JOB SUMMARY:
Provide strategic leadership and operational direction to the Bank's Operational Risk Management function. Ensure that the Bank's BSA/AML/CFT, fraud prevention, physical security, and related compliance programs are effective, well-governed, and aligned with the Bank's risk appetite and strategic objectives. Serve as a senior advisor to the COO and executive leadership on matters of operational risk, financial crime, and regulatory compliance.
Lead the evolution of this function from a primarily reactive and compliance-driven posture to a proactive, data-informed risk management discipline — leveraging technology, automation, and analytics to strengthen detection, improve efficiency, and anticipate emerging threats. Represent the Bank with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity. Over time, expand the scope of this role to serve as the Bank's primary integrating authority across a broadening set of operational risk disciplines.
The intent of this job description is to provide a summary of the major duties and responsibilities of this position and shall not be considered as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the position.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Leadership and Team Development
- Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing team; ensure staff have clearly defined responsibilities and are motivated to perform at a professional standard that promotes teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Build organizational capacity over time to support both the current scope and the evolving mandate of this role, including identifying future skill needs in areas such as technology integration, data analytics, and expanded risk disciplines.
- Develop and execute departmental strategic plans and goals in alignment with the Bank's overall strategic direction; report progress regularly to the COO.
BSA/AML/CFT and OFAC
- Provide executive oversight of the Bank's BSA/AML/CFT and OFAC compliance programs, ensuring they are risk-based, dynamic, and aligned with current FDIC and interagency BSA/AML examination standards.
- Direct ongoing BSA/AML risk assessment processes — covering products, services, customer types, and geographic risk — ensuring assessments are living documents updated in response to material
changes in the Bank's risk profile, not solely on an annual cycle, and aligned with current FDIC and interagency examination standards.
- Oversee the full BSA/AML operational process including Customer Due Diligence, Enhanced Due Diligence, Risk Rating, Currency Transaction Reporting, Suspicious Activity Filing, exempt and MSB processes, and high-risk client monitoring.
- Ensure the Bank's BSA/AML risk assessment is provided to all relevant business lines, the Board, and senior management, and that its conclusions directly influence transaction monitoring parameters, CDD procedures, SAR decision-making, training priorities, and resource allocation.
- Maintain current knowledge of BSA/AML, OFAC, CIP, and all related regulatory requirements; monitor legislative and regulatory developments and report material developments to the BSA/AML Officer and executive leadership.
Fraud and Loss Prevention
- Provide strategic oversight of the Bank's fraud detection and loss prevention programs, including the Overdraft Privilege Program, fraud case management, and loss reporting and recovery.
- Transform the current fraud case-handling environment by evaluating, recommending, and implementing a modern, automated case management platform that unifies all payment channels, strengthens investigative efficiency, and supports an adaptive, data-driven fraud strategy.
- Assess and optimize the Bank's electronic funds transfer monitoring capability, with a priority objective of bringing existing transaction monitoring systems to live, in-line operation and extracting full value from currently deployed platforms before evaluating additional tooling.
- Drive a shift toward predictive and proactive fraud detection through greater use of real-time monitoring, behavioral analytics, transaction scoring, and risk-tiered controls — enabling faster access for legitimate customer activity while reducing reliance on after-the-fact detection.
- Continuously review, monitor, and enhance fraud-prevention rules across all payment channels to maintain a low-risk profile characterized by minimal losses, strong customer protection, and forward-leaning digital strategies.
Physical Security
- Oversee the administration of the Bank's Security Program including physical, personnel, procedural, and electronic security components; ensure compliance with the Bank Protection Act.
- Maintain and enforce security equipment standards across all Bank locations; oversee ATM security programs.
- Direct the Bank's Security Officer function, ensuring appropriate credentials, training, and escalation protocols are maintained.
Technology and Process Transformation
- Champion the use of technology and automation to shift the function's operating model from reactive compliance execution to proactive risk management — freeing staff capacity for higher-value analytical and investigative work.
- Evaluate, recommend, and oversee the implementation of risk management technology — balancing optimization of existing systems with targeted procurement of new capabilities where gaps are identified.
- Partner closely with Digital Experience, Payments, Branch, and Customer teams to embed risk controls directly into customer journeys — ensuring fraud prevention is proactive, effective, and resilient, while balancing the advancing customer expectations for speed, access, higher transaction limits, and ease of use.
- Establish and maintain key risk indicators (KRIs) and management reporting dashboards that provide the COO, senior leadership, and the Board with timely, actionable visibility into the Bank's operational risk profile.
Governance, Audit, Regulatory and Research
- Act as the primary management contact for regulatory examiners on matters related to BSA/AML, fraud, security, and related operational risk areas.
- Serve as liaison to the Legal department on matters including Trust agreements, Powers of Attorney, account titling, decedent accounts, and related operational-legal intersections.
- Plan and execute effective training for all managed personnel; ensure appropriate training across the broader organization on BSA, security awareness, and fraud prevention.
- Oversee the timely production of document requests from customers and state and federal agencies.
- Serve as primary liaison and custodian of record with legal, compliance and regulatory bodies regarding document production and record retrieval.
Evolving Scope
- Collaborate with peer SVPs responsible for Business Continuity and Vendor/Third-Party Risk Management to assess current program maturity, identify gaps, and develop a roadmap for potential future consolidation of these disciplines under a unified operational risk framework.
- Develop working familiarity with the Bank's cybersecurity posture and serve as an operational risk liaison to the Bank's external cybersecurity vendor and internal IT leadership, with the expectation that coordination responsibilities may deepen over time as the role evolves.
- As the Bank's operational risk strategy matures, contribute to the development of a formal Enterprise Risk framework inclusive of risk appetite statements aligned with the Bank's strategic objectives.
Supervision — Direct Reports
- BSA/AML Manager
- Fraud and Security Manager
- Research/Fulfillment Representative
Additional capacity — including personnel with technology integration, data analytics, or expanded risk discipline expertise — is anticipated as the role's scope evolves.
OTHER JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Assists in the development of new business for Firstrust. Is alert to expressed customer/prospect needs to suggest appropriate services. Directs customers to appropriate person to establish business relationships.
- Other duties as assigned.
PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:
- Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
POTENTIAL ON-THE-JOB RISKS:
EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:
Required:
- Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in bank operational risk management, with at least 10 years in a leadership role with direct responsibility for BSA/AML/CFT compliance, fraud prevention, and physical security.
- Minimum 10 years serving in or directly overseeing a Bank Security Officer function, with demonstrated accountability for physical security program administration and Bank Protection Act compliance.
- CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) designation required; CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) required — or commitment to obtain either within 18 months of hire.
- Deep, current knowledge of FDIC and interagency BSA/AML examination standards — including the FFIEC BSA/AML Examination Manual — FinCEN regulatory priorities, OFAC requirements, and related federal and state banking regulations.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams in a regulated, relationship-driven environment.
- Strong analytical, investigative, and risk assessment skills.
- Superior written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to present risk topics clearly to executive leadership and regulatory examiners.
- Proven ability to manage cross-functional relationships and influence without direct authority.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite; working familiarity with BSA/AML transaction monitoring platforms and fraud-tech/reg-tech feature/functionality.
Preferred:
- Experience evaluating, procuring, or implementing risk management technology platforms in a banking environment.
- Familiarity with electronic funds transfer monitoring systems and automated transaction surveillance tools.
- Experience developing or contributing to key risk indicator frameworks or enterprise risk reporting structures.
- Exposure to vendor/third-party risk, business continuity, or cybersecurity coordination in a banking context.
WORK SCHEDULE:
- Full-time, on-site position based at Firstrust Bank headquarters. Hybrid flexibility may be considered based on role requirements and departmental needs. Occasional travel to Bank locations required for operational compliance reviews and team oversight.
A NOTE ON THE EVOLVING NATURE OF THIS ROLE:
This position is designed to grow. The Bank's long-term intent is for operational risk leadership to become more integrated across disciplines currently distributed across the organization — including but not limited to vendor/third-party risk, business continuity, and potentially cybersecurity coordination.
The pace and scope of that evolution will be shaped by organizational readiness, regulatory expectations, and the incumbent's demonstrated capacity to lead across a broader mandate. Candidates who are strong fits for the core role but are earlier in developing enterprise risk breadth are encouraged to apply.
