Team Member - AML_SUPPORT SERVICES_0614_1508_1085479

Kotak Mahindra Bank · Mumbai

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Job Description - Transaction Monitoring Team Lead (AML)

To lead the Bank's AML transaction monitoring unit and ensure timely, risk-based and high-quality review of alerts and cases. The role is responsible for team governance, alert prioritization, investigation quality, escalation of suspicious activity, STR readiness, regulatory compliance, operational discipline and continuous improvement of monitoring controls.

• Lead end-to-end transaction monitoring operations across L1 and L2 review teams, ensuring effective allocation, review, escalation and closure of AML alerts within prescribed TAT.
• Provide supervisory oversight on alert investigations, customer and transaction profiling, linked-account analysis, counterparty review, adverse information, red flags and documented conclusions.
• Review and approve complex or high-risk cases, including money mule, cybercrime/I4C, shell entity, layering, trade-based money laundering, cash-intensive, digital-channel, virtual-asset and cross-border transaction typologies.
• Ensure potentially suspicious cases are escalated promptly, Grounds of Suspicion are complete and factually accurate, and STR recommendations are supported by adequate evidence and audit trails.
• Monitor daily productivity, ageing, TAT breaches, branch referrals, reverts, STR pipeline, quality observations and backlog; initiate corrective actions and report material issues to senior management.
• Implement prioritisation and maker-checker controls for high-risk alerts and ensure consistent decision-making across analysts, reviewers and supervisors.
• Coordinate with branches, business units, Fraud Risk, Operations, Legal, IT, Data/Analytics and other stakeholders for enhanced due diligence, information gathering and case resolution.
• Support AML scenario reviews, threshold tuning, alert optimisation, UAT, system enhancements and data-quality remediation while ensuring that control effectiveness is not diluted.
• Identify emerging ML/TF typologies, regulatory developments and operational gaps; translate them into alerts, advisories, process changes, training inputs and targeted reviews.
• Lead responses for RBI/FIU-IND inspections, internal audits, compliance testing and quality reviews, including timely closure of observations and sustainable remediation.
• Develop team capability through coaching, case discussions, calibration sessions, quality feedback, succession planning and structured training.
• Maintain SOPs, process notes, governance trackers, dashboards and management MIS; provide clear insights on risk trends, control performance and required interventions.

• Deep hands-on experience in AML alert investigation, customer risk assessment, enhanced due diligence, suspicious activity identification, GOS drafting and STR escalation.
• Ability to lead sizable operational teams, manage competing priorities, enforce TAT and quality standards, and handle escalations with sound risk judgement.
• Experience with AML monitoring platforms such as Compass, Actimize, AMLOCK, Jocata or equivalent solutions, along with core banking and case-management systems.
• Strong analytical skills, understanding of data flows and reconciliations, and proficiency in Excel, dashboards and management reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, stakeholder management, decision-making, problem-solving and presentation skills.

• Graduate / Postgraduate in Commerce, Finance, Banking, Law, Management or a related discipline.
• AML/KYC certifications such as CAMS / ICA / IIBF / ACAMS are preferred.

• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in AML, transaction monitoring or financial crime compliance within Banks, NBFCs or Financial Institutions.
• At least 3 years of experience in a team-lead, supervisory or managerial capacity, with direct responsibility for transaction monitoring operations and people management.
• Demonstrated experience in handling complex investigations, STR decision support, regulatory/audit reviews, quality governance and process or system improvements is mandatory.

• Timely closure of alerts and cases with sustained control over ageing and TAT breaches.
• High-quality investigations, clear decision rationale and minimal repeat QC or audit observations.
• Timely and well-supported escalation of suspicious activity and accurate STR-ready documentation.
• Effective team productivity, capability improvement, governance reporting and stakeholder responsiveness.
• Successful closure of regulatory, audit and compliance observations with sustainable corrective actions.

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