What Does An Investigations Specialist Do?

WHAT DOES AN INVESTIGATIONS SPECIALIST DO?

Published: Nov 10, 2025 - The Investigations Specialist partners with store managers, associates, and organizational teams to detect, investigate, and prevent operational losses, internal fraud, and financial crimes such as identity theft and elder abuse. This role involves conducting in-depth analyses of customer accounts, preparing detailed investigative reports, collaborating with law enforcement and compliance teams, and recommending security enhancements to safeguard customer assets. The Specialist also ensures adherence to banking regulations and organizational policies while contributing to fraud prevention training and continuous improvement of security procedures.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Investigations Specialist

1. Investigations Specialist Functions

Internal Investigations: Oversee and conduct internal investigations to ensure compliance with the requirements of external funding sources.
Internal Auditing: Perform internal audits and case reviews of petty cash, personal accounts, clothing allowances, and other financial or operational areas.
Committee Collaboration: Work closely with chairs of standing committees, such as the Incident Review Committee and Human Rights Committee, and other designated groups.
Policy Compliance: Assist the Corporate Compliance Officer in ensuring adherence to and enforcement of written policies and procedures outlined in the Corporate Compliance Plan.
Risk Assessment: Identify high-risk compliance areas and recommend corrective or preventive measures.
Compliance Training: Provide programmatic and regulatory training to support compliance and quality standards.
Policy Development: Participate in the development, revision, distribution, and training of agency policies and procedures, particularly those related to maintaining quality assurance.
Report Management: Manage the preparation and submission of quarterly and annual incident and investigation reports.
Regulatory Monitoring: Oversee and monitor the Incident Report and Management Application through the designated regulatory website on a daily basis.

2. Investigations Specialist Accountabilities

Payment Investigations: Proactively manage, investigate, and resolve inbound queries for both incoming and outgoing SWIFT and domestic payments.
Service Management: Ensure all queries and escalations are handled within internal and external service level agreements.
Issue Escalation: Identify and escalate issues to the Customer Success, Relationship Management, or Compliance teams.
SWIFT Monitoring: Monitor the SWIFT platform daily to manage and respond to investigation messages.
Transaction Tracking: Track and trace payment transactions using the SWIFT GPI platform.
Documentation Management: Maintain and update core servicing documentation to ensure accuracy and accessibility.
Process Improvement: Liaise with the Payment Investigations Manager to identify opportunities for automation and efficiency improvements.
Workflow Optimization: Support the development of streamlined processes to enhance response times and overall customer satisfaction.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve payment-related issues effectively.
Operational Excellence: Promote continuous improvement and operational excellence within the payment investigations function.

3. Investigations Specialist Job Summary

CAPA Management: Lead deviations and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes and manage complex investigations using DMAIC tools.
Root Cause Analysis: Lead root cause analysis sessions to identify and address underlying issues.
Action Implementation: Monitor and ensure that corrective and preventive actions are implemented effectively to prevent recurrence.
Team Collaboration: Collaborate with multiple teams, including Quality, Engineering, and Technical Services.
Record Management: Manage records workflow within the TrackWise system.
Investigation Reporting: Author detailed investigation reports documenting findings, analysis, and corrective actions.
Documentation Preparation: Organize data and prepare necessary documentation, including presentation materials, for assigned investigations.
Process Improvement: Implement improvement programs aimed at enhancing process robustness and efficiency.
GMP Documentation: Author and revise GMP documents and manufacturing records such as batch records, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and change controls.
Industry Compliance: Stay current with biopharmaceutical industry best practices, technologies, and regulatory expectations.
Regulatory Collaboration: Collaborate with regulatory agencies regarding manufacturing quality events.

4. Investigations Specialist Responsibilities

Program Management: Manage programs that enhance the flow of materials and information from suppliers to fulfillment centers and downstream systems.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with internal teams such as warehouse operations, IT, retail, and finance to support new business initiatives.
Supplier Management: Partner with external suppliers to ensure smooth inventory management and operational efficiency.
Performance Monitoring: Develop and monitor program performance metrics to identify and prevent potential issues.
Problem Solving: Address barriers through effective problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder coordination.
Deadline Management: Work within tight deadlines to meet critical business objectives across multiple high-priority projects.
Compliance Tracking: Track and measure key activities to ensure compliance with service level requirements.
Requirement Translation: Translate technical concepts and customer needs into clear supply chain requirements.
Operational Execution: Ensure accurate operational execution aligned with business and customer expectations.
Issue Escalation: Escalate operational issues or deviations from the plan to relevant owners and follow through to resolution.

5. Investigations Specialist Details

Forensics Operations: Contribute to the efficient and effective functioning of the forensics unit and maintain smooth and effective daily operations within the forensics department.
Record Maintenance: Regularly maintain and update the forensics register.
Staff Guidance: Provide guidance and advice to staff on all matters related to forensic investigations.
Trend Analysis: Interpret trends in investigated cases and recommend corrective and preventive measures in alignment with internal control and compliance principles.
Fraud Detection: Identify fraudulent activities and irregularities promptly.
Risk Analysis: Analyze risk areas to support proactive fraud detection and prevention.
Pattern Identification: Identify modus operandi and emerging trends, and advise management on necessary procedural changes.
Risk Reporting: Report high-risk areas such as brokers, policies, agents, and employees to the forensics manager.
Case Investigation: Investigate fraudulent activities and irregularities on a case-by-case basis.
Evidence Collection: Collect factual information and supporting evidence for each investigation.
Documentation Management: Gather and organize all relevant documentation and proof for every case.
Report Writing: Compile detailed reports outlining findings, conclusions, and recommendations for corrective actions.
Legal Liaison: Liaise with the justice system to support legal proceedings.
Record Keeping: Maintain organized files and an efficient record-keeping system for all forensic activities.
System Updating: Continuously update the in-house system throughout the investigation process to ensure accuracy and transparency.

6. Investigations Specialist Duties

Deviation Management: Execute deviation investigations and document all deviation records accurately.
CAPA Implementation: Implement corrective and preventive actions alongside change control measures.
SOP Revision: Revise, improve, and simplify standard operating procedures or batch manufacturing records.
Performance Monitoring: Focus on achieving and maintaining a positive KPI position for the operational unit.
Training Needs Assessment: Identify employee training needs and communicate them effectively to managers.
Learning Development: Promote organization-wide learning initiatives to strengthen overall competency.
Process Improvement: Utilize process improvement tools to enhance efficiency and consistency across operations.
CAPA Monitoring: Monitor implementation of CAPAs to ensure the sustainability of corrective measures.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive quality and compliance improvements.
Continuous Improvement: Support continuous improvement efforts to optimize operational performance.

7. Investigations Specialist Job Description

Regulatory Investigations: Conduct priority and routine investigations, audits, and inspections related to violations of state statutes and rules governed by the agency.
Evidence Reporting: Provide investigative results through evidence collection and preparation of comprehensive investigative reports.
Complaint Investigation: Investigate complaints of alleged violations of statutes and board rules involving professions under the department’s jurisdiction.
Interviewing: Interview sources, subjects, and relevant witnesses as part of investigative activities.
Legal Documentation: Review court records and other essential documents, conduct audits and inspections, and prepare and serve subpoenas, administrative complaints, notices to cease, and citations.
Report Preparation: Prepare comprehensive chronological reports of final, supplemental, and probation investigations in accordance with the investigative unit’s quality control matrix.
Field Training: Serve as a field training officer.
Probation Oversight: Conduct supplemental and probation investigations, coordinating with impairment program staff.
Compliance Enforcement: Enforce terms of disciplinary enforcement requests and collaborate with board staff members to ensure compliance.
Proactive Enforcement: Engage in proactive enforcement programs both independently and in cooperation with other government agencies.
Public Relations: Maintain strong public relations with local authorities and professional organizations through direct contact and public speaking engagements.
Consumer Education: Provide information to consumers regarding licensure requirements and potential violations of applicable laws and rules.
Referral Support: Offer referral information to relevant resources.
Legal Testimony: Testify and present evidence at administrative hearings, depositions, and trials.

8. Investigations Specialist Overview

Risk Mitigation: Understand the critical nature of incidents being handled and exercise risk mitigation to de-escalate tense conversations in real time.
Customer Service: Provide a world-class customer service experience to all users via messaging and phone calls.
Active Listening: Demonstrate active listening to ensure users feel heard, understood, and confident that appropriate actions are being taken.
Case Management: Take ownership of raised cases across critical lines of business, challenging yourself to resolve the most complex and sensitive user issues.
Empathy Practice: Practice empathy with frustrated or emotionally distressed users and transform negative experiences into positive ones.
User Engagement: Proactively engage users to sensitively gather more details about potentially traumatic experiences encountered while using the platform.
Insight Reporting: Consolidate and provide insights to the business to help prevent future critical incidents and strengthen safety protocols.
Process Enhancement: Identify opportunities to enhance how critical support teams manage incidents, implementing best practices that improve customer experience, risk mitigation, quality, consistency, and efficiency.
Procedure Development: Help improve processes and take initiative to build new procedures.

9. Investigations Specialist Details and Accountabilities

Cross-Functional Investigation: Work with cross-functional departments to perform comprehensive investigations into deviations, out-of-specifications (OOS), and out-of-trends (OOT) in accordance with FDA regulations.
Data Analysis: Gather quantitative and qualitative data from various operational areas for analysis during investigations.
Root Cause Analysis: Conduct root cause analysis to determine the true root cause of each deviation.
Risk Assessment: Perform product impact assessments and risk analyses for all deviations.
Report Writing: Write deviation reports that are comprehensive, clear, concise, and detailed enough to withstand regulatory scrutiny.
Report Accuracy: Ensure the completeness and accuracy of all deviation reports.
Timely Closure: Ensure investigations are completed on time to achieve closure of all deviations within 30 days from initiation, in compliance with internal SOPs.
Quality Improvement: Recommend quality process improvements to enhance the efficiency and performance of quality systems, operations, and personnel, aiming to prevent deviation occurrences.
Trend Analysis: Track and trend non-conformances and recommend additional actions to prevent recurrence of deviations.

10. Investigations Specialist Tasks

AML Investigations: Perform risk-based investigations on AML cases generated by the monitoring system, manual escalations from business units, and requests from regulators or law enforcement agencies.
STR Filing: File suspicious transaction reports (STRs) on time.
Post-STR Management: Follow up on post-STR filing activities, including providing recommendations on client relationships and maintaining the STR register.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate with stakeholders to build effective AML transaction monitoring systems and processes that align with regulatory and compliance requirements.
System Testing: Participate in user acceptance testing (UAT) to identify critical risks or impacts to the financial crime investigation and intelligence (FCII) function and drive remediation efforts.
System Calibration: Contribute to the calibration of the AML transaction monitoring system to optimize effectiveness and identify emerging suspicious trends or gaps.
Operational Enhancement: Engage actively with stakeholders to create synergistic platforms and processes that enhance AML operations.
Project Management: Take ownership of assigned projects and ensure their successful completion.
Procedure Maintenance: Review and maintain FCII procedures to reflect current practices that meet regulatory requirements and industry standards.
Ad-Hoc Support: Assist the head of AML operations with ad-hoc requests or projects.

11. Quality Deviations & Investigations Specialist Roles

Quality Support: Support all activities for the Quality Operations Investigations group.
Quality Oversight: Provide quality oversight of manufacturing operations, QC chemistry, and QC microbiology.
Regulatory Compliance: Collaborate with manufacturing and laboratory management to ensure all activities comply with global regulatory requirements.
Data Verification: Ensure procedures are adequate and confirm the appropriateness and accuracy of raw data.
Investigation Review: Review and approve manufacturing and QC laboratory investigations, interpret results, and generate technical conclusions consistent with quality risk management principles.
CAPA Management: Ensure appropriate corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) are developed to enhance compliance and prevent recurrence of deviations.
Data Integrity Compliance: Ensure site compliance with global and regulatory data governance and data integrity requirements.
Change Control Management: Maintain control of systems, processes, and products by supporting the review and approval of change notices and change controls.
Change Control Review: Review site change controls to ensure all requirements are identified and completed for successful implementation.
Procedure Development: Establish and maintain procedures to ensure data integrity and compliance with all processes.
Regulatory Alignment: Assess global standards, policies, and emerging regulations to ensure site alignment.
Stability Program Oversight: Ensure the site stability program meets both global and regulatory requirements.

12. Quality Investigations Specialist Additional Details

GMP Investigations: Lead GMP deviation investigations.
Information Gathering: Conduct timely information-gathering sessions with manufacturing, laboratory, or packaging/inspection/warehouse personnel to collect necessary information and data for completing investigations.
Product Impact Assessment: Assess and document product impact within the investigation.
Root Cause Analysis: Perform thorough root cause analyses and document causal factors, and determine root causes within the investigation report.
CAPA Implementation: Identify and initiate appropriate corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) based on root cause outcomes.
Trend Analysis: Perform accurate and comprehensive historical searches within the deviation database to identify similar events and determine potential trends.
Technical Reporting: Write clear, concise, and detailed technical investigation reports.
CAPA Oversight: Own CAPAs and provide project management oversight to ensure all corrective actions remain on track and are completed by their due dates.
Time Management: Manage time effectively to handle multiple investigations or CAPAs simultaneously while adhering to tight deadlines.
Independent Work: Work independently with minimal supervision.
Team Collaboration: Collaborate effectively with staff across all departments.
Database Utilization: Utilize quality management databases such as TrackWise or MasterControl.
Cross-Training: Cross-train as a quality contact to assist in closing investigations from other investigators and to finalize reports across multiple quality systems.
Process Improvement: Participate in process improvement initiatives related to investigation procedures.

13. Investigations Specialist Essential Functions

Merchant Verification: Verify details and ensure the legitimacy of the merchant or business.
Compliance Assessment: Undertake assessments of merchants’ goods and services to ensure compliance with company standards and policies.
Risk Review: Assist with Level 1 risk and compliance reviews by assessing against internal policies and identifying potential red flags for further or escalated review.
Account Setup: Set up new merchant accounts accurately and efficiently.
Process Coordination: Manage the seamless handover process between onboarding, sales, and integrations to ensure merchants receive relevant communication and an effortless experience.
Progress Communication: Keep merchants informed of progress at each stage of the onboarding process.
Information Follow-Up: Communicate clearly with merchants when additional information is required to progress their onboarding, and follow up promptly when action is needed.
Decision Communication: Convey the company’s decisions to merchants clearly, including declined services or requests for further information, while ensuring merchants are treated respectfully and professionally when difficult news is delivered.

14. Investigations Specialist Role Purpose

Dispute Research: Perform research on customer disputes for card transactions (credit card, debit card, ATM/PIN, POS) to determine if unauthorized transactions have occurred and take appropriate actions to recover funds for the financial institution.
Non-Fraud Investigation: Investigate complex or high-value non-fraud (merchant) disputes and take appropriate actions to help resolve claims.
Merchant Communication: Make inbound and outbound contact with merchants and/or customers to verify transaction details or gather additional information to complete investigations.
Chargeback Management: Perform chargebacks and manage all stages of the dispute lifecycle to recover funds on behalf of the financial institution and/or customer.
Case Processing: Issue provisional credits, prepare customer letters, and handle representments, pre-arbitration, and compliance cases.
Regulatory Compliance: Perform all required tasks in compliance with regulations, business policies, procedures, and card network mandates.
Independent Decision-Making: Conduct research independently and make complex investigative decisions with minimal guidance while adhering to established workflows and procedures.
Fraud Awareness: Stay up to date on the latest fraud methods and trends in the market.
Risk Mitigation: Take proactive measures to identify and minimize risks associated with emerging fraud patterns and behaviors.
Quality Assurance: Consistently meet or exceed quality standards for investigations.
Project Participation: Participate in ad hoc projects and assignments.

15. Investigations Specialist General Responsibilities

Partner Onboarding: Review and onboard strategic partners on the platform, including banking partners, correspondent services, marketplaces, payroll companies, and other high-risk institutional partners.
Policy Analysis: Review and analyze partner documentation such as AML, sanctions, Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), Know Your Customer (KYC), and acceptable use policies, comparing them against internal policies and risk-based approaches.
Risk Assessment: Analyze partner financial crime risk by assessing their overall compliance program and controls.
Reputational Screening: Screen and assess potential reputational risks from sanctions exposure, politically exposed persons (PEPs), and adverse media.
Risk Mitigation: Collaborate with product and regulatory compliance teams to address and mitigate identified partner risks.
Stakeholder Communication: Communicate with internal and external partners to facilitate scalable, compliant growth across all strategic partnerships.
Risk Scoring: Conduct risk scoring assessments, assigning low, medium, or high-risk ratings according to internal methodologies, and recommend mitigation measures based on identified risks.
Ongoing Monitoring: Complete refresh cycles on approved partnerships and analyze compliance metrics such as AML and fraud rates for ongoing monitoring.
Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with business development, account management, and implementation teams to onboard partners, provide status updates, communicate compliance concerns, and address queries from both internal and partner stakeholders.
Compliance Reporting: Draft compliance memos and final partner analyses outlining identified risks, recommended mitigation methods, and overall decisions to approve, reject, or escalate for further review.
Regulatory Awareness: Stay informed of updates to internal KYC, CDD, AML, fraud, and EDD procedures.
Compliance Support: Respond to partnership-related compliance queries from colleagues.
Process Improvement: Support team leads and peers in improving partner review processes, enhancing efficiency, and contributing to cross-team initiatives.

16. Senior Investigations Specialist Key Accountabilities

Record Management: Compile, organize, prepare, and maintain various records, reports, and information effectively and efficiently.
Program Management: Manage multiple program areas by maintaining ongoing operations, tracking delivery against program goals, and implementing proposals to improve efficiency.
Issue Resolution: Proactively identify and resolve program issues that may hinder the team’s ability to meet objectives.
Needs Assessment: Assess and prioritize program or process needs based on data-driven analysis of seller and customer impact.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate across functional teams and geographic regions to ensure program alignment and success.
Independent Judgment: Exercise independent judgment in both routine and non-routine situations.
Task Prioritization: Plan, organize, and prioritize daily assignments and work activities effectively.
Policy Application: Comprehend and apply policies and procedures consistently.
Project Coordination: In accordance with the company's inauthentic and safety standards, plan, perform, supervise, and coordinate the completion of assigned projects within established deadlines.
Risk Mitigation: Identify gaps and mitigate risks observed in current mechanisms and policies to increase operational efficiency and effectiveness by providing professional recommendations that safeguard global marketplaces.
Team Collaboration: Foster teamwork by collaborating with other team members, sharing new information and ideas, accepting constructive feedback, and proactively engaging in new assignments.
Policy Evaluation: Understand the work of other team members and constructively challenge their understanding of current mechanisms and policies to further mitigate the risk of buyers receiving inauthentic products.
Stakeholder Communication: Work closely with stakeholders within customer and brand trust by maintaining effective communication with process owners and management throughout and at the conclusion of projects.
Follow-Up Review: Perform follow-up procedures to ensure that all agreed-upon controls and recommendations have been properly implemented.

17. Investigations Specialist Roles and Details

Fraud Prevention: Partner with store managers, associates, and various business lines of the organization to prevent and reduce operational losses.
Fraud Investigation: Conduct investigations to identify internal fraud, customer account fraud transactions, identity theft, and elder abuse.
Investigative Reporting: Write investigative reports based on analysis and findings.
Account Analysis: Analyze customer accounts during investigations to detect fraudulent activity.
Security Enhancement: Identify areas that require enhanced security procedures.
Customer Protection: Recommend protective software and tools to customers to safeguard their accounts from fraud.
Regulatory Compliance: Apply organizational policy, banking regulations, and applicable laws to guide loss charge-off decisions and recovery efforts.
Legal Consultation: Consult with Legal and Compliance teams to interpret federal and state laws and regulations related to financial operations and fraud.
Law Enforcement Collaboration: Collaborate with law enforcement and government agencies, providing loss documentation and digital evidence.
Regulatory Reporting: File reports for cases that meet criteria established by relevant financial authorities.

18. Investigations Specialist Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Fraud Monitoring: Review system reports for high-risk accounts and internal fraud detection.
Data Collaboration: Collaborate with business units to provide data and insights related to losses.
Policy Improvement: Recommend policy and procedural changes based on loss trends detected across the institution.
Fraud Training: Work with cultural and community engagement teams to develop and deliver fraud prevention training.
Case Management: Maintain and update the case management database with complete and accurate information.
Security Coordination: Coordinate security needs with appropriate vendors across locations and respond to security-related inquiries from associates.
Procedure Development: Assist in developing and refining departmental procedures and contribute suggestions for improving security efficiency and effectiveness.
Problem Escalation: Exercise sound judgment and independence while escalating complex problems to supervisors or subject matter experts.
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and stay informed on regulatory changes.
Policy Knowledge: Maintain a comprehensive understanding of policies and procedures related to financial security, fraud prevention, and other relevant regulations.

19. Case Investigations Specialist Duties and Roles

AML Investigations: Conduct detailed investigations on cases related to retail and priority banking clients, as well as straightforward trade AML cases.
Suspicious Transaction Reporting: Identify suspicious transactions and prepare or recommend suspicious transaction reports (STRs) for filing with the designated financial crime compliance head.
Sanctions Screening: Review cases escalated from global name screening systems to mitigate sanction risks, identify customers who are politically exposed persons (PEPs) or linked to adverse news, and take appropriate action by either preparing STRs or communicating with relevant business units or relationship managers.
Transaction Monitoring: Ensure that cases and risk events raised by the transaction monitoring system are validated, investigated, and disposed of satisfactorily, with investigation outcomes adequately documented within established timelines.
Law Enforcement Liaison: Serve as a contact point for all external law enforcement agencies regarding production orders to the bank.
Account Review: Conduct further reviews of customer accounts mentioned in production orders to identify possible misuse.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with business units, groups, and regional financial crime compliance teams, transaction surveillance teams, and other country compliance teams.
Record Maintenance: Maintain registers such as SAR/STR logs and case registers, ensuring timely escalations and trigger notifications to business stakeholders.

20. Case Investigations Specialist Roles and Responsibilities

Record Management: Ensure that records of suspicious activity reports are maintained in accordance with record retention requirements.
Audit Compliance: Secure acceptable audit ratings for the unit and ensure timely resolution of audit and risk-related issues.
Regulatory Support: Provide proactive support to business units and senior management to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and internal requirements for identifying and reporting suspicious activities and screened names.
Risk Escalation: Ensure timely reporting and escalation of significant risk issues to management.
IT Coordination: Coordinate and perform IT-related initiatives, including managing databases and systems used by the unit, to address operational issues promptly.
System Enhancement: Support technology enhancements by contributing to business requirement documents (BRDs), user acceptance testing (UAT), and system evaluations.
Business Continuity: Coordinate and perform business continuity plan (BCP) and disaster recovery (DR) testing while managing crises effectively.
Program Implementation: Collaborate with management on implementing new initiatives, including intelligence exchanges and other compliance-related programs.
Operational Excellence: Support and drive operational excellence initiatives to enhance the unit’s effectiveness and efficiency.

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