Billease Bank, Inc. (A Rural Bank) (formerly Rural Bank of Santa Maria (Ilocos Sur), Inc., and referred to herein as the “Bank”) is a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (“BSP”)-supervised rural bank, operating under the Billease brand as the banking arm of the Billease Group.

The Bank operates alongside its affiliate, First Digital Finance Corporation (“FDFC”) — the SEC-registered financing company and BSP-registered Operator of Payment System that operates the Billease Buy Now, Pay Later (“BNPL”) and consumer-finance platform — to extend regulated deposit-taking, lending, and other banking services to Billease’s underserved customer base. The Billease Group is backed by an experienced leadership team and by institutional equity backing that includes TPG’s The Rise Fund. The Bank’s growth strategy centers on complementing FDFC’s consumer finance platform with regulated deposit and credit products, advancing the Group’s financial-inclusion mission in a market where over 90% of the population remains underbanked.

The AML Compliance Officer is responsible for maintaining the bank's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) program. This role manages and implements the institution's Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prevention Program (MTPP) in strict alignment with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) regulations, the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA, R.A. 9160, as amended), and Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) guidelines.

This role is responsible for detecting, preventing, and reporting suspicious financial activities, ensuring strict adherence to global and local financial regulations. The role is responsible for overseeing Customer Due Diligence (CDD/EDD) frameworks, evaluating high-risk alerts, and ensuring the timely, accurate execution of Covered Transaction Reports (CTRs) and Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs). Additionally, this position safeguards the institution against financial crimes, sanctions non-compliance (OFAC/UN Security Council), and regulatory penalties through continuous risk assessments, transaction monitoring, and employee training.

Key Responsibilities

• MTPP Governance: Formulate, continuously update, and enforce the Board-approved Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Prevention Program tailored to the institution's risk profile.

• CDD & EDD Oversight: Drive Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols, ensuring rigorous identity verification, Source-of-Wealth checks, and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) for Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and high-risk customers.

• Regulatory Reporting (AMLC GoTRACS): Ensure mandatory filing of Covered Transaction Reports (CTRs) and conduct end-to-end investigations into escalated alerts and complex financial cases. Prepare and file Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) with relevant regulatory authorities within mandated timeframes, maintaining zero "tipping-off" violations.

• Transaction Monitoring: Monitor financial transactions using automated systems to identify unusual or suspicious patterns, red flags, and potential money laundering activities.

• Transaction Monitoring Calibration: Perform periodic reviews and mandatory annual calibrations of alert detection rules and thresholds within automated monitoring systems.

• Regulatory Audit Readiness: Serve as the primary point of contact during BSP prudential examinations and AMLC compliance assessments, ensuring swift remediation of any findings.

• Risk Assessments: Perform periodic enterprise-wide AML risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities, evaluate control effectiveness, and propose risk-mitigation strategies.

• Sanctions & Screening: Oversee Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) and sanctions screening processes against OFAC, UN, EU, and local watchlists. Monitoring and updating of the bank's AML Blacklist/Sanctions List based on BSP memorandums and its effectivity.

• Training & Advisory: Design and deliver annual AML training programs for employees across departments; advise business lines on AML risk for new products, clients, or geographic expansions.

Qualifications & Requirements

- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Law, or a related field.
- Experience: 3–5+ years of direct experience in AML compliance, financial crime investigation, or regulatory oversight within banking, fintech, or financial services.
- Certification: CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) or ICA Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance strongly preferred.
- Technical Skills: Hands-on experience with transaction monitoring systems.
- Soft Skills: Strong analytical thinking, exceptional written communication for narrative reporting, high ethical standards, and meticulous attention to detail.