Financial Crimes Quality Assurance (QA) Sr. Analyst

About the Role:

The Financial Crimes Quality Assurance (QA) Sr. Analyst is responsible for supporting the execution, consistency, and continuous improvement of the quality assurance program focused on Second Line of Defense (2LoD) Financial Crimes activities, including oversight, review, challenge, and governance functions across BSA/AML, Sanctions, and Fraud.

This role ensures that 2LoD processes are performed with consistency, accuracy, and in alignment with regulatory expectations and internal standards. The Sr. Analyst will validate the quality and accuracy of analyst work, evaluate identified issues and observations, and assist with the execution of QA reviews, as applicable. The Sr. Analyst will partner closely with the QA Manager in the development and enhancement of QA processes, promote consistency, and strengthen the effectiveness of the overall QA program.

What You Will Do:

Quality Oversight & Analyst Support

• Perform quality checks of analyst work to ensure consistency and adherence to QA standards and procedures
• Provide ongoing coaching, technical guidance, and on-the-job training to QA Analysts
• Support calibration activities and promote consistency in QA review outcomes across the team

Issue Management & Reporting

• Review deficiencies, observations, and issues identified by analysts for appropriateness, completeness, and severity

• Assist with validation of issue remediation and review closure evidence for identified issues
• Support preparation of QA reporting, metrics, and management updates

QA Review Execution

• Perform complex and high-risk QA reviews across 2LoD Financial Crimes processes, including BSA/AML, Sanctions, and Fraud to evaluate:
• Accuracy and completeness
• Appropriateness of risk-based judgments
• Alignment with internal standards and regulatory expectations
• Evaluate the quality of 2LoD oversight, including whether issues are appropriately identified, escalated, and resolved
• Identify and escalate recurring issues, trends, and potential control weaknesses with clear articulation of gaps in 2LoD oversight and root cause

Framework & Methodology Development

• Assist with the development and maintenance of QA methodologies specific to 2LoD activities, including:
• Test scripts tailored to oversight and challenge functions
• Defect taxonomy focused on governance, escalation, and decision quality
• Scoring frameworks to assess effectiveness of 2LoD outputs
• Ensure clear differentiation between 1LoD execution errors and 2LoD oversight deficiencies

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to enhance 2LoD QA through:
• Standardization of oversight practices
• Enhanced documentation and governance protocols
• Use of data analytics to identify anomalies or inconsistencies in 2LoD outputs

What You Will Need:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Risk Management, or related field
• 5-8+ years of progressive experience in Financial Crimes (AML, Sanctions, Fraud), with direct experience in:
• 2LoD Compliance / Financial Crimes oversight, or
• Quality Assurance / Testing of Financial Crimes functions
• Strong knowledge of:
• BSA/AML and sanctions regulatory expectations
• 2LoD roles and responsibilities within a three lines of defense model
• Financial crime risk management frameworks and governance practices
• Experience reviewing complex financial crime cases and providing oversight or challenge
• Experience providing oversight and review of others' work products
• Strong analytical and judgment skills

Preferred

• CAMS, CFE, CRCM, or equivalent AML certification
• Experience with Transaction Monitoring, Suspicious Activity Investigations, CDD/EDD, or Sanctions compliance
• Experience leveraging data analytics or reporting tools in QA

Key Competencies

• Strong sense of independence and professional skepticism
• Ability to assess quality of judgment and oversight (not just execution)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to influence and challenge peers within Compliance
• Attention to detail with a focus on consistency and governance
• Ability to provide effective review, feedback, and guidance
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills

Success Metrics

• Quality and consistency of 2LoD QA reviews
• Identification of meaningful gaps in oversight and challenge
• Reduction in repeat QA findings within 2LoD
• Timeliness and effectiveness of issue remediation
• Positive feedback from regulators and Internal Audit on 2LoD QA program
• Demonstrated improvement in 2LoD governance and decision-making quality

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

Salary range:  $50,000 – $84,000

 
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.

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