Transaction Monitoring Analyst
IT · Full-time
Madrid, Spain · Lisbon, Portugal
About Pleo
Messy spend management is tricky business. And tedious processes are a lose-lose situation for all involved, not just finance. At Pleo, we're changing that. We build spend solutions that make managing money seamless, empowering, and surprisingly effective for finance teams and employees alike - with a vision to help all businesses ‘go beyond’.
The word ‘Pleo’ actually means ‘more than you’d expect’, and living by that mantra has been the secret to our success over the last 10 years.
Now, we’re at a pivotal moment in our journey; every move we make has a direct impact on our 40,000+ customers, our business, and our collective success. We need people who take pride in uncovering customer needs, who turn complex problems into simple solutions, challenge the way things are done (respectfully), and always aim high. With great ambitions driving us forward, we can’t say we’ve got this whole thing figured out. And frankly, that’s half the fun! What we can say is that we’re a driven, progressive, and, importantly, a kind bunch of 850+ people from over 100 nationalities, all committed to delivering the future of business spending, together.
Intro
At Pleo, we’re on a mission to revolutionise the way businesses manage company spending. No more outdated processes, clunky spreadsheets, or frustrating delays - we believe spend management should be seamless, empowering, and surprisingly effective for finance teams and employees alike. We’re creating tools that promote autonomy, foster trust, and let businesses focus on what truly matters.
Our culture is built on transparency, collaboration, and a deep commitment to innovation – which is reflected in our spending solution. At Pleo, you’ll join a passionate team shaping the future of work, all while having some fun along the way.
About the role
We're looking for a Transaction Monitoring Analyst to join our AML Transaction Surveillance team at Pleo. In this First Line of Defense role, you will play a crucial part in maintaining the safety and integrity of our platform by actively preventing Financial Crime. If you're excited about keeping the bad guys out of the game and have high personal ethics, then this is the opportunity for you!
What you’ll be doing
As a Transaction Monitoring Analyst, you will:
AML Case Handling & Investigations: You will be responsible for handling the alerts and completing the investigations using our automated transaction surveillance system. Deep dive into complex cases, utilising your expertise and multiple tools to unravel the intricacies of financial transactions and detect suspicious activities.
SAR escalations : Deliver high quality Financial Crime investigation reports and escalate potential Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) to Second Line of Defense.
Risk Committee Presentations: Write high quality reports and deliver presentations to the Risk Committee. Your insights will guide strategic decisions and influence our approach to managing financial crime risks.
Fin-Crime Prevention Projects: Participate in ad hoc internal projects aiming at the enhancement of our surveillance framework.
What you bring
You’ll thrive in this role if you have:
A background of 2+ years in AML investigations within a FinTech, traditional financial institution, or regulatory body.
A solid understanding of AML scenarios and EU & UK AML Regulations.
Expert Investigator: Exceptional ability to follow up, assess, and investigate complex financial activities with a keen eye for detail.
Effective Communicator: Outstanding communication skills, capable of presenting findings in a clear and concise manner.
Proactive Mindset: Self-driven and meticulous, always on the lookout for anomalies and risks, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Team player: Able to share knowledge and assist the rest of the team with the investigations.
Who you’ll be working with and reporting to
You’ll report to our Transaction Surveillance Team Lead and work closely with other teams in Operations as well as with Second Line of Defense. Our team is highly collaborative and dedicated to anti money laundering.
How you’ll develop in this role
In your first 2 months at Pleo, you’ll:
Become proficient in using the automated AML alert detection and case management systems.
Master the retrieval of customer and transaction data from various tools.
Build deep expertise in our Transaction Surveillance Policies and Procedures.
Establish relationships with key stakeholders across the First and Second Lines of Defense.
Maintain strict adherence to quality standards for all case investigations.
We’re committed to helping you develop your career, whether that means taking on bigger projects, stepping into leadership, or acquiring new skills in Fin-Crime prevention.
Please note: We can hire on a remote, hybrid or in-person set-up in any of the locations listed on the advert but you will need to be physically based in the country of your choice with a valid right to work. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role in any of the listed locations.
Show me the benefits
Your own Pleo card (no more out-of-pocket spending!)
Lunch is on us for your work days - enjoy catered meals or receive a lunch allowance based on your local office
Comprehensive private healthcare - depending on your location, coverage options include Vitality, Alan or Médis
We offer 25 days of holiday + your public holidays
For our Team, we offer both hybrid and fully remote working options
We use MyndUp to give our employees access to free mental health and well-being support with great success so far
Paid parental leave - we want to make sure that we're supportive of families and help you feel that you don't have to compromise your family due to work
The interview process
We want to ensure you are set-up for success and understand what will be expected of you. If your application is successful, our interview process is as follows:
Intro call: A 30-minute chat with our Talent Partner to discuss the role and your background.
Hiring Manager interview: a 60-minute chat with your Manager to deep dive into your technical experience and impact.
{Optional} Final interview: a 30-minutes chat with our Director of FinCrime Operations.
Transparency is important to us so we also wanted to share some insights about what we’re looking for in applications to ensure you can set yourself up for success!
Last time we hired a Transaction Monitoring Analyst, we received a total of 230 applications but only 10 were selected for an intro call. With this in mind, we want to help you understand what we really care about when reviewing your application:
We receive a lot of CVs, and many of them are AI-generated. We love seeing people leverage AI—it’s a big focus for us internally too—but without human intervention, these CVs can sometimes become generic and fail to show a candidate in the best light. What we're really looking for is the specific details of real impact that only you—not AI—know from your previous experience. A top tip from us is to use the “Achieved X, as measured by Y, by doing Z” formula (credit: Laszlo Bock, ~2014) to give a really clear picture of what you’ve worked on. A final note: including links to your previous companies' websites is a huge help and allows us to truly understand your background.
Every single application we receive is reviewed by a human (yes, hundreds of them) because we believe that candidates' efforts should be matched by an equal level of human care. This means that we expect a similar level of attention put into your application. Read and answer the application questions carefully, they make a huge difference in our decision-making process.
Highlight most important aspects of the role, points that might get misunderstood, any specific industry requirements etc.
About your application
English first. Since it's our company language, please submit your application in English. You’ll be using it a lot if you join us.
A fair look for everyone. Our talent team reads every single application to ensure the process is fair. To keep things running smoothly, we only accept applications through our system—our support team can’t pass on calls or emails.
Diversity drives us. We can only reach our goals if our team reflects the world around us. That starts with you hitting apply, even if you don't tick every single box. We encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences to join us.
Interview at your best. We want you to feel comfortable throughout the process. If you have any accessibility requirements or need a specific format, email belonging@pleo.io. We’ll design a process that works for you.
Your data is safe. When you apply, we process your personal data as a data processor. For more information on how Pleo processes personal data, read our Privacy Policy here.
Applying for multiple roles? Nothing is stopping you, and we assess every role independently. However, we do look for alignment, so make sure you can explain why your interest and experience are right for each specific role.
Reapplying. If you’re applying for the same role again, please wait six months from your last decision before hitting submit.