Sanctions & Screening Review Specialist

Uphold • South Highpoint, FL

3d

About The Position

Uphold is seeking a Sanctions & Screening Review Specialist to support the execution and continuous enhancement of our global screening program. This role is responsible for the second-line review and disposition of screening alerts, including name screening, transaction screening, and evasion detection across Uphold’s global ecosystem.
You will focus on applying expert judgment to complex name-matching and risk scenarios, providing clear escalation outcomes for sanctions (OFAC, UK, EU, UN) and Politically Exposed Persons (PEP), including secondary PEP and Related Close Associate (RCA) determinations. This is a hands-on, individual contributor role that requires a blend of investigative curiosity, technical understanding of screening controls, and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced crypto environment.

Requirements

• 4-7 years of experience in sanctions compliance, with a focus on second-line oversight in a fintech or high-volume financial institution.
• Deep knowledge of global sanctions regimes (OFAC, EU, UK, UN) and a sophisticated understanding of PEP/RCA risk profiles and red flags.
• Familiarity with the "mechanics" of screening - you understand string-matching algorithms, fuzzy logic, and how threshold tuning impacts risk coverage.
• Demonstrated ability to use screening platforms (e.g., World-Check, Bridger, ComplyAdvantage) and OSINT tools to resolve complex "gray area" matches.
• Excellent written skills, with the ability to translate complex data-driven investigations into clear, executive-ready memos.
• A high degree of discretion and the ability to take full ownership of escalation outcomes within established governance frameworks.

Nice To Haves

• Relevant professional certification: (CAMS, CGSS, CSS, CFCS, or ICA Diploma).
• Proficiency in blockchain analytics tools (e.g., Chainalysis, TRM Labs, or Elliptic) is a significant advantage.
• Experience reviewing enforcement actions and translating those findings into internal control improvements.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools (SQL or similar) for ad-hoc investigations and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Act as a specialized second-line reviewer for escalated Sanctions, PEP, and RCA alerts, performing deep-dive research to provide definitive, audit-ready dispositions.
• Partner with the Global Head of Sanctions and cross-functional teams to assist in tuning efforts for screening tools; identify "noise," perform root cause analysis on false positives, and suggest logic enhancements.
• Lead investigations into "PEP" and "Secondary PEP" relationships, synthesizing public records and database hits into concise, risk-based summaries.
• Monitor alert trends for potential sanctions evasion patterns and technical control gaps, recommending corrective actions or enhanced monitoring where necessary.
• Provide sanctions screening advisory to Product, Engineering, and Operations teams to ensure compliance requirements are embedded into the customer lifecycle.
• Drive exam-readiness through high-quality screening documentation, rationales, and BRDs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed