Sr. Analyst - Complex Investigations

Pathward, National Association; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 101,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement benefits

Life insurance

Disability benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Pathward, National Association seeks a Senior Analyst, Complex Investigations to conduct high-risk AML, sanctions, and fraud investigations. You will independently manage multi-account and cross-product cases, producing defensible SAR narratives and regulator-ready outputs.

You will partner with AML, Fraud, and Sanctions teams, coaching peers and helping improve procedures while ensuring consistent adherence to OCC and FinCEN standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required (Finance, Criminal Justice, Accounting, Business, or related field).
• 5+ years of BSA/AML, Sanctions, or Fraud investigations experience, including complex or high-risk casework.
• CAMS or equivalent AML certification strongly preferred; advanced certifications a plus.
• Ability to independently investigate multi-account, multi-entity, and cross-product matters.
• Strong command of financial-crime typologies and transaction monitoring systems.

Responsibilities

• Independently conduct complex and high-risk investigations across products and customer types.
• Draft clear, complete SAR narratives and decisioning that withstand scrutiny.
• Analyze transactional, KYC/CDD, and open-source information to reach defensible conclusions.
• Identify systemic risks and collaborate with leadership on remediation.
• Coordinate with AML, Fraud, Sanctions, and Compliance partners on cross-domain scenarios.

Skills

Investigations experience

SAR drafting

Financial crime awareness

Analytical reasoning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Actimize

FCRM

Bridger

Watchlist screening

Job description

We are a hybrid, remote-office company dedicated to growing our talent anywhere!

We have onsite locations in: Sioux Falls, SD, Scottsdale, AZ, Louisville, KY, Troy, MI, Franklin, TN, Easton, PA.

At Pathward, we take tremendous pride in our purpose to create financial inclusion for all.We area financial empowerment company that works with innovators to increase financial availability, choice, and opportunity for all. We strive to remove barriers that traditional institutions put in the way of financial access, and promote economic mobility by providing responsible, secure, high quality financial products.

We are a team of problem solvers and innovators who celebrate our differences and know that our unique perspectives make us stronger and well-positioned for success. We celebrate, and embrace, our team members through our*HUMBLE*HUNGRY*SMARTapproach, and we believe that we are strongest when we embrace the voices of our employees, customers, partners, and the communities we serve.

About the Role:

The Senior Analyst, Complex Investigations conducts the review, investigation, and resolution of the Bank's most complex and high-risk financial crime matters across AML, Sanctions, and Fraud domains. As a senior individual contributor, the role independently executes multi-account, multi-entity, and cross-product investigations, produces defensible SAR narratives and decisioning, and applies advanced typologies and investigative techniques. The Senior Analyst operates within the escalation and quality frameworks owned by leadership, serves as a technical resource and informal coach to less-experienced analysts, and ensures all investigative outputs are consistent, well-documented, and regulator-ready under OCC, FinCEN, and internal program standards.

What You Will Do:

Complex Investigations & Case Execution

• Independently conduct complex and high-risk investigations across products and customer types, including multi-account, multi-entity, and cross-product matters.


• Handle repeat SAR subjects, continuing activity reviews, and examiner-referred matters in line with established escalation criteria.


• Analyze transactional, KYC/CDD, and open-source information to reach sound, defensible investigative conclusions.


• Identify and elevate systemic or thematic risks, unusual typologies, and potential control gaps emerging from casework to leadership.

SAR Decisioning, Narratives & Documentation

• Draft clear, complete, and defensible SAR narratives and decisioning that withstand examiner, audit, and law-enforcement scrutiny.


• Ensure all investigative documentation meets the five-element documentation baseline and internal quality standards.


• Prepare Continuing Activity Reports (CARs) and support 314(a)/314(b), OFAC, and PEP-related investigative activity as needed.

Quality, Escalation & Governance

• Operate within the escalation and quality frameworks owned by leadership; apply routing and escalation criteria consistently.


• Partner with QC/QA teams by responding to feedback, remediating identified defects, and helping surface systemic trends.


• Maintain consistency with enterprise investigative standards and methodologies across AML, Fraud, and Sanctions domains.

Technical Expertise & Coaching

• Serve as a subject-matter resource on advanced typologies, investigative techniques, and analyst judgment.


• Provide informal coaching, case feedback, and peer review to less-experienced analysts; support onboarding and training initiatives.


• Contribute to the continuous improvement of procedures, desktop procedures, checklists, and reference guides based on casework insights.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate with AML, Fraud, Sanctions, Compliance Advisory, Legal, and Technology partners on complex financial-crime scenarios spanning multiple risk domains.


• Support regulatory examinations, internal audit, and validation efforts by preparing case artifacts and responding to information requests.

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor's degree required (Finance, Criminal Justice, Accounting, Business, or related field).


• CAMS or equivalent AML certification strongly preferred.


• Advanced certifications (e.g., CFE, CFCS) a plus.


• 5+ years of BSA/AML, Sanctions, or Fraud investigations experience, including complex or high-risk casework and SAR filing.


• Demonstrated ability to independently investigate multi-account, multi-entity, and cross-product matters.


• Strong command of financial-crime typologies, transaction monitoring systems (e.g., Actimize, FCRM), and watchlist/screening tools (e.g., Bridger).

The responsibilities listed above are not all inclusive and may be changed at any time.

Salary range: $60,000 - $100,500

The salary range reflects the minimum and maximum target for a new hire in this role. Individual pay within the range will be determined by multiple factors which can include but are not limited to a candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, and location. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary for your location during the hiring process. Ranges may be modified in the future.

This role is also eligible for an annual performance-based incentive opportunity. Pathward offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees, including health insurance, 401(k) retirement benefits, life insurance, disability benefits, paid time off, and more.

Who we are:

Our commitment to inclusion is woven into our DNA. We believe that we are strongest when we embrace the voices of our employees, customers, partners, and the communities we serve.

We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, pregnancy, national origin, age (age 40 and over), disability, genetic information, marital status, hair texture or hairstyle, ancestry, service in the uniformed services, protected veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence or any other class protected by federal, state and local laws.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. For assistance completing an application, please contact a Pathward People & Culture Representative by emailing - [e-mail]

Applications will be accepted for a minimum of 3 days after posting, and there is no predetermined date by which applications should be submitted.

Knowingly submitting false information will result in disqualification for consideration of future positions, termination of employment and forfeiture of other rights.