International specialist II

First Citizens Bank; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

First Citizens Bank seeks a Trade Finance Associate to support issuance, advising, and processing of standby and commercial letters of credit and documentary collections for global clients.

You will communicate with clients via phone and email, collaborate with compliance and trade finance teams, and help manage risk while fostering strong client relationships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and 0 years of experience in International Banking and either International Payments or International Trade Services OR HS Diploma with 2 years of related experience.
• Knowledge of accounting and world geography; MS Office and SWIFT proficiency.
• Work toward CDCS certification.

Responsibilities

• Process and approve trade service requests, including letters of credit and related documents, ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Coordinate with internal/external parties to meet business goals and resolve servicing issues.
• Reconcile cash items, verify accounts, and investigate discrepancies with customers and foreign banks.
• Maintain currency expertise and review trade services documentation for accuracy.

Skills

Accounting knowledge

World geography

Customer service

MS Office familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in International Banking or related field

CDCS (in progress)

Tools

SWIFT

MS Word

Excel

10-key

Job description

Overview

This role is a part of the Trade Finance Solutioning Team within the Global Banking and Markets Solutions division. The primary duties of this role are to support the issuance, advising, and processing of standby and commercial letter of credit transactions as well as documentary collections for our clients who import and export globally. This associate will work closely with both our internal and external clients, compliance, and the broader trade finance team who will rely on the specialist's knowledge. The associate is expected to communicate directly with clients via phone and email as a trusted advisor, building strong and lasting banking relationships. All functions are performed to generate revenue while reducing risk including financial, reputational, and compliance risks.

Responsibilities & Qualifications

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Processing - Reviews, processes and approves transaction requests, including the preparation of Trade Services documentation, wires and cash item delivery. Ensures authentication of request and compliance with applicable regulations. Acts as backup for team supervisory role.
• Service & Support - Coordinates with both internal and external parties to achieve business goals and streamline service experience. Determines target needs and provides resolution. Performs advanced data entry, reporting, and analysis as necessary. Handles escalated and complex servicing issues.
• Reconciliation - Monitors balance of cash items in system. Verifies accounts and investigates imbalances, including timely processing of any fees, payments, or returns. Directly interacts with customers and foreign banks to negotiate and resolve identified discrepancies.
• Currency Expertise - Maintains expert knowledge in area of work. Inspects foreign cash items, wires and trade services documentation, and transactions for accuracy. May ensure competitive rates for Bank currency exchange.

Position Specific Skills:

• Knowledge of accounting and world geography
• MS Word, 10key and spreadsheet software, and SWIFT
• Work toward Certified Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS)

Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree and 0 years of experience in International Banking and either International Payments or International Trade Services. OR High School Diploma or GED and 2 years of experience in International Banking and either International Payments or International Trade Services.

Preferred Area of Experience:

International Banking or Trade Finance, knowledge of accounting and world geography, MS Office, and Swift. Work toward Certified Documentary Credit Specialist (CDCS) certification

Additional Information

Benefits are an integral part of total rewards and First Citizens Bank is committed to providing a competitive, thoughtfully designed and quality benefits program to meet the needs of our associates. More information can be found at benefits.