Corporate AML Officer

Tompkins Community Bank•Ithaca, NY

9h•Onsite

About The Position

The Corporate AML Officer leads the strategic direction, governance, and enterprise-wide effectiveness of the Bank’s AML, BSA, and OFAC/Sanctions program. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Risk Officer, this role provides independent oversight of financial crimes compliance risk, ensures alignment with applicable laws and regulatory expectations, and delivers meaningful reporting to executive leadership and the Board. The Corporate AML Officer partners across business lines and control functions to strengthen risk management, support responsible growth, and sustain a strong culture of compliance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, risk management, criminal justice, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
Ten or more years of progressive BSA/AML, OFAC, and financial crimes compliance experience in banking or financial services, including senior program leadership.
Experience with AML transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, and case management systems; Verafin or similar banking platforms strongly preferred.
Ability to interpret evolving laws, regulations, and guidance and assess their impact on current operations, strategic initiatives, and growth.
Deep knowledge of AML/BSA, the USA PATRIOT Act, OFAC, CIP, CDD, enhanced due diligence, suspicious activity reporting, related financial crimes regulations, and banking products, operations, and fraud risk.
Ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into effective policies, controls, procedures, and risk-based business practices.
Strong written, verbal, presentation, and report-writing skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with regulators, executive leadership, and the Board.
Strong analytical, investigative, and risk assessment skills, with sound judgment and well-supported decision-making.
Strong interpersonal and influence skills, with the ability to partner, communicate, and provide credible challenge at all levels, including senior management and the Board.
Demonstrated people leadership skills, including talent development, accountability, coaching, training, and performance management.

Nice To Haves

CAMS or a comparable industry-recognized certification strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide enterprise-wide AML/BSA/OFAC leadership and governance—Lead the Bank’s AML, BSA, and sanctions program to keep it effective, risk-based, and aligned with regulatory requirements and business strategy.
Maintain regulatory compliance and strengthen internal controls—Develop and enhance policies, procedures, monitoring, and controls to support compliance with BSA, the USA PATRIOT Act, FinCEN, and OFAC requirements.
Identify, assess, and mitigate financial crimes risk—Lead AML and sanctions risk assessments, evaluate new and existing products and services, and ensure controls address customer, transaction, and operational risk.
Oversee effective monitoring, investigations, and reporting—Maintain strong transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, suspicious activity investigations, SAR filing, CTR exemption governance, and timely FinCEN 314(a)/314(b) responses.
Identify and assess high risk customers – Identify and assess the Bank’s high‑risk customer base by applying a clearly defined methodology for risk classification and segmentation, ensuring enhanced due diligence effectively mitigates identified risks.
Support executive and board reporting while developing team capability—Provide clear reporting to senior leadership and the Board while leading and developing the AML team to sustain a strong compliance culture and exam readiness.
Lead and govern the enterprise AML/BSA/OFAC program—Serve as Corporate AML Officer with overall responsibility for the AML and sanctions program’s strategy, governance, and effectiveness.
Develop and maintain the compliance framework—Establish and enhance AML policies, procedures, controls, and processes to support ongoing compliance with laws, regulations, and regulatory expectations.
Direct AML and sanctions risk assessment activities—Conduct and update enterprise AML and sanctions risk assessments, including reviews of new or changed products, services, and business activities.
Oversee monitoring, investigations, and regulatory reporting—Govern transaction monitoring, sanctions screening, suspicious activity investigations, SAR filing, CTR exemptions, and FinCEN 314(a)/314(b) information-sharing.
Provide leadership, advisory support, and board-level reporting—Advise senior leadership on AML risk, deliver reporting to executive leadership and the Board/Risk Committee, and lead AML team development and performance.