Risk & Fraud Officer - Fintech Services

Midland States Bank; Chicago, Washington (IL, District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Midland States Bank seeks a Risk and Fraud Officer for Fintech Services, reporting to senior leadership. You will guide fraud strategy, oversee detection programs, and ensure regulatory compliance for BaaS and fintech products.

Required are 8+ years in banking compliance with fraud focus, 5+ years leading teams, and a CFE or equivalent. Travel up to 10% and partnership with fintech customers are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, risk management, business administration or related field preferred.
• 8+ years of banking compliance experience with a focus on fraud management.
• Minimum 5 years of experience leading teams with coaching and performance management.
• Certification in fraud prevention (e.g., CFE) is required.
• Experience in Banking as a Service (BaaS) and Fintech is highly desirable.
• Travel up to 10% to company locations nationwide.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team within Fintech Services to execute risk and fraud management strategies.
• Develop and implement fraud detection and prevention programs for BaaS offerings.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and timely reporting, including SAR submissions.
• Oversee third-party vendor monitoring and BSA/AML controls.
• Collaborate with fintech partners and senior management on risk mitigation.

Skills

People leadership

Fraud management

Strategy & leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance, risk management, or business administration

Tools

Verafin

Cable

Job description

At Midland States Bank, base salary is one component of our Total Rewards program. Exact compensation is determined by factors such as (but not limited to) education, skills, internal equity, and experience. This position offers additional compensation in the form of short-term incentives (i.e. bonus and/or commission) and may include long-term incentives (i.e. stock awards). Benefits for this role include comprehensive healthcare, well-being benefits, paid family leave as well as generous paid time off. Total Rewards also include banking perks, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 401K plan with company match and may include the opportunity to participate in our Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation plan. Incentives and benefits are subject to eligibility requirements.

Salary Range: $90,000-$130,000/annually

The Risk and Fraud Officer – Fintech Services is a crucial leadership role within our Banking as a Service (BaaS) line of business. This position reports directly to the Senior Manager - Fintech Services and serves as an advisor to the Director of Financial Crimes, and Chief Digital Officer and the executive management. This position is a leadership role responsible for overseeing and enhancing the bank's fintech and third-party fraud management programs, developing and implementing risk and fraud management strategies, and ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and industry standards.

Primary Accountabilities

• People Manages a team of professionals in a customer-centric culture to excel in a fast-paced environment.
• Coaches, develops, and conducts performance management activities with direct and indirect reports.
• Identifies high-potential employees for advanced training and development opportunities.
• Effectively manages poor performers.
• Provides leadership and promotes MSB Core Values and best practices through the management of the Fintech services department.
• Ensures all team members are trained and aware of their responsibilities related to risk and fraud management.

Strategic Leadership and Direction

• Leads the development and implementation of fraud detection and prevention strategies for the Bank's BaaS offerings.
• Provides strategic guidance on fraud management for new and existing Fintech products and services.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Oversees the compliance and fraud management processes, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements and best practices aligned to the second line of defense requirements.
• Conducts thorough investigations of suspicious activities and ensure timely reporting and resolution.
• Maintains proficient knowledge regarding best practices for fraud detection, prevention, and loss mitigation.
• Addresses applicable regulatory changes that impact business units and ensure timely and accurate Suspicious Activity Report submission.

Operational Efficiency

• Monitors and analyzes third-party vendor performance to detect and mitigate fraud risks.
• Utilizes tools and software such as Verafin and Cable to enhance monitoring capabilities and ensure effective BSA/AML compliance.
• Maintains detailed logs and reports of ongoing monitoring activities, including transaction alerts, investigation results, and any corrective actions taken.

Stakeholder Management

• Serves as a primary risk and fraud liaison between Fintech partners and the Bank, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.
• Partners with management on the integration of new technologies and innovative approaches to enhance the Bank's BSA offerings.
• Reports any identified risks, issues, or incidents to the second line of defense and senior management.

Project Management and Execution

• Manages and coordinates across various functions including compliance, fraud management, and deposit operations aligning with the bank's strategic objectives.
• Oversees the implementation of first-line defense methodologies for Bank Operations, Risk, Compliance, and Fraud Management of our third-party partners.
• Participates in and leads project management-related duties for various BaaS initiatives.

Other

• The role requires occasional travel for training and team meetings, and willingness to travel periodically, to locations within market as needed.
• May require work in a Midland office to ensure collaboration and support of internal and external customers.
• Maintain compliance with all applicable regulations including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Qualifications

• Education/Experience: Bachelor's degree in finance, risk management, business administration, or a related field preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in banking compliance with a strong emphasis on fraud management.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading teams with demonstrated success coaching and motivating team members.
• Comprehensive understanding of federal and state banking regulations with specific expertise in fraud prevention.
• Compliance professional certifications are required with a focus on fraud management (e.g., CFE - Certified Fraud Examiner).
• Experience in Banking as a Service (BaaS) and Fintech is highly desirable.
• Ability to travel up to 10% to various locations, company branches, and third-party sites nationwide.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to instruct others, interpret documents, and write reports and correspondence.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to deal with complex problems involving multiple facets and variables in non-standardized situations.

Competencies

• Business insight
• Cultivates innovation
• Drives results
• Being a brand champion
• Collaborates
• Communicates effectively
• Customer focus
• Being Authentic
• Emotional Intelligence
• Self development
• Being flexible and adaptable

At Midland States Bank, we believe that when we can bring our whole selves to work each day, we become happier, more comfortable, more confident and more excited to do great things for our customers, each other and our company. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Aff… employer. At Midland, we recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Midland States Bank may use automated tools and artificial intelligence (“AI”) to assist with recruiting, screening, and hiring decisions. In accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act (effective January 1, 2026), these tools are designed and monitored to be neutral and job-related, and must not be used in a way that discriminates against applicants or employees based on any protected characteristic.

THIS JOB DESCRIPTION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT FOR EMPLOYMENT.

At Midland, we’re proud to be a little different. You can see it in our bright orange signs, but there’s more to it than that. With our heartfelt and personalized approach, we’re focused on meeting every customer’s needs with the brightest solutions. For more than 140 years, we’ve learned by serving customers skillfully with dedication and follow-through, we can brighten every interaction to drive our collective success. And this goes beyond traditional banking. We foster programs that empower our communities, continuously invest in our employees, and actively pursue brighter futures for all. Our humble ambition keeps us growing, giving back, and looking ahead. We’re innovating and optimizing our services to ensure we stay unique – providing strength you can count on with heart you can feel. You might say we’re unlike any other bank. And you’d be right.