Team Leader- Sanctions

Sanctions Evasion & Circumvention Risk:Identify and escalate behaviors that may indicate sanctions avoidance, including altered or incomplete payment messages, nested correspondent relationships, shell or front companies, opaque ownership structures, third-country routing, unusual transaction descriptions, and elevated geographic exposure. Screening Program Oversight:Supervise the review and resolution of sanctions alerts associated with international wire activity, correspondent banking, SWIFT messaging, cover payments, foreign exchange transactions, and applicable trade finance activity.

Lead Sanctions Compliance TeamA company in the financial services industry, located in New York, is seeking a leader to head its high-impact sanctions team and influence key decisions.Key Responsibilities:Lead day-to-day activities for the sanctions screening function, ensuring effective coverage and workflow management.Distribute cases across the team and oversee alert queues to support timely completion within established SLAs.Track team output, accuracy, quality standards, and adherence to operational requirements.Provide ongoing direction, subject-matter support, and coaching to sanctions analysts.Evaluate analyst decisions to promote consistent application of policies, procedures, and regulatory standards.Perform quality control reviews and communicate actionable feedback to strengthen team performance.Assist with onboarding, training, and knowledge development for new and existing team members.Contribute to employee development, performance reviews, and broader team capability-building initiatives.Sanctions Advisory & Risk Support:Serve as a sanctions subject-matter resource for analysts and provide guidance on challenging cases.Advise on complex screening matters, including potential sanctions matches, licensing questions, and interpretation of applicable requirements.Screening Program Oversight:Supervise the review and resolution of sanctions alerts associated with international wire activity, correspondent banking, SWIFT messaging, cover payments, foreign exchange transactions, and applicable trade finance activity.Ensure screening decisions appropriately differentiate legitimate false positives from matters presenting potential sanctions exposure.Assess and approve analyst recommendations for closing alerts or escalating cases for further investigation.Confirm that case reviews contain sufficient documentation to meet internal control standards and regulatory expectations.Investigations & Escalation Management:Function as a key escalation resource for complicated alerts and suspected sanctions matches.Perform enhanced assessments of higher-risk transactions, customers, counterparties, and financial institutions.Review cases involving SDNs, blocked parties, comprehensive sanctions programs, sectoral restrictions, higher-risk jurisdictions, and sanctioned vessels or maritime activity.Refer suspected true matches, blocked-property issues, and matters potentially subject to OFAC reporting to the Sanctions Manager.Support broader sanctions investigations and applicable regulatory reporting processes.Sanctions Evasion & Circumvention Risk:Identify and escalate behaviors that may indicate sanctions avoidance, including altered or incomplete payment messages, nested correspondent relationships, shell or front companies, opaque ownership structures, third-country routing, unusual transaction descriptions, and elevated geographic exposure.Monitor developing sanctions typologies and share relevant trends and observations with management and the broader team.Recommend enhancements to screening controls and processes to strengthen the identification of circumvention activity.Regulatory Compliance & Program Governance:Ensure team activities align with OFAC requirements, U.S. sanctions programs, applicable BSA obligations, and internal sanctions policies.Stay current on regulatory developments, enforcement trends, sanctions-list changes, and other relevant compliance developments.Assist leadership with incorporating new regulatory requirements and strengthening the sanctions program.Participate in audits, regulatory examinations, compliance assessments, control testing, and remediation efforts.Records, Reporting & Management Information:Ensure sanctions case files and supporting documentation are complete, accurate, and maintained to required standards.Develop management reporting and performance information covering alert activity, investigative trends, and team results.Provide support for audits, regulatory reviews, examinations, and compliance testing.Coordinate responses to information requests from internal stakeholders and compliance leadership.MPI does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state or local law. MPI encourages applications from minorities, women, the disabled, protected veterans and all other qualified applicants.The Successful Applicant:Qualifications & Experience:Bachelor's degree required.Professional certifications such as CAMS or CGSS are strongly preferred.Professional Experience:5-8 years of experience in sanctions compliance, AML, financial crime compliance, payment screening, or a related field.At least 2 years of experience in people management, team supervision, or a comparable leadership capacity is preferred.Demonstrated experience handling sanctions screening activity involving correspondent banking and international payments.Practical experience applying OFAC requirements and conducting sanctions-related investigations.Proven ability to manage escalations and assess complex sanctions matters.What's on Offer:Competitive salary ranging from $115,000 to $140,000 per year.Permanent position in the financial services industry.Opportunity to work in a varied and regulatory-focused environment.Job Summary:SectorFinancial ServicesSub SectorCompliance & LegalIndustryFinancial ServicesWhereNew YorkContract TypePermanent