Lead Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (New York)

Company Description

GBI is a leading precious metals trading platform that enables individuals and institutional clients to buy, sell, and hold physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. We take compliance seriously — our KYC and AML program is a core part of how we maintain trust with our customers and regulators alike. We are looking for a dedicated compliance professional to own this function end-to-end.

Role Description

The KYC/AML Compliance Analyst will be the primary owner of GBI's customer onboarding compliance program. This individual will be responsible for reviewing and approving new account applications, managing our third-party KYC/AML platform configuration, building and maintaining customer risk profiles, and ensuring our processes remain aligned with FinCEN, BSA, and precious metals dealer regulations. This is a hands-on, ownership-oriented role where the successful candidate will take initiative to define, design, and continuously improve GBI's KYC/AML program — not simply execute within one. It is best suited for a compliance professional who thrives in a fast-paced fintech environment, values a customer-friendly onboarding experience, and wants to build something meaningful.

Core Responsibilities

Account Onboarding & Document Review

• Review and adjudicate new account applications submitted by retail and institutional customers
• Examine and verify identity documents including government-issued IDs, passports, and business formation documents (Articles of Incorporation, EIN letters, operating agreements)
• Conduct Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) for high-risk customers, PEPs, and complex entity structures
• Approve, pend, or decline account applications based on risk assessment findings
• Communicate professionally with customers and internal teams to resolve document deficiencies
• Create KPI’s and report to management on a weekly basis

KYC/AML Platform Configuration & Management

•  Own the configuration of GBI's third-party compliance platforms: Socure (identity verification), Riskified, and Signifyd
• Build and tune rule sets, decision logic, and automated workflow triggers within the platform
• Manage vendor relationships and escalate platform issues or enhancement requests
• Monitor system performance and flag configuration gaps that create compliance exposure

Risk Profiling & Ongoing Monitoring

• Develop and maintain customer risk rating methodologies appropriate for the industry
• Assign and periodically reassess risk scores across the customer base
• Monitor transactional activity for AML red flags and unusual patterns
• Conduct periodic reviews (annual, triggered) of existing customer profiles

Regulatory Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure GBI's KYC/AML program remains current and compliant with applicable regulations including:

– Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)

– FinCEN Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Rule

– OFAC/Sanctions screening requirements

• File Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs) as required
• Maintain thorough records in support of regulatory examinations and audits

Process Ownership & Improvement

• Document KYC/AML policies, procedures, and workflows and keep them current
• Identify operational gaps and propose improvements to reduce manual effort and risk
• Partner with technology and product teams on compliance-related feature development
• Train internal staff on KYC/AML requirements and escalation procedures
• Maintain records of cadenced meetings, management approvals, training sessions, SAR filings, etc.

Required Qualifications

• 3–6 years of hands-on KYC/AML experience, preferably in fintech, payments, commodities, or a regulated financial services environment
• Direct experience reviewing and approving customer identity documents and onboarding files
• Working knowledge of BSA/AML regulatory requirements, CDD rules, OFAC screening, and SAR/CTR obligations as they apply to precious metals dealers
• Experience configuring or working within KYC/AML technology platforms; hands-on experience with Socure, Riskified, or Signifyd is a strong plus
• Demonstrated ability to build or contribute to risk rating frameworks and customer risk profiles
• Strong attention to detail and ability to make sound, documented decisions on complex cases
• Excellent written communication skills for case documentation and customer correspondence

Preferred Qualifications

• CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) certification — strongly preferred
• CFCS (Certified Financial Crime Specialist) or CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) a plus
• Familiarity with AI and machine learning tools in a risk or compliance context, include experience developing governance frameworks or policies around their use
• Prior experience at a precious metals dealer, commodity trading firm, or FinCEN-regulated MSB
• Experience owning AML program design rather than solely executing tasks within an established program
• Exposure to CIP (Customer Identification Program) design and documentation

Key Competencies

• Ownership Mindset
• Takes accountability for outcomes, not just tasks
• Regulatory Acumen
• Keeps pace with evolving BSA/AML obligations
• Analytical Judgment
• Makes sound decisions on ambiguous or complex cases
• Tech-Forward
• Comfortable configuring and optimizing compliance tooling
• Communication
• Clear and professional across customers and internal teams
• Process Builder
• Documents, refines, and scales compliance workflows

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary ($80,000 – $120,000) commensurate with experience
• Performance bonus tied to compliance program health and operational metrics
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Hybrid work schedule — 2 to 3 days per week in our New York City office
• A high-impact role with direct visibility to senior leadership