Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Verification Analyst
💰 $45,000 - $70,000
🎯 Role Definition
As a Verification Analyst, you are more than just a fact-checker; you are a guardian of our organization's integrity. You will be responsible for conducting in-depth research and analysis to verify critical data points for our clients and partners. This role involves a blend of investigative work, data analysis, and regulatory compliance, requiring you to navigate complex information systems and communicate your findings clearly and concisely. Your work directly contributes to our risk mitigation strategies and ensures we operate with the highest standards of compliance and ethical conduct. This role requires a proactive and analytical individual who is ready to take on the challenge of protecting our business and its stakeholders.
📈 Career Progression
Typical Career Path
Entry Point From:
- Compliance Assistant
- Data Entry Specialist
- Customer Service Representative (Financial Services)
- Recent Graduate (Criminology, Finance)
Advancement To:
- Senior Verification Analyst
- Team Lead, Verification
- Compliance Manager
- Fraud Investigator
Lateral Moves:
- Quality Assurance Analyst
- Risk Analyst
Core Responsibilities
Primary Functions
- Conduct comprehensive due diligence and background verification on new and existing clients, entities, and third parties to assess potential risks.
- Verify the accuracy and authenticity of provided documentation, including identity cards, financial statements, educational certificates, and employment records.
- Perform Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) checks in strict adherence to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF) regulations.
- Analyze and interpret complex corporate structures, beneficial ownership, and sources of wealth to ensure transparency and compliance.
- Utilize a variety of internal and third-party databases, public records, and online resources (e.g., LexisNexis, World-Check, Dow Jones) for investigative research.
- Identify, investigate, and escalate red flags, discrepancies, and potentially fraudulent or suspicious activities to senior management or the compliance department.
- Prepare and author detailed, clear, and concise verification reports summarizing research findings, risk assessments, and recommendations for next steps.
- Manage a high-volume caseload efficiently, prioritizing tasks to meet stringent service-level agreements (SLAs) and deadlines without compromising quality.
- Communicate professionally and effectively with clients, applicants, or internal stakeholders to request missing information or clarify inconsistencies.
- Maintain meticulous and organized records of all verification activities, communications, and decisions within the case management system for audit and reporting purposes.
- Ensure all verification processes are conducted in compliance with relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), GDPR, and BSA.
- Conduct periodic reviews and ongoing monitoring of existing client profiles to ensure information remains current and to identify any changes in risk level.
- Perform Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) on high-risk clients, politically exposed persons (PEPs), and complex cases, requiring more in-depth investigation.
- Assess the risk profile of potential clients based on a variety of factors including jurisdiction, industry, transaction patterns, and negative news screening.
- Collaborate with onboarding, sales, and legal teams to ensure a smooth and compliant client lifecycle management process.
- Stay abreast of changes in regulatory requirements and industry best practices related to due diligence, AML, and background screening.
- Assist in the development, implementation, and refinement of verification policies, procedures, and internal controls to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Provide support during internal and external audits by preparing necessary documentation and responding to inquiries about verification processes.
- Handle sensitive and confidential information with the utmost discretion, integrity, and professionalism.
- Participate in quality assurance reviews of peer work to ensure consistency, accuracy, and adherence to established standards.
- Screen individuals and entities against global sanctions lists, PEP lists, and adverse media to identify potential compliance risks.
- Resolve and disposition alerts generated by transaction monitoring systems by conducting thorough investigations into the nature of the activity.
Secondary Functions
- Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
- Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
- Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
- Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Required Skills & Competencies
Hard Skills (Technical)
- Proficiency in using investigative databases and tools such as LexisNexis, World-Check, Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, or similar platforms.
- Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks including KYC, AML, BSA, Patriot Act, and FCRA.
- Advanced research skills, including proficiency with open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques.
- Experience with case management systems or CRM software (e.g., Salesforce).
- High proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel for data handling and analysis.
- Familiarity with analyzing legal and corporate documents to identify ownership and control structures.
Soft Skills
- Exceptional attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy in all aspects of work.
- Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex information clearly and concisely.
- High degree of integrity, discretion, and ability to handle confidential information responsibly.
- Superior time management and organizational skills, with a proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- A naturally inquisitive and skeptical mindset, essential for effective investigation.
Education & Experience
Educational Background
Minimum Education:
Bachelor's Degree or equivalent relevant work experience.
Preferred Education:
Bachelor's Degree.
Relevant Fields of Study:
- Criminal Justice
- Finance
- Business Administration
- Law
- International Studies
Experience Requirements
Typical Experience Range:
1-4 years in a compliance, investigation, or research-focused role.
Preferred:
2+ years of direct experience in KYC/AML due diligence, background screening, or a similar verification role within the financial services, fintech, or legal support industry. Professional certifications like CAMS are a significant plus.