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as SME for Retail Banking onboarding, account maintenance, periodic reviews, and customer exits.
• Perform or review CDD and EDD for retail customers.
• Evaluate customer profiles using a risk-based approach.
• Review CIP/KYC documentation and guide remediation when deficiencies are identified.
• Act as escalation point for complex, high-risk, or sensitive customer situations.
• Document risk-based analyses and advisory rationale for governance, audit trails, and examinations.
• Review preliminary BSA screenings, including adverse media, sanctions, and PEP reviews.
• Maintain familiarity with transaction monitoring typologies to support advisory decisions.
• Assist with CTRs and SARs for complex or unusual scenarios.
• Provide BSA support for new retail products and digital initiatives.
• Participate in remediation activities, policy updates, and process improvements.
• Identify trends across the retail portfolio and translate observations into actionable insights.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Investigative skills

Critical thinking

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Organization

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Verafin

Unit 21

LexisNexis

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

OVERVIEW

The BSA Analyst serves as a consultive and risk management capacity for the BSA Retail function. This role provides subject-matter expertise related to Client Identification Program (CIP), Know Your Client (KYC), Customer Due Diligence (CDD), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), Customer Risk Rating (CRR), and other regulatory requirements across a customer’s lifecycle. This position requires a strong working knowledge of alert review and reporting process to effectively advise, challenge, and support business partners and BSA operational teams. The role partners closely with Retail Banking, Operations, BSA Operations, Fraud, Risk, and other Compliance stakeholders to promote consistent application of regulatory requirements, internal policies, procedures, and the Bank’s risk appetite. The BSA Specialist acts as a trusted escalation point for complex customer scenarios, supports special initiatives and remediation efforts, contributes to program enhancements, and plays a key role in strengthening governance, documentation, and risk decisioning within the Retail BSA framework.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES include the following.

• Serves as a subject matter expert for Retail Banking and related business lines, providing guidance on onboarding, account maintenance, periodic reviews, and customer exits.
• Perform or review Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) for retail customers.
• Evaluate customer profiles using a risk-based approach, incorporating customer activity, products and services, geographies, ownership structures, occupation, and source of funds/wealth where applicable.
• Review and assess the adequacy, accuracy, and consistency of CIP/KYC documentation and recommend remediation when deficiencies are identified. Provide guidance on determining appropriate risk mitigation strategies for higher-risk customers.
• Act as an escalation point for complex, high-risk, or sensitive customer situations, including customer risk ratings, onboarding decisions, and ongoing risk management concerns.
• Provide independent challenge and credible advisory opinions where business practices, documentation, or decisions may not align with policy, procedure, or regulatory expectations.
• Document risk-based analyses and advisory rationale to support governance, audit trails, internal oversight, and regulatory examinations.
• Conduct or review preliminary BSA screenings, including adverse media, sanctions, and PEP reviews, and assess potential regulatory and reputational risk.
• Review BSA watchlist alerts (e.g., 314a, OFAC, sanctions, negative news) and assist with disposition, escalation, or referral.
• Maintain sufficient familiarity with transaction monitoring typologies and alerting frameworks to support advisory functions, issue identification, and escalation decisions.
• Assist with the preparation of or advise on Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) and Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) other BSA reporting where complex or unusual scenarios require subject matter input.
• Provide BSA support for new retail products, services, channels, or material process changes, including digital initiatives and third-party solutions impacting customer risk.
• Participate in special projects, including remediation activities, policy and procedure updates, process improvements, and control enhancements.
• Identify and analyze trends, themes, and emerging risks across the retail portfolio. Translate observations into actionable insights and recommendations for BSA leadership to support risk management and continuous improvement.
• Partner with first-line, operational, and second-line teams to promote consistent understanding and application of CIP/CDD/EDD requirements.
• May support BSA/AML or fraud investigations.
• All employees are responsible for compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and in some roles, OFAC regulations. Depending on job responsibilities, more or less aspects of the regulations may apply, but at a minimum, all employees are responsible for reporting suspicious activity they identify in the course of performing their job duties. This includes activities conducted by customers, fellow employees, board members, and vendors.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job does not have managerial responsibilities.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• Three (3) or more years of experience in BSA/AML, financial crime compliance, or related risk functions within a financial institution.
• Experience supporting audits, regulatory examinations, or remediation efforts.
• Strong expertise in CIP, KYC, CDD, EDD, customer risk rating, and retail BSA/AML requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to apply risk-based judgement to complex or ambiguous scenarios.
• Excellent analytical, investigative, and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including documentation of risk decisions and advisory conclusion.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and operate independently.
• Ability to influence and partner across functions without direct authority.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• Clear and effective communicator
• Collaborative team player
• Detail-driven with a high level of accuracy

PREFERRED / PLUS QUALIFIACATIONS

• Demonstrated experience in CDD/EDD, customer onboarding, and risk assessment strongly preferred.
• Professional certification such as CAMS, CFE, CIA, or CRMA preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with BSA/AML and screening systems (e.g., Verafin, Unit 21, LexisNexis, or similar) preferred.
• Prior advisory, oversight, or second-line experience is a plus.

WHY JOIN US

• Opportunity to play a key role in a critical compliance function
• Collaborative work environment with strong organizational support
• Competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with experience

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Travel: Travel to client offices, prospects, branches, and industry events.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Patriot Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other protected status under federal, state, or local law.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbents may be asked to perform other duties as required.