Screening Adjudication Expert

As a US Screening Adjudication Expert, you own Klarna's sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening operations for the US market — and uniquely, you also carry direct responsibility for Klarna's obligations under Section 314(a) of the USA PATRIOT Act. Alert processing is handled by an outsourced vendor and, for certain activities, in coordination with Klarna's US partner bank, your role is to own the process, hold both parties to Klarna's standards, manage escalations, and personally handle the most complex or time-sensitive cases. The 314(a) obligation is non-negotiable: mandatory regulatory timelines demand someone with both precision and genuine process discipline. Beyond compliance, this role is for a fast learner who brings senior-level expertise and a transformative mindset — someone who spots what needs to change, builds the case, and drives it through.

Own the operational health of sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening globally, and also for the US market, primary point of contact for the outsourced vendor and Klarna's US partner bank across all three disciplines Personally conduct alert reviews, PEP, sanctions, and adverse media assessments to maintain end-to-end expertise and ensure readiness to absorb volume spikes or vendor disruptions Review and assess sanctions screening alerts and Klarna's internal standards, applying sound name-matching methodology and contextual analysis Coordinate with Klarna's US partner bank on sanctions/PEP-related processes, information sharing, and operational alignment, quality-checking outputs where applicable Conduct complex, in-house investigations where the nature or sensitivity of the case requires it; support blocking, freezing, or reporting actions in accordance with applicable US and global regulations Identify inefficiencies across all three screening processes; design and implement improvements in collaboration with the vendor, Product, and Tech teams, including leveraging AI and automation Actively explore, test, and implement AI and automation solutions to improve screening throughput, decision consistency, and alert quality, working with Product and Tech to move from idea to production Own and maintain up-to-date SOPs for all sanctions, PEP, adverse media, and 314(a) processes, ensuring alignment with legal requirements and internal standards Track and report on screening performance against SLA targets, flagging risks and deviations early; liaise with US Compliance, Legal, and the MLRO function on regulatory developments Stay current on OFAC, FinCEN, and other US regulatory developments across screening disciplines, developments across EU, UN, UK, and other applicable sanctions regimes, AML/CTF regulation, and adverse media best practice feeding changes back into process and procedure Perform four-eyes review of 314(a) submissions prepared by our vendor, verifying accuracy, completeness, and FinCEN compliance, and monitor execution against mandatory regulatory timelines Take ownership of complex or ambiguous 314(a) cases requiring deeper investigation, and escalate any risk of deadline breach or quality gap to Compliance and Legal immediately WHAT YOU BRING A minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience in US sanctions screening, PEP, or adverse media investigations within a fintech, bank, or regulated financial institution Demonstrable breadth across at least two of the three screening disciplines (sanctions, PEP, adverse media), with a track record of quickly building expertise in new areas Demonstrable knowledge of OFAC regulations, US sanctions frameworks, and the operational implications for a payments business Familiarity with Section 314(a) of the USA PATRIOT Act and FinCEN information-sharing obligations; hands-on 314(a) execution experience strongly preferred. Strong knowledge of EU, UN, and UK sanctions regimes, AML/CTF regulatory requirements, and customer lifecycle risk frameworks is an asset Genuine curiosity about AI and automation,