Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.
Original posting from Commercial Bank of California via Indeed
Risk Analyst Lead
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Job Type: Full-Time | Exempt | Eligible Remote
Salary Range: $70,000 – $80,000 per year
About Commercial Bank of California
Commercial Bank of California (CBC) is the largest Latino-owned bank in California and a certified Minority Depository Institution (MDI). Headquartered in Irvine and founded in 2003, CBC is one of the largest privately held banks in the state, with over $3.5 billion in assets as of December 2025.
We are a purpose-driven financial institution committed to building long-term relationships and delivering innovative, personalized banking solutions. Our leadership reflects the diverse communities we serve, and our mission is rooted in empowering entrepreneurs, business owners, and community leaders to thrive.
As a certified MDI, CBC is proud to play a vital role in advancing financial inclusion and economic opportunity. We believe in a higher vision for banking—one that prioritizes trust, collaboration, and community impact. Join us and be part of a team that’s redefining what it means to be a community-focused, relationship-driven bank that puts people over profits.
Job Summary
We are seeking a detail-oriented and driven Payments Risk Analyst Lead to join our team and play a key role in protecting and strengthening our ACH and BankCard programs. In this position, you will lead first-line risk monitoring and analysis across Third-Party Payment Processors (TPPPs) and merchant accounts, helping to identify potential fraud, reduce exposure, and support sound risk decisions. This is a great opportunity for a strategic thinker who enjoys solving complex problems, working cross-functionally, and making a meaningful impact in a fast-paced payments environment. The ideal candidate brings strong analytical skills, sound judgment, and a proactive approach to staying ahead of industry rules, trends, and regulatory changes.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Lead Merchant and TPPP Risk Reviews
- Lead reviews of high-risk merchant accounts and prepare clear, well-supported recommendations for Underwriting/Risk.
- Conduct TPPP due diligence reviews, develop exposure worksheets, and present findings to support informed risk decisions.
- Analyze transaction activity and supporting documentation—including invoices, receipts, proof of authorization, and client agreements—in the context of each merchant’s business model and processing history.
- Engage directly with merchants through interviews and outreach to assess unusual activity, clarify concerns, and identify potential fraud risks.
Drive Monitoring, Exceptions, and Investigations
- Monitor daily, monthly, and quarterly portfolio exception reports to identify emerging risks, reduce exposure, and escalate suspicious activity when needed.
- Review merchant processing activity for parameter violations, exceptions, and unusual behavior, and initiate risk reviews in response.
- Investigate questionable transactions by analyzing activity patterns, chargebacks, returns, exceptions, and changes in deposit behavior.
- Gather transaction data and supporting documentation to validate activity, resolve concerns, and strengthen risk assessments.
Strengthen Risk Policies, Controls, and Continuous Improvement
- Help shape and implement scalable risk policies, procedures, and guidelines that support ACH and BankCard program growth.
- Partner with Underwriting/Risk and the Director of Payments Solutions to enhance processes, strengthen controls, and support policy updates.
- Track risk levels through ongoing reviews of processing parameters, chargebacks, abnormal trends, and other key risk indicators.
- Respond to internal and external inquiries related to risk concerns and transaction trends with professionalism, clarity, and sound judgment.
Collaborate Across Key Partners
- Underwriting/Risk to support high-risk account recommendations, approvals, and ongoing risk evaluation.
- Payments Operations to coordinate remediation efforts, operational follow-through, and documentation.
- BSA/AML/Compliance, as needed, to escalate and address suspicious activity indicators.
- TPPPs and merchants to request information, review documentation, and address risk-related matters.
Minimum Qualifications
Required: Bachelor’s degree in business administration/ finance, Accounting or related field and 5+ years related experience.
Education/Training/Experience
- Required: Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Payments Solutions (ACH and/or BankCard).
- Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or a closely related field.
- Plus: 3 years of banking experience and/or BSA experience.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Knowledge of banking laws, bank policies/procedures, and regulations applicable to payments.
- Payments experience (ACH or BankCard) strongly preferred; understanding of merchant business models and processing risk signals.
- Strong investigative, analytical, and problem-solvin