Client Services Associate II

Customer Service Associate

To provide superior standards of service to an assigned portfolio of customers (personal & commercial) with the objective to strengthen customer loyalty and retention, ensuring excellent customer service. Responsible of meeting KYC/KYA AML and other regulatory compliance standards. Ensures documentation is up to date and complete.

Responsibilities:

• Provides day-to-day personalized customer service under quality standards defined by the Bank for the international client.
• Review and verify documentation and information for the openings of new international personal and commercial accounts, for completeness, quality and accuracy of the Due Diligences and the Enhanced Due Diligences.
• Ensure that the entire documentation package of every application for new accounts complies with the CIP, BSA regulations and Amerant Bank policies.
• Coordinates with multiple units of the Bank to exceed customer service expectations, and to clarify, verify, and solve any problems regarding documentation of new accounts.
• Keeps abreast of current banking products / services, as well as the processes associated to the delivery of these products and services.
• Prepares, monitors, and updates RFI Log to keep records and status.
• Daily monitoring of RFI's for the International Segment.
• Develop weekly Reports to measure the accuracy of the account opening process.
• Obtain required documentation from customers to cure exceptions, RFI, and enhance due diligence cases.
• Contact customers to validate transactions, review and validate supporting documentation provided by customers. Maintains client files compliant with regulations.
• Processes closing of accounts due to BSA matters.
• Responds OFAC possible hits and contact customer to obtain information as required.
• Gathers documentation and prepare package for PEP's approval.
• Responds to audits of assigned customer portfolio by internal, external and compliance auditors.
• Reviews various anti-money laundering activity reports created by the Compliance Department to detect unusual activity in customers' accounts. Investigate such activity and obtain from customer the explanation and documentary validation as appropriate.
• Answers accurately and on a timely manner BSA/AML inquiries and report any unusual activity that cannot be validated to BSA liaison and to supervisor.
• In coordination with the International Relationship Manager and International Banker determines if relationship requires closure and issues closure notification to the customer.
• Prepares and keep updated KYC/KYA's and prepares annual certifications of high risk accounts.
• Adheres to compliance policies and procedures.
• Completes assigned training on BSA to keep abreast of regulations.
• Acts as back up of other Client Services Associate / Client Onboarding Associate.
• Ensures preventive measures are carried out to fully comply with current rules, regulations and internal policies relating to risks pertaining to BSA, USA Patriot Act, OFAC and other AML related issues
• To identify, evaluate, monitor and make any recommendation deemed necessary to their respective supervisor in order to assess, reduce, eliminate or control any current or prospective risks to earnings or capital arising from violations of, or nonconformance with, laws, rules regulations, prescribed practices, internal policies and procedures or ethical standards.
• All other duties as required.

Minimum Education and/or Certifications Requirements:

Associates's degree in banking, finance, business administration or related field. Bachelors degree preferred.

*** Applicant may be NMLS registered and provide the company with NMLS number or be willing to register in NMLS prior to employment being offered.

Minimum Work Experience Requirements:

Two to four years of experience in servicing international customer's accounts

Bilingual English-Spanish required

Technical and/or Other Essential Knowledge:

Good understanding of banking products and services. Organizational skills and time management. Superior customer service skills. Excellent knowledge of service quality practices, tools and indicators. Problem solving and conflict resolution skills. Excellent written and verbal communications. Excellent presentation. Results and teamwork oriented. Superior listening skills. Capabilities to learn through experience and seek professional development. Relies on limited experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Ability to deal with irate customers. Perseverance. Ability to deal with multiple departments (networking), across organizational levels, in order to meet or exceed customer needs. Knowledge in the use of banking systems and applications including queries.