Client Services Associate I

Amerant Bank•Miramar, FL

10d

About The Position

The Client Services Associate I provides personalized service to an assigned portfolio of personal and commercial international clients, with the goal of strengthening customer loyalty and retention. The role handles customer requests and concerns, coordinates with Bank units to ensure transactions are completed on time, and maintains complete, current customer documentation. It also supports account and lending services and ensures adherence to KYC/KYA, BSA/AML, OFAC, and other regulatory and internal requirements. The position monitors customer accounts and transactions, investigates unusual activity, follows up on overdrafts, loan maturities and past-due items, and responds to compliance inquiries and audits. The associate may act as backup for other Client Services Associates or Officers and performs other duties as required.

Requirements

High school degree.
At least one year of experience servicing international customer accounts.
Good understanding of banking products and services.
Organizational skills and time management.
Superior customer service skills and knowledge of service quality practices, tools, and indicators.
Problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
Results-oriented and able to work as part of a team.
Superior listening skills.
Ability to learn through experience and seek professional development.
Ability to plan and accomplish goals using limited experience and judgment.
Ability to deal with irate customers and demonstrate perseverance.
Ability to work with multiple departments and organizational levels to meet or exceed customer needs.
Bilingual English-Spanish.
Knowledge of banking systems and applications, including queries.
Applicant may be NMLS registered and provide an NMLS number, or be willing to register in NMLS before an employment offer is made.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in banking, finance, business administration, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day personalized customer service to international clients according to Bank quality standards.
Ensure transactions are processed within service levels; escalate issues involving products or transaction processing when needed.
Address and resolve customer concerns, claims, and queries within established quality and efficiency parameters.
Coordinate with multiple Bank units to meet or exceed customer service expectations.
Maintain current knowledge of banking products, services, and delivery processes.
Prepare requested activity reports related to customer transactions.
Follow up daily to confirm customer transaction requests were processed according to instructions.
Handle new account and Time Deposit openings and renewals.
Process cosigner additions and removals and other account maintenance.
Contact customers regarding dormant account activation and invalid email addresses.
Coordinate credit card issuance, travel memos, activation, payments, and temporary credit limit increases.
Confirm and process manual and i-wires.
Report and handle fraud cases with customers and the Fraud Prevention Unit.
Process or request reference letters, checkbooks, stop payments, debit cards, PINs, and similar services.
Prepare and send deposit, credit card, and loan account statements to customers.
Prepare loan documentation packages with the appropriate units and process loans, new credit cards, and credit card line increases through loan systems; prepare Cash Secure Loan Addendums when applicable.
Prepare and process loan advances, payoffs, and pay-downs.
Prepare and submit pledge releases for management approval.
Contact customers to cover margin calls in pledge accounts and maintain collateral coverage under credit policies.
Prepare documentation for changes to collateral owners or collateral accounts for pledge accounts.
Conduct annual reviews of pledge accounts for existing lines of credit and loans.
Monitor overdrafts, loan maturities, exceptions, and past-due accounts daily; coordinate overdraft coverage and loan payments and renewals with customers.
Obtain customer documentation to cure exceptions and past-due loans while maintaining indicators within Bank standards.
Review significant balance changes daily for AML/BSA purposes; contact customers to validate transactions and review supporting documentation; maintain compliant client files.
Update the DVA report.
Process account closures related to BSA matters.
Respond to possible OFAC hits and contact customers for information as required.
Gather documentation and prepare packages for PEP approval.
Respond to audits of the assigned customer portfolio conducted by internal, external, and compliance auditors.
Review anti-money laundering activity reports from the Compliance Department, investigate unusual activity, and obtain customer explanations and supporting documentation as appropriate.
Respond accurately and promptly to BSA/AML inquiries and report unusual activity that cannot be validated to the BSA liaison and supervisor.
Prepare and maintain KYC/KYA records and annual certifications for high-risk accounts.
Adhere to compliance policies and procedures and complete assigned BSA training.
Carry out preventive measures to comply with requirements relating to BSA, the USA Patriot Act, OFAC, and other AML matters.
Identify, evaluate, and monitor risks and make recommendations to the relevant Risk Management Committee concerning risks to earnings or capital arising from legal, regulatory, policy, procedural, or ethical noncompliance.
Act as backup for other Client Services Associates or Officers.
Perform other duties as required.