Manager, Sanctions Operations — BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Manager, Sanctions Operations - BSA/AML & Sanctions Operations based in United States.

This role provides day-to-day operational leadership for critical sanctions screening activities across OFAC, 314(a), and PEP queues.

You will lead analysts and screening operations while ensuring service-level commitments, quality standards, and escalation processes are consistently maintained.

The position combines people leadership, regulatory expertise, queue management, and data-driven operational oversight in a high-volume environment.

You will serve as a second-level quality review point, strengthening disposition decisions and ensuring documentation is complete and audit-ready.

Working closely with sanctions program leaders and cross-functional partners, you will support model changes, list updates, testing, audits, and regulatory examinations.

The role also requires a strong understanding of how financial products and transaction structures generate different screening alerts and disposition requirements.

This is a remote opportunity for an experienced BSA/AML and sanctions professional who can improve operational sustainability while developing a high-performing team.

Accountabilities:

• Lead daily operations across OFAC, 314(a), and PEP screening queues, ensuring each remains within established service standards, including 30 days for OFAC, 14 days for 314(a), and 30 days for PEP.
• Supervise the Sanctions Operations Lead and analyst team, effectively allocating workload and reducing concentration of escalations or critical activities on individual analysts.
• Provide second-level review of screening dispositions, ensuring decisions are appropriately supported and documentation meets the required five-element baseline.
• Monitor productivity, quality, and SLA performance, identifying operational issues and taking action to reduce reliance on overtime and weekend work as team capacity expands.
• Manage OFAC, 314(a), and PEP escalation workflows, ensuring potential true matches are appropriately routed for blocking, reporting, or further review.
• Partner with sanctions program leadership on model changes, sanctions list updates, testing, and other initiatives that may affect operational screening queues.
• Support internal and external oversight activities, including audits, independent testing, and OCC examination walkthroughs related to sanctions operations.
• Apply knowledge of how different financial products generate screening alerts, including Card Issuing and Prepaid products, Acquiring and ATM activities, Digital and Faster Payments, Tax Products, Consumer Lending, Commercial Finance, and Commercial Deposits.
• Understand how customer and non-customer designations, funding sources, merchant and sub-merchant relationships, sender and recipient activity, and bank-of-record relationships influence screening and disposition decisions.
• Help maintain an effective escalation model in which potential OFAC matches are appropriately referred for review, blocking, and reporting.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Criminal Justice, Accounting, or a related field is required.
• CAMS certification is required; CGSS certification is preferred.
• 5-8 years of experience in BSA/AML or sanctions screening, with strong practical knowledge of sanctions operations.
• At least 2 years of people leadership experience within an operations or screening environment.
• Hands-on experience with OFAC, 314(a), and PEP screening platforms such as Bridger or comparable systems, including disposition workflows.
• Demonstrated success managing high-volume screening queues while consistently meeting SLAs and quality expectations.
• Strong operational discipline, including workload balancing, queue management, productivity monitoring, and identification of operational bottlenecks.
• Working knowledge of OFAC and sanctions regulations, 314(a) requirements, and PEP screening practices.
• Strong people-management skills, with the ability to distribute work effectively, develop team capacity, and eliminate single points of failure.
• Data-driven approach to monitoring SLA, productivity, and quality metrics and translating operational data into actionable improvements.
• Clear, concise, and audit-ready written communication, with the ability to document decisions and communicate effectively with internal stakeholders.
• Ability to understand screening implications across card issuing, prepaid, acquiring, ATM sponsorship, digital payments, faster payments, lending, tax products, commercial finance, and commercial deposits.
• Strong judgment, attention to detail, and ability to operate effectively in a regulated, high-volume environment.
• Candidates who do not meet every listed qualification are encouraged to apply if their experience and capabilities align strongly with the role.

Benefits:

• Salary range of $72,000-$120,000, with individual compensation determined by experience, qualifications, skills, and location.
• Annual performance-based incentive opportunity.
• Comprehensive health insurance benefits.
• 401(k) retirement benefits.
• Life insurance and disability coverage.
• Paid time off and additional employee benefits.
• Remote work opportunity within a hybrid, remote-office environment.
• Access to onsite locations in Sioux Falls, SD; Scottsdale, AZ; Louisville, KY; Troy, MI; Franklin, TN; and Easton, PA.
• Inclusive workplace committed to equal employment opportunity and diverse perspectives.
• A mission-driven environment focused on improving financial access, choice, and opportunity.
• Opportunities to work alongside problem solvers and innovators in a regulated financial services environment.