GSC - AVP - FC Investigative Reporting

Job description

Job Advert Details

Why join us?

Investigative Reporting is one of four investigative teams within FCI. It is responsible for high volume investigations, including transaction monitoring generated cases, true match cases generated from name screening alerts, referrals from Fraud Operations, as well as cases resulting from Financial Crime – Unusual Activity Reporting (FC-UARs), production/court orders and other referrals where FCI Triage has assessed that the case is appropriate for referral to Investigative Reporting.  Transaction monitoring generated cases includes Dynamic Risk Assessment (DRA) cases, where implemented, or scheduled to be implemented as well as classic transaction monitoring cases. 

Investigative Reporting prepares reports or appropriate closing summaries for all investigations conducted and prepares and files SARs on such investigations, where warranted. Investigative Reporting is responsible for ensuring that findings of financial crime risk are shared with relevant risk owners and/or risk stewards for investigations conducted by Investigative Reporting and making any cross-border referrals to other Investigative Reporting teams, where appropriate.  Designated team members or points of contact located in-market are responsible for final decisioning, coordination with the MLRO, and filing of all SARs.

The Opportunity:

Responsible for managing a team of investigators (generally between 8-12 investigators) tasked with conducting investigations in accordance with the Investigative Reporting Instructions.
Direct the teams to ensure processes are implemented in accordance with procedures and quality decisions and written products are produced in a timely manner.

What you’ll do:

Principal Accountabilities: key activities and decision making areas

·  Effective and timely investigation into assigned cases in accordance with agreed standard for reporting requirements and service level agreements. These cases may include:
·  Cases generated by transaction monitoring systems, including the DRA;
·  FC-Unusual Activity Report raised from various parts of the bank, and referred, as appropriate, by Triage to Investigative Reporting;
·  Escalated cases identified by true matches to screening lists by Name Screening teams; 
·  Cross-border referrals; and 
·  Escalated cases from Fraud Operations.
·  Ensure investigators perform, in line with the Instructions, in order to identify any probable financial crime related issues, or mitigation of any financial crime risks.
·  Ensure through manager review that high quality investigative assessments are made, and high-quality final products (Investigation Report or closing summaries) are prepared, and the case file is populated with appropriate documentation.
·  Ensure that the correct review recommendations are made as appropriate, which may include referral to the MLRO or designated in-market Investigators as to whether a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) should be filed; referrals to other Investigations teams (Complex Investigations or Major Investigations); or to seek advice from Subject Matter Experts (e.g., AB&C, Sanctions Advisory and Tax Transparency etc.), where appropriate.
·  Ensure that appropriate referrals for action are identified and completed, including but not limited to recommendations for exit, and KYC/CDD refresh referrals. 
·  Ensure where appropriate, interaction with relevant stakeholders, including other Investigations team as well as Customer Selection Exit Management (CSEM) Secretariat or other representatives to manage financial crime risk is done in accordance with procedures. 
·  Provide information on completed investigations to Senior Management and other internal stakeholders for risk management, where appropriate.
·  Deliver to team, post receipt from Accredited Trainers, training modules under the Continuous Training Programme, for embedding. 
·  Lead on collaboration and provision of feedback, where appropriate, with/to Transaction Monitoring Operations, Fraud Operations and Name Screening teams, where appropriate.
·  Conduct regular team meetings and huddles with team as well as individual 1:1s sessions to cover performance, provide feedback and facilitate personal development planning.

Typical Targets and Measures

·  Continuous improvements in the efficiency and quality of the Investigative Reporting teams.
·  Team production capacity in line with relevant SLAs.
·  Team quality performance within QA standards.
·  Prompt escalation and remediation of identified root causes affecting production capacity or quality performance.  

Impact on the Business/Function across the region

·  Responsible for managing the follow activity across a team:
·  Appropriate pro-active use of media reports and relevant websites, where appropriate, to gather intelligence and identify customers of HSBC involved in financial crime, including money laundering and terrorism.
·  High quality case file including a comprehensive narrative and recommendation as to whether or not a SAR is appropriate with onward escalation for disclosure to the relevant authorities in accordance with procedural standards.
·  Appropriate referrals for action identified and effecting of such in accordance with procedural standards.
·  Proportionate number of investigations completed to the agreed procedural standards required and within agreed service level agreements.
·  Appropriate consideration given to each case as to content and quality of content/narrative.
·  Appropriate escalation to other Investigations teams, taking care to evaluate appropriately against relevant escalation criteria.

Typical Targets and Measures

·  Internal and external feedback on production capability and quality.

Customers / Stakeholders

·  Deal with enquiries from colleagues of other HSBC business areas in a professional, responsive manner, giving them appropriate guidance, referring to management where necessary.
·  Deal with external enquiries, if required, in a professional manner, providing appropriate information, referring to management, where necessary

Typical Targets and Measures

·  Adequate and timely escalation of Compliance matters.

Leadership & Teamwork

·  Ensure compliance across team with regulatory requirement and bank policies and principles. Maintain records, and update case histories.
·  Work closely with Investigators to develop personal capability and develop career goals.
·  Work effectively and professionally with colleagues across Investigations and the organization.
·  Lead, develop and motivate the team to attract, retain and develop capacity, capability, and talent for continuous delivery of timely, high-quality investigations.  
·  Cultivate an environment that supports diversity.
·  Build capability across Investigative Reporting and embed a “One Team” ethos across locations.
·  Pro-actively support Senior Managers on various tasks, and projects.
·  Use Quality Assurance metrics to enhance team quality.

Typical Targets and Measures

·  Demonstration of regulatory and bank Values in all behaviors.
·  Evidence of an engaged and positive team culture.
·  Ensure no gaps in covering core functions as team members are demonstrably assisting each other in order to prioritize cases on a risk basis with minimal delay.
·  Demonstrate sound knowledge of financial crime and promote continuous learning and sharing culture in the team.

Operational Effectiveness & Control

·  Ensure performance meets the requirements of any relevant service level agreements and at all times, adheres to Market, Group and Regulatory policies.
·  Generate ideas to improve team and process efficiencies.
·  Monitor and assess performance and level of resourcing.

Typical Targets and Measures

·  Performance against Service Level Agreements and quality measurements
·  Contribution to a continuous improvement culture

Management of Risk

The jobholder will ensure alignment to the requirements of the role by ensuring that they attest to reading and understanding the Investigation Manual, and the Investigative Reporting Instructions, along with ensuring completion of any mandatory and or required training, within the timeframe determined by the function and or Learning & Development.
Where required through the role, they will undertake external training in line with the expectations of the role. 
Any concerns must be escalated through line management as soon as they become apparent.

Observation of Internal Controls

·  The jobholder will also adhere to and be able to demonstrate adherence to internal controls and to all relevant procedures, keeping appropriate records and, where necessary, by the timely implementation of internal and external audit points, including issues raised by external regulators.
·  The jobholder will implement the Regulatory and Bank’s compliance policy by containing compliance risk in liaison with Group and Market Compliance functions. The term ‘compliance’ embraces all relevant financial services laws, rules, and codes with which the business has to comply.
·  This will be achieved by adhering to all relevant processes/procedures and by liaising with Compliance department about new business initiatives at the earliest opportunity. Also, and when applicable, by ensuring adequate resources are in place and training is provided, fostering a compliance culture, and optimizing relations with regulators.

Major Challenges

·  The job holder must keep up to date with the latest financial crime trends and techniques as the technology is getting more sophisticated by the day and any breaches in reporting could lead to reputation loss for the bank. 
·  Ensure suspicious activity is reported to the appropriate designated investigators for SAR filing decisions in a timely manner and in accordance with the applicable regulatory requirements for timing of filings.
·  Ensure that decisions to report to the authorities, or not, can be justified by documenting high quality, rationale, supported by investigative work and recorded findings.

Information

What you will need to succeed in the role: 

·  3-5 years of experience in managing teams.
·  Universal banking experience across Retail, Commercial and Banking and Markets
·  Money Laundering investigations experience
·  Familiarity and experience with the case management system (Universal Case Management (UCM))
·  Experience with banking core customer data management systems applicable to the relevant market 
·  Experience of identifying activity indicative of financial crime risk, i.e., money laundering, terrorist financing, etc. risk
·  Strong critical thinking and analytical skills. Ability to make informed risk-based decisions with robust supporting rationale. 
·  Experience in undertaking investigations/analysis into customer activity with the ability to draw inferences from noted behaviour, including transactional profile, against expectation established from KYC/CDD data
·  Experience in writing reports
·  Proven high quality spoken and written communication skills with the ability to draft reports and communicate conclusions effectively, in a clear, concise, and professional manner.
·  Consistently achieve objectives set and take action to improve own performance
·  Strong organizational skills
·  Strong communication with good inter-personal and influencing skills
·  Receptive to accepting and effecting change
·  Be able to work effectively in a time pressured environment
·  Creative thinking and effective decision-making skills
·  Leadership skills and proven track record in managing and motivating staff 

What additional skills will be good to have? 

·  ACAMS or International Compliance Association (ICA) certificate/diploma, or equivalent qualifications
·  Collaborative working style with colleagues and broader stakeholders within a cross-border and LoB matrix organization
·  Prior regulatory or law enforcement investigations experience

Want to Apply?

·  All applicants must have successfully completed their probation period
·  All applicants must have a minimum performance rating of Good and behavior rating of Good in the last year end appraisal 
·  All applicants should have served at least 18 months in their current functional role and department
·  Applicant should inform their Line Manager prior to applying
·  Application form should be submitted on CareerLink along with their updated CV 
·  All the completed applications should be submitted on CareerLink by 11:59 PM on the closing date 
·  Applicant should not been previously declined for the same position within the last 6 months on the date of submission of their application & the time of selection.
·  Applicant should not been on ANY form of Corrective Action within the last 6 months from the date of application 
·  Right to work is required. Local employment rulings and restrictions will apply.
·  Applicants who meet the required minimum score at the interview may be placed in a pipeline for a period of 3 months to fill any vacancies which may arise for the same position during the immediate 3 months from the IJP closure date. The final decision to place an individual in the pipeline rest with the business head concerned
·  Applications of candidates who do not adhere to guidelines during any technical assessment that is conducted as part of the selection process will be disqualified and not progressed thereon.