Specialist, Financial Investigations

Position description

The International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) at the Basel Institute on Governance works with countries around the world to strengthen their capacities to recover illicit assets.

We are attuned to the evolving landscape of financial crime, where innovative money laundering methods are increasingly leveraging digital technologies and virtual assets. Our team places particular emphasis on hands-on mentoring in investigation methods, prosecution and confiscation strategies to stay ahead of these emerging trends. We also develop and deliver tailor-made training, support legislative and institutional reform processes, and collaborate with other international organisations to advance innovation and global policy dialogue on asset recovery, including the development of effective regulations of virtual assets.

Our team is made up of former prosecutors, lawyers and financial investigators from a wide variety of countries and legal traditions. We don’t speak from textbooks but from practice. And we pride ourselves on being driven by, and responding flexibly to, the needs of our partner countries – because there is never a one-size-fits-all solution to asset recovery.

The Specialist, Financial Investigations (Virtual assets) will be a full-time member of ICAR’s training team and work under the supervision of the Head, Training ICAR. Through customised and interactive training courses, ICAR’s expert training team helps practitioners in partner countries develop the skills to investigate and prosecute financial crime, such as corruption and money laundering, and recover stolen assets including in cases involving virtual assets such as cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and related financial technology.

The International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) is a specialised centre of the Basel Institute on Governance.

In addition, the Specialist be expected to contribute to ICAR’s broader internal and external goals. Internally, they will be relied upon for general guidance and advice regarding virtual assets, as well as building the Institute’s knowledge base and providing professional development on the topic. Externally, they will contribute to our global policy and research agenda and provide ad hoc technical guidance and case-based support.

Key responsibilities

• Contribute towards the design and delivery of ICAR’s training programmes on, inter alia, financial investigations and asset recovery, money laundering using virtual assets (investigating transactions on blockchains and across blockchains, identifying and tracing crypto assets wallets, understanding smart contract functionality, and other virtual assets topics) and related training modules that may be developed by ICAR’s training team in the future.
• Analyse partner countries’ legal and institutional frameworks for anti-corruption, anti-money laundering and asset recovery, with a focus on virtual assets regulations as part of preparations for ICAR training programmes.
• Participate in the drafting and modification of practical exercises, which are at the heart of ICAR’s training methodology, and other written material, verifying and adjusting it to the local context.
• Contribute to the development of E-learning modules and materials regarding virtual assets.
• Work with the Senior Specialist, Asset Recovery Policy to define ICAR’s contribution to the global policy debate regarding virtual assets, including developing and disseminating knowledge products, participating in relevant policy conferences or fora, and pursuing partnerships with private, public and civil society actors.
• Contribute towards the Institute’s knowledge base and professional development regarding virtual assets by conducting internal awareness-raising and training sessions.
• Provide support to other ICAR or Basel Institute teams in the design and delivery of training programmes, in compliance with ICAR’s training policy and guidelines.
• Provide ad hoc support to ICAR country programmes on cases involving virtual assets.
• Provide ad hoc support to ICAR or Basel Institute country partners on the full and effective implementation of the FATF standards for virtual assets.
 

Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience conducting investigations of complex financial crime, with a focus on corruption and/or money laundering investigations involving virtual assets. Experience in cybercrime investigations is an advantage.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering high-quality, practical and impact-driven training programmes to law enforcement and criminal justice professionals, ideally in cross-cultural environments.
• Knowledge and experience regarding Mutual Legal Assistance processes and the development of international relationships to facilitate the sharing of intelligence and evidence.
• Experience with conviction and non-conviction based forfeiture models.
• Knowledge of blockchain analysis tools is desirable.
• Knowledge of machine learning principles and interest in using AI technology for financial analysis and investigation would be an advantage.
• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Criminal Law or a related field.
• Excellent speaking and writing fluency in English. Additional languages, such as French, Spanish or Portuguese, would be a definite advantage.
• Proven experience in using online learning platforms, particularly Moodle, is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical, writing, and editing skills.
• Strong interpersonal and organisational skills, as well as the ability to work under pressure in challenging and culturally diverse environments.

Offer

We offer an interesting and rewarding working environment with a proactive, dynamic and international team spirit. The work is both routine and varied, and offers scope for initiative and innovation. The salary is competitive.

Application instructions

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