Description
About the opportunity
We are looking for an AFC Associate - SAR Writer to join our Italian MLRO Team in Madrid. In this role, you will act as the crucial bridge between first-line operational investigations and regulatory reporting. You will be responsible for reviewing the initial transaction analysis provided by the 1st Line of Defense and drafting high-quality, comprehensive Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs / segnalazioni di operazioni sospette ) for the Italian market.
Working closely with the SAR Delegate and the Italian MLRO, your primary focus will be turning escalated first-line cases into precise, well-structured narratives ready for final validation and submission to the Italian Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF).
In this role, you will:
Review and challenge the initial alerts analysis, customer profile assessments, and transaction findings escalated by the 1st Line of Defense.
Draft detailed, structured, and compliant SAR reports, writing the official case narrative and reconstructing the customer’s suspicious behavior according to Italian FIU (UIF) guidelines.
Identify any analytical gaps or missing documentation in the 1st line escalation and collaborate with operational teams to collect necessary case details before finalizing the draft.
Prepare finalized draft files alongside clear, evidence-based recommendations for the SAR Delegate and Italian MLRO to facilitate final review, sign-off, and submission.
Provide feedback to 1st Line of Defense on escalation quality to help align first-line investigative standards with regulatory expectations.
Support the Italian MLRO team in maintaining organized SAR logs, updating report templates, and compiling data for internal audits and annual regulatory self-assessments.
What you need to be successful:
University degree in Law, Economics or a related field.
1 to 3 years of experience within an Anti-Financial Crime (AFC), AML, or Compliance function (2nd Line of Defense preferred), ideally in a bank, payment institution, or fintech operating in Italy.
Direct experience or strong familiarity with the SAR/SOS drafting process ( segnalazioni di operazioni sospette ) under the Italian FIU (UIF) regulatory framework.
Professional certifications (e.g., ICA, ACAMS) are a plus.
Solid knowledge of Italian AML/CTF regulations (D.Lgs. 231/07) and UIF anomaly indicators/reporting guidelines.
Fluency in Italian and English (written and spoken) are mandatory.
Exceptional writting skills (Italian) to craft accurate, formal, and concise narrative reports, with a strong critical eye for reviewing 1st line work.
Meticulous approach to data consistency, document cross-referencing, and factual accuracy.