Client Services Associate I - Amerantbank

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.
• Ensures transactions are processed within service levels by all units of the Bank. Escalates to Management issues related to products and transaction processing that need to be solved at higher level.
• Addresses and solves client concerns, claims and queries, ensuring that the process of customer claim resolution is administered within the established parameters of quality and efficiency.
• Coordinates with multiple units of the Bank to exceed customer service expectations.
• Keeps abreast of current banking products / services, as well as the processes associated to the delivery of these products and services.
• Prepares, as requested, activity reports related to customers’ transactions.
• Daily follow-up to validate that the customers’ transaction requests have been processed according to customers’ instructions.
• Handling the opening of new accounts, Time Deposits and renewals.
• Process the inclusion and exclusion of cosigners in existing accounts and other maintenance tasks.  
• Contact customers for the activation of dormant accounts and invalid e-mails.
• Coordination of Credit Cards issuance with customers, travel Memos, activation, payments and temporary increases.
• Confirm and process manual and i-wires.
• Report and handle Fraud cases with customers and Fraud Prevention Unit.
• Processes or requests reference Letters, checkbooks, Stop Payments, Debit Cards and PINs, etc.  
• Process and send to customers account statements, for deposit accounts, credit cards and loans.
• Prepares packages of loan documentation with the respective units and processing of Loans, new Credit Cards and Credit Cards Line increases through loan systems. Prepares Cash Secure Loan Addendum if applicable.
• Prepare and process loan advances, loan pay-offs and pay-downs.
• Prepare and submit for management approval Pledge Releases.
• Contact customers to cover Margin Calls in Pledge Accounts to maintain collateral coverage according to Credit Policies.
• Prepare documentation for the change of collateral owners or collateral accounts for Pledge Accounts.  
• Perform Annual review of Pledge Accounts for existing Lines of credit/Loans.
• Daily monitoring of overdrafts, loan maturities, exceptions and past dues. Coordinating with customers the coverage of overdrafts, and payments and renewals of loans.
• Obtain required documentation from customers to cure exceptions and past due loans maintaining these indicators within Bank standards.
• Daily reviews of significant balance change for AML/BSA purposes. Contact customers to validate transactions, review and validate supporting documentation provided by customers. Maintains client files compliant with regulations.
• Updates DVA’s Report.
• 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.  
• 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 / Officers.
• 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 Risk Management Committee 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:

High School’s degree. Bachelors degree in banking, finance, business administration or related field 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:

At least one year of experience servicing international customer’s accounts

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. Bilingual English-Spanish. Knowledge in the use of banking systems and applications including queries.