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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Bank Teller

💰 $28,000 - $42,000

BankingCustomer ServiceFinance

🎯 Role Definition

The Bank Teller is the frontline representative of the branch, responsible for delivering fast, accurate, and friendly transaction services while maintaining strict compliance with bank policies, cash-handling controls, and regulatory requirements. This role balances high-volume customer interactions with precise financial processing, fraud detection, and consistent achievement of cross-sell and service goals. Ideal candidates demonstrate integrity, attention to detail, strong numeracy, and a customer-first mindset.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Customer Service Representative (retail or call center)
  • Retail Sales Associate with cash-handling experience
  • Bank Teller Trainee or seasonal banking associate

Advancement To:

  • Senior Teller / Lead Teller
  • Personal Banker / Relationship Banker
  • Branch Supervisor or Assistant Branch Manager
  • Operations Specialist or Fraud Analyst

Lateral Moves:

  • Customer Service Supervisor
  • ATM/Operations Coordinator
  • Retail Banking Sales Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Process customer financial transactions accurately and efficiently, including cash deposits, withdrawals, check cashing, transfers, and loan payments while maintaining a professional and courteous demeanor in high-volume branch environments.
  • Balance and reconcile a personal cash drawer at the beginning, during (as required), and at end of shift; investigate and document discrepancies immediately and escalate when appropriate to maintain branch cash controls.
  • Verify customer identity and account information, applying Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, ID validation, and signature comparison to prevent unauthorized access and reduce account fraud risk.
  • Endorse, process, and restrictively endorse checks for deposit; verify check validity, identify suspicious items, and follow procedures for holds, exceptions, and endorsements per bank policy.
  • Accurately count, dispense, and receive currency, coin and traveler’s checks, using coin counters and currency-sorting equipment as required while adhering to internal cash limits and vault procedures.
  • Operate bank teller systems and core banking platforms to post transactions, update account records, print receipts, and complete service tickets; maintain high data-entry accuracy and timely follow-up on system alerts.
  • Identify potential fraud and suspicious activity during transactions; complete and file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) or internal incident reports per BSA/AML procedures and escalate suspicious activity to the branch manager or compliance team.
  • Maintain branch and customer confidentiality at all times by safeguarding account information and complying with privacy laws, internal policies, and secure handling of sensitive documents.
  • Promote and cross-sell bank products and services (e.g., checking, savings, debit cards, online/mobile banking, credit products) by assessing customer needs and making appropriate referrals to Personal Bankers or Relationship Managers.
  • Meet or exceed daily and monthly teller performance metrics and sales referrals, including transaction accuracy, balanced cash positions, conversion rates for product referrals, and customer satisfaction scores.
  • Open and close routine deposit accounts and complete basic account maintenance tasks (address updates, check reorder requests, stop payments) in compliance with bank procedures and regulatory requirements.
  • Prepare and process ATM cash orders, replenishments, and night-drop deposits; reconcile ATM transactions and escalate discrepancies or machine faults to operations or vendor partners.
  • Educate customers on digital banking tools and troubleshoot basic online or mobile banking issues, helping to reduce in-branch transaction volume and improve digital adoption.
  • Execute branch security procedures including safe access, dual-control cash handling, vault operations, and adherence to gold/dual custody rules for large cash transactions.
  • Handle foreign currency exchanges, money orders, and wire transfers in accordance with policy, including proper documentation, fees, and regulatory reporting when applicable.
  • Participate in internal audits, cash audits, and operational reviews; implement corrective actions and assist with process improvements to strengthen controls and reduce errors.
  • Maintain accurate records of all transactions, incidents, and customer interactions in CRM and core systems to support auditability and continuity of service.
  • Provide exceptional in-person and telephone customer service by resolving inquiries, addressing complaints, and routing complex issues to the appropriate branch or centralized support teams.
  • Train and mentor new tellers and float staff on teller procedures, cash controls, customer service standards, and bank systems to ensure consistent service delivery across shifts.
  • Support branch opening and closing procedures, including reconciliation of branch logs, loss prevention checks, and readiness checks for branch security.
  • Process direct deposits, government benefit checks, and endorsed third-party checks per policy, verifying documentation and obtaining required authorizations.
  • Coordinate with branch operations and compliance teams during regulatory exams or customer escalations, providing transaction records and explanatory documentation as requested.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist with branch marketing initiatives and community outreach events, representing the bank professionally and capturing potential leads for business development teams.
  • Participate in cross-functional projects to streamline teller workflows, reduce transaction times, and improve customer queue management.
  • Support ad-hoc reporting requests for branch leadership, including daily cash position reports, exception logs, and customer service metrics.
  • Help implement and test new branch technologies or teller tools; provide feedback to operations and IT teams to improve usability and reliability.
  • Perform light administrative duties such as filing customer forms, maintaining supply inventories (deposit slips, receipt paper), and ensuring teller stations are clean and organized.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Cash handling and balancing expertise with consistent accuracy in high-volume transaction environments.
  • Proficiency with core banking systems and teller platforms (e.g., FIS, Fiserv/Signature, Jack Henry, Temenos) and the ability to learn new platforms quickly.
  • Strong numeric aptitude and data-entry speed with attention to precision for posting transactions and reconciling accounts.
  • Knowledge of banking regulations and compliance fundamentals including BSA/AML, OFAC screening, KYC procedures, and CTR/SAR filing basics.
  • Check processing, check verification, and experience with restrictive endorsement and hold policies.
  • Experience operating currency counters, coin sorting machines, and ATM replenishment systems.
  • Familiarity with retail sales tools and CRM platforms to record referrals and track conversion activity.
  • Basic computer skills: Microsoft Office (Excel for simple reconciliations, Outlook for communication), secure browser and remote desktop usage.
  • Ability to prepare cash order requests, reconcile vault transactions, and follow dual-control cash-handling procedures.
  • Experience with remote deposit capture (RDC) processing and mobile deposit workflows is a plus.
  • Understanding of anti-fraud indicators and basic investigative steps for transactional inconsistencies.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional customer service orientation and professional demeanor in person and by phone.
  • Strong verbal communication and active listening skills to accurately assess customer needs and explain solutions.
  • High level of integrity, discretion, and reliability when handling confidential financial information.
  • Meticulous attention to detail and strong organizational skills to minimize errors and support audit requirements.
  • Problem-solving mindset with the ability to handle complex situations calmly and escalate appropriately.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to manage queues, peak-hour demand, and multiple concurrent tasks.
  • Sales mindset with the ability to make consultative recommendations and confidently refer customers to specialists.
  • Team player attitude with willingness to support colleagues and cover shifts when needed.
  • Adaptability to process changes, new technology rollouts, and regulatory updates.
  • Resilience under pressure and the ability to maintain accuracy during busy service periods.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent (required).

Preferred Education:

  • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field preferred but not required.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Accounting
  • Economics
  • Hospitality or Retail Management (customer-service focus)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–3 years of customer-facing cash-handling experience; many entry-level positions accept little to no prior banking experience with on-the-job training.

Preferred:

  • 1–2 years of teller or cash-handling experience in a bank, credit union, or high-volume retail environment, with demonstrated accuracy, regulatory awareness, and basic sales/referral performance.
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