Midwest BankCentre is proud to be recognized as one of St. Louis’ Top Workplaces for the last four consecutive years! 
 

Are you ready to lead with purpose and make a real impact on our community? Join Our Team and Make a Difference at Midwest BankCentre!
 

Why Midwest BankCentre? Our company culture is all about engagement and collaboration with our teams. We value diversity, inclusion, and innovation. When you join Midwest BankCentre, you're not just joining a company; you're joining a community of like-minded individuals who are dedicated to making a positive impact.

We are committed to making meaningful, long-term investments in communities that lift everyone up so we can all RISE TOGETHER. Our commitment to shared prosperity, our investment in Community and Economic Development and our dedication to diversity and inclusion are reflected is the ways Midwest BankCentre lives its purpose.

Objectives of this Role

The VP, Financial Crimes is responsible for developing, implementing and administering risk management programs designed to protect our organization from fraud. Together with multiple business lines; including Compliance, Retail and Deposit Operations, manage technology that is designed to detect and address fraudulent activity. They will focus on managing and maintaining the Bank’s fraud and loss prevention programs including fraud investigations both internal and external which includes litigation, and operational procedures and associated polices. This pivotal role requires a strategic visionary who will set policy and standards, provide bank-wide employee training, conduct periodic risk assessments, and work closely with local and federal law enforcement agencies as needed.  

Essential Functions

• Proactively address potential risks and develop risk mitigation strategies with multiple fraud types including, but not limited to:
  • Wire transfer, ACH, checks, online banking, related industry rules & regulations, and electronic payments fraud
  • Card payment fraud, including major card participants and issuers, card features and transaction types, fraud scenarios, physical card theft, related identity theft scenarios
  • Loan fraud involving forged application and corporate documentation
  • Internal fraud scenarios
  • Cyber-enabled financial crime, including the underground economy and monetization, digital identity, vulnerabilities, threat actors, threat actor motivations, attack patterns, cyber-enabled fraud schemes, related suspicious activity reporting, and cyber information sharing
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, industry standards, and internal policies in financial crimes. Proactively address potential risks and develop risk mitigation strategies. Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies to stay ahead in the market.
• Implement and enhance fraud detection systems to streamline department processes, enhance productivity and resource utilization. Oversee relationships with external service providers ensuring their performance meets expectations and complies with contractual agreements.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to develop strategies and initiatives that keep losses to the bank to a minimum year-over-year.
• Fraud event management and investigations, including assisting law enforcement with investigations and prosecutions, and preparing suspicious activity reports.
• Lead and develop a team of fraud investigators fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement, ensuring performance management of the entire team.
• Develop and implement bank-wide comprehensive training programs to enhance internal employee skills, knowledge, and performance.
• Facilitate engaging and interactive training sessions for external customers. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, business administration, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in financial crimes and/or banking with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong leadership skills, able to develop high performing teams that are proactive in nature.
• Deep understanding of financial crimes including regulations and compliance requirements.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices in fraud detection across multiple channels.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, capable of building and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficient at influencing and collaborating with those outside of reporting authority to achieve shared business goals and objectives.
• Skilled at prioritizing duties, working under time constraints, and handling multiple tasks, while remaining flexible to changing priorities and assignments.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities are as required and may change at any time with or without notice.

Competencies

• Customer Centric Focus
• Agent of Change
• Skilled Leader that Empowers Teams
• Excellent Communicator, both written and oral
• Results Oriented with the Ability to Execute on Bank Initiatives
• Driver of Diversity and Inclusion
• Acts with Integrity
• Collaborates Across Bank Channels
• Possesses Strong Business Acumen

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary.  

Ready to Make Your Mark? If you're passionate about banking with a purpose and ready to take the next step in your career, we want to hear from you! This is an excellent opportunity for individuals with commercial credit experience who are eager to contribute to our community-focused mission.

Why Join Us:

• Community Focus: Be part of a community bank that values and actively supports the St. Louis area.
• Competitive Compensation: We offer a comprehensive salary and benefits package.
• Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning and development.
• Impactful Work: Play a key role in shaping the credit strategy and success of our organization.
• Collaborative Culture: Work in a supportive and dynamic environment that values teamwork and innovation.

Don’t meet every single requirement? 

If you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be the right candidate for this or other Midwest BankCentre roles!

AAP/EEO Statement

An Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position and Midwest BankCentre. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.