KYC Onboarding Specialist

Arival Bank International; San Juan (PR); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Arival Bank International is seeking a detail-oriented KYC Onboarding Specialist to join the Compliance team in Puerto Rico. This hybrid role covers KYC, CIP, CDD, and related onboarding activities to ensure customers meet BSA/AML requirements.

The ideal candidate will have strong BSA/AML knowledge, experience with customer due diligence, and the ability to identify and escalate potential financial crime risks. Puerto Rico residency and hybrid in-office requirement are mandatory.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required in a relevant field.
• 2+ years in a compliance-related role in banking/fintech/regulated environment preferred.
• Experience with KYC, AML, BSA, CIP, CDD, and related procedures.

Responsibilities

• Perform end-to-end KYC and onboarding reviews per policies and regulatory requirements.
• Review identification and documentation for identity and ownership verification.
• Conduct CIP, CDD, and EDD reviews as applicable.
• Identify and verify beneficial owners and controlling persons per regulatory requirements.
• Assess customer risk considering ownership, products, activity, geography, and industry.
• Review corporate documents and tax records for completeness and accuracy.
• Screen for sanctions, PEPs, adverse media, and other risk indicators.
• Escalate suspicious activity and compliance concerns as needed.
• Maintain accurate KYC records and document risk classifications and rationales.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Legal, Risk, Operations, and Relationship Management.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Multitasking

Professional judgment

Independent work with collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Law, Business Administration, Economics, Criminal Justice, Compliance, Risk Management, or related field

Job description

Arival Bank is a US-licensed and regulated digital bank focused on serving global SMEs. We provide innovative, technology-driven banking solutions designed to empower modern businesses and support their growth worldwide.

Position Overview

We are seeking a detail-oriented and experienced KYC Onboarding Specialist to join our Compliance team in Puerto Rico. This hybrid position will be responsible for conducting Know Your Customer (KYC), Customer Identification Program (CIP), Customer Due Diligence (CDD), and related onboarding activities to ensure customers are appropriately evaluated in accordance with the organization’s Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering (BSA/AML) program, internal policies, and applicable regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of BSA/AML regulations and procedures, experience performing customer due diligence and compliance reviews, and the ability to identify and upscale potential financial crime risks.

Candidates must currently reside in Puerto Rico and be able to meet the position’s hybrid in-office requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform end-to-end KYC and customer onboarding reviews for new customers in accordance with established policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Review customer identification and supporting documentation to verify identity, ownership, business activities, and other relevant information.
• Conduct Customer Identification Program (CIP), Customer Due Diligence (CDD), and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) reviews, as applicable.
• Identify and verify beneficial owners and controlling persons in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements and internal procedures.
• Assess customer risk based on factors including customer type, ownership structure, products and services, expected activity, geographic exposure, industry, and other relevant risk indicators.
• Review corporate and legal documentation, including articles of incorporation, certificates of formation, operating agreements, organizational structures, tax documentation, licenses, financial information, and other supporting records.
• Conduct screening for sanctions, politically exposed persons (PEPs), adverse media, and other applicable financial crime risk indicators.
• Analyze complex ownership structures and identify potential elevated-risk relationships or inconsistencies requiring additional investigation.
• Obtain and evaluate additional documentation or information when customer records are incomplete, inconsistent, or present elevated compliance risk.
• Ensure customer files contain complete, accurate, and properly documented KYC information before onboarding approval.
• Document the rationale supporting customer risk classifications and onboarding decisions.
• Escalate potentially suspicious activity, sanctions concerns, material adverse information, or other significant compliance issues to appropriate Compliance or AML personnel.
• Partner with Compliance, Operations, Legal, Risk, Relationship Management, and other business teams to resolve onboarding deficiencies and compliance questions.
• Support periodic and event-driven KYC reviews when necessary.
• Maintain accurate records of onboarding activities, outstanding documentation, approvals, and escalations.
• Assist with internal audits, regulatory examinations, quality assurance reviews, and compliance testing by providing KYC documentation and explaining onboarding decisions when required.
• Maintain awareness of regulatory developments and industry practices affecting KYC, BSA/AML, sanctions, beneficial ownership, and customer onboarding.
• Follow established escalation procedures and adhere to applicable regulatory requirements, internal policies, risk appetite standards, and compliance controls.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives relating to KYC processes, procedures, systems, controls, and documentation standards.
• Perform other compliance-related responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Law, Business Administration, Economics, Criminal Justice, Compliance, Risk Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of professional experience in a compliance-related role, preferably within banking, financial services, fintech, payments, lending, or another regulated financial environment.
• Demonstrated experience with KYC, AML, BSA compliance, customer onboarding, customer due diligence, or related financial crime compliance activities.
• Working knowledge of Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements, Customer Identification Program (CIP), Customer Due Diligence (CDD), and related compliance procedures and regulations.
• Ability to review and interpret corporate, financial, ownership, and identification documentation.
• Strong analytical and investigative skills with the ability to identify inconsistencies, unusual information, and potential compliance risks.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate and complete documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to clearly document compliance decisions, findings, and escalation rationale.
• Ability to manage multiple onboarding cases and priorities while meeting established service levels and deadlines.
• Sound professional judgment and the ability to appropriately elevate compliance concerns.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with Compliance and business teams.
• Must reside in Puerto Rico and be available to work according to the organization’s hybrid work schedule.

Preferred Qualifications

The following qualifications are considered a plus:

• Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) certification.
• International Compliance Association (ICA) certification or diploma.
• Certified Financial Crime Specialist (CFCS) or similar AML, financial crime, sanctions, fraud, compliance, or risk-management certification.
• Juris Doctor (JD), Master’s degree, or other relevant professional or graduate degree.
• Previous experience working within a bank, fintech, payments company, Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) environment, or other regulated financial institution.
• Experience conducting Enhanced Due Diligence on higher-risk customers or complex legal entities.
• Experience reviewing beneficial ownership and complex corporate structures.
• Familiarity with sanctions and watchlist screening, PEP screening, adverse media research, and related investigative tools.
• Experience supporting regulatory examinations, compliance audits, or quality assurance reviews.

Work Arrangement

This is a hybrid position based in Puerto Rico. The successful candidate must reside in Puerto Rico and be able to report to the designated office location according to the company’s hybrid work schedule.

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, business needs, and applicable legal requirements without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal or Puerto Rico law.