AML & Screening Analyst

Adyen is a financial technology platform providing payments, data, and financial products to major global companies. They foster an environment where individuals can succeed and own their careers, tackling unique technical challenges with innovative and ethical solutions. This role is for an AML & Screening Analyst focused on the Japan and APAC region, based in Tokyo. The analyst will be crucial in safeguarding Adyen's integrity by executing the global financial crime compliance strategy with a local focus, ensuring adherence to JFSA and other APAC regulatory expectations. The position involves high-impact screening activities and AML monitoring for banking products and acquiring flows. The analyst will partner with local Compliance, Legal, and Global Operations teams to translate regional intelligence into data-driven solutions that strengthen the merchant risk lifecycle.

Investigate alerts on unusual transactions, reviewing and resolving daily screening alerts using internal and external systems and databases. Perform thorough research and risk assessments, escalating cases to the Compliance team for further analysis. Conduct focused compliance risk assessments of the Japanese merchant portfolio to identify potential matches to ASF and ISA watchlists, and involvement in unauthorized “gray-market” activities. Conduct ad-hoc analyses and investigations into merchants’ compliance risk profiles. Propose ideas for improvement of internal processes and workflows. Collaborate with global teams to ensure consistency and alignment in AML and Screening Investigations across all regions. Identify operational bottlenecks in the Japanese screening workflow and propose automation or logic enhancements for Hiragana/Kanji/Katakana name-matching. Partner with global operational hubs to align Japan-specific 1LoD processes with global standards, ensuring local nuances are captured. Contribute to team development by sharing knowledge and best practices, and assisting in onboarding new team members.

Minimum of 2 years of experience in AML/CFT compliance or Sanctions operations, with 1st Line of Defense investigations within the Japanese financial sector. Good understanding of the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds and JFSA’s "Guidelines for Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism". Experience identifying and mitigating risks related to ASF and/or ISA watchlists, and understanding screening nuances of Kanji, Katakana, and Romanized name variations. Strong analytical skills, using data for risk-based decisions with high precision and attention to detail. Highly adaptable and capable of managing shifting priorities in a fast-paced Fintech environment. Excellent communication skills in both Japanese (Native / JLPT N1 equivalent) and English. Proactive team player with full ownership of investigations and a natural curiosity. Continuous improvement mindset, identifying inefficiencies and suggesting enhancements. Experience in the Japanese payments, E-money, or Fintech sector is highly preferred. Professional certifications such as ACAMS or CAMS-JP are a significant plus.