Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Branch Assistant

💰 $30,000 - $48,000

BankingCustomer ServiceRetail BankingOperations

🎯 Role Definition

The Branch Assistant plays a central role in delivering exceptional in-branch customer experiences while ensuring safe, accurate and compliant bank operations. This position supports teller and account services, assists with onboarding and servicing retail and business customers, maintains cash and vault controls, resolves routine client inquiries and operational exceptions, and partners with branch leadership to drive sales targets, referral generation and community engagement. Ideal candidates demonstrate strong cash handling experience, attention to detail, regulatory knowledge (KYC/AML), and a proactive customer-first mindset.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Bank Teller or Cashier with 1+ year of experience
  • Customer Service Representative in financial services or retail
  • Administrative or operations support role in banking

Advancement To:

  • Assistant Branch Manager
  • Branch Manager
  • Personal Banker / Relationship Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Operations Specialist (Compliance, Back Office)
  • Fraud Prevention or AML Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Greet customers, assess needs, and deliver high-quality customer service by efficiently handling routine transactions (deposits, withdrawals, transfers) with accuracy and a professional manner that promotes trust and repeat business.
  • Execute teller and cash handling duties including balancing daily cash drawers, making ATM and vault replenishments, preparing currency orders, and documenting cash variances according to internal control policies.
  • Complete end-to-end account opening and closing procedures for personal and business accounts, including collecting documentation, explaining account features, and ensuring accurate data entry in the core banking system.
  • Conduct thorough Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence activities at onboarding and periodic reviews, verifying identity documents, screening for sanctions or PEP status, and escalating suspicious findings per AML protocols.
  • Process negotiable instruments (checks, money orders) and specialized transactions (foreign currency exchange, cashier’s checks, certified checks) while applying bank policies and verifying endorsement and documentation requirements.
  • Handle electronic channel support such as online banking enrollment, mobile app troubleshooting basics, and PIN resets, guiding customers through setup to reduce digital friction and increase self-service adoption.
  • Identify and investigate exceptions for returned items, stop payments, NSF events and transaction disputes; coordinate with operations and support units to resolve issues promptly and accurately.
  • Execute daily branch opening and closing procedures, secure branch premises, perform vault reconciliation, and ensure sensitive assets are handled under dual-control guidelines.
  • Assist with loan payment postings, installment adjustments, and basic mortgage escrow inquiries; refer complex lending questions to loan officers while documenting customer interactions.
  • Maintain and update accurate customer records and service tickets in CRM and core banking systems, ensuring data integrity for reporting and regulatory compliance.
  • Detect potential fraud, counterfeit instruments or suspicious account behavior, initiate hold/monitoring actions, and promptly escalate to the branch manager or fraud/AML teams as required.
  • Promote and cross-sell bank products (checking, savings, CDs, debit/credit cards, payment services) by identifying customer needs, presenting appropriate options, and booking referrals to personal bankers or specialists.
  • Support branch sales initiatives and community outreach events to grow deposit relationships and deepen local market penetration while tracking results against KPIs.
  • Train and mentor new tellers and part-time staff on cash-management procedures, customer service standards, transaction processing and regulatory requirements.
  • Coordinate with centralized operations (clearing, ACH, wire desk) to ensure accurate routing and timely settlement of payments and incoming/outgoing wires.
  • Prepare and reconcile branch daily and monthly reports (transaction volume, cash variance, teller performance) and assist branch leadership with operational audits and internal control reviews.
  • Assist customers with safe-deposit box inquiries, rentals and access procedures while maintaining log records and adherence to legal and procedural safeguards.
  • Maintain branch supplies, signage, compliance forms and documentation, ensuring the branch environment is professional, compliant and welcoming to customers.
  • Support special projects such as process improvement initiatives, system rollouts, or branch conversions by providing on-the-ground operational expertise and user feedback.
  • Serve as a backup for other branch roles (teller supervisor, personal banker) during absences to maintain continuity of services and minimize disruption to customers.

Secondary Functions

  • Monitor and respond to routine customer emails, secure messages and phone inquiries, escalating complex requests to back-office or specialist teams.
  • Assist Compliance and Operations teams with ad-hoc documentation requests during audits, regulatory examinations and periodic account reviews.
  • Collect and compile local branch metrics and customer feedback to inform branch performance reviews and continuous improvement efforts.
  • Support community outreach scheduling and logistics for financial literacy workshops, promotional campaigns and local sponsorships.
  • Participate in job shadowing and cross-training programs to strengthen branch resilience and multi-role flexibility.
  • Reconcile petty cash, change orders and inter-branch transfers, ensuring accurate record-keeping and timely adjustment entries.
  • Help maintain an organized filing system for client documentation, regulatory disclosures and training records in both paper and electronic formats.
  • Contribute to developing quick-reference guides, SOP updates and training materials that standardize branch procedures and reduce processing errors.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Cash handling and teller operations (currency processing, cash balancing, vault management)
  • Account opening and maintenance in core banking systems (data entry accuracy and documentation)
  • Regulatory knowledge: KYC/Customer Due Diligence, AML red flags, OFAC/sanctions screening
  • Check processing, ACH and wire initiation fundamentals
  • Basic fraud detection, counterfeit recognition and exception handling
  • Proficiency with CRM, teller platforms, and Microsoft Office (Excel for reconciliation, Outlook for communication)
  • ATM and safe-deposit box operations and reconciliation
  • Transaction reporting and daily branch balancing procedures
  • Familiarity with retail banking product suite (checking, savings, cards, CDs, loans)
  • Basic sales and referral booking systems, including tracking leads and follow-ups

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional customer service orientation with the ability to remain calm and professional under pressure
  • Strong attention to detail and numerical accuracy to prevent cash and data errors
  • Clear verbal and written communication skills for client interactions and internal collaboration
  • Problem-solving mindset to investigate transaction exceptions and find practical solutions
  • Integrity and confidentiality when handling sensitive customer information and cash
  • Time management and multitasking ability in a fast-paced branch environment
  • Teamwork and flexibility to support rotating duties and peak workload periods
  • Active listening and empathy to understand customer needs and recommend appropriate solutions
  • Sales acumen and consultative approach to identify cross-sell opportunities
  • Adaptability to new technology, process changes and regulatory updates

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent required.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Business Administration
  • Accounting
  • Economics
  • Banking & Financial Services

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 1 to 3 years of customer-facing or cash-handling experience in banking, credit unions, or retail environments.

Preferred:

  • 2+ years of branch operations, teller supervision or personal banking experience with demonstrated mastery of transaction processing, compliance (KYC/AML) and product referral success.
Explore More Careers