Sanctions Screening Specialist

Overview

Acting as the functional heart of our business, Operations makes everything work on time and on target, in a world that demands lightning-fast transaction speeds, pinpoints execution accuracy and full visibility. It ensures global transactions flow smoothly around the clock, wherever we do business. Without it, the daily clearance, settlement and execution of a trillion dollars’ worth of trades and the weekly movement of tens of billions of dollars in dozens of world currencies would come to a complete standstill.

Success Profile

You’ll have strong communication, planning and organizational skills which will benefit you and the team. Our teams need individuals who can research, process, and interpret large amounts of information everyday which will allow you to make ethical decisions with integrity

Responsibilities

Custody Transaction Processing Department ensures the appropriate and timely flow of our clients’ securities transactions forming one of three key pillars of Citi’s custody product offering. The Sanctions Screening Team, within this Department, monitors if all these trades are compliant with the most up-to-date global, regional, and domestic sanctions, protecting both the clients and the Bank from any voluntary or involuntary violation of the sanctions regime.

We are currently looking for a Custody Sanctions Specialist (entry level position) whose role will be to investigate potential sanctions matches on custody trades and static data, in order to issue a decision about the validity of each match.

Responsibilities:

• Analyzing and investigating parties to screened transactions and static data;
• Conducting searches and data gathering across multiple sources;
• Querying additional details about the transaction with appropriate client service units, in order to make a more informed decision about the match;
• Recording evidence of the decision making process for analytical, presentation, and audit purposes;
• Writing dispositions with clear rationale substantiating their decision about the match being positive or false;
• Updating and creating sanctions related procedures and manuals;
• Having impact on the enhancement of the process through participation in optimization initiatives and projects designed to eliminate risk, reduce manual touchpoint, and save processing time;
• Maintaining good working relations with all of the Team’s stakeholders;
• Participating in or leading migrations of processes into and outside of the Department;
• Building the collective wisdom and experience of the Team through open knowledge sharing and supporting others.

Qualifications & requirements

• Professional experience of 0-2 years, preferably in operations, although not necessarily in banking sector. Candidates without professional experience (graduates, still studying) are also welcome to apply – at the beginning, we are offering a comprehensive training program.
• Good command of English – this is a diverse and international Team, where English is the primary language of peer-to-peer communication. The entire sanctions screening process is conducted exclusively in English.
• Knowledge of MS Excel at an intermediate level – ability to use Vlookup function.
• Basic understanding of custody and investment banking, financial instruments, and financial markets. Any knowledge of the SWIFT standard will be considered an advantage.
• Basic understanding of the general risks that a custodian bank may be facing on a day-to-day basis.
• Good grasp of the global geopolitical situation in the world, key stakeholders, and their potential influence on the introduction/removal of sanctions.
• Basic understanding of the role of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
• Analytical and investigative skills – persistence in searching for answers, analyzing the matter from different angles, ability to search the Internet.
• Attention to detail, precision, and diligence.
• Proactivity in identifying inefficiencies, designing remediation solutions, introducing them, and analyzing their benefits.
• Ingenuity and challenging the status quo.
• Willingness to learn (also from one’s own mistakes) and acquire new skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and against multiple intraday deadlines.
• Multitasking and good organization.
• Good communication skills – both written and verbal, regularly following up on own queries until a satisfactory answer is received.
• Ability to work night shifts (4.30pm – 0.30am) – on a rotational basis.
• Team player
• ACCA certificate would be an additional asset

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree/University degree or equivalent experience

We offer:

• Competitive salary
• A challenging work environment where you can collaborate with global teams to contribute to critical banking applications
• A great environment for learning new technology and tools, online and instructor led training opportunities
• Opportunity to work remotely
• Social benefits (e.g. private healthcare care, Benefit System, life insurance)
• Working in a friendly, dynamic and multinational environment
• Opportunity to have an influence on the way you perform your tasks - our teams are constantly looking for new and better ways and we encourage all improvement ideas

Citi is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Citigroup Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Citi”) invite all qualified interested applicants to apply for career opportunities. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi.

For further information, and to apply, please visit our website via the “Apply” button below.