Senthil Vel G

Working as team leader for Citibank Singapore and Manage their Core Operation unit with team of 25 based in Chennai. Team extensively executes daily activities in various processes like Quality check on Account opening and maintenance, performing review for potential sanctions or AML exception for payments, handling delivery returns including email bounce back of banking / cards statements and card operations which includes rewards process. More than having deep knowledge in these processes have exceeded expectation in adhering to timeliness and accuracy till date, also built a strong team to work collaboratively in challenging times and also ensure we deliver on multiple projects as and when required .

Key accomplishment

• Continuously exceeded expectation in achieving year end goals every year
• Successfully completed Workflow migration project which took 18 months without compromising on other key deliverable
• Gained extensive knowledge in Sanctions and Delivery service process pertains to operations
• Collaborated with process owners to refine procedures, devise best practices and correct quality audit findings
• Gained expertise in reviewing new process and proactively implementing mitigating controls
• Constantly sustained manager effectiveness score above 85% and once exceed with highest score of 94%
• Exceeded expectation in building efficient team to sustain key metrics for timeliness and accuracy
• Successfully set up new process in both base and COB location

Process handled

1)Customer onboarding (Account opening)

Extensive knowledge in how account is opened in Singapore and timely performance of quality checks to ensure all required documentation are in place (KYC Completeness)

2)Tax documentation (Fatca and CRS)

Expertise in handling tax related documents like FATCA and CRS when there is any idicia at the time of onboarding or during any account maintenance

3)Sanction review for real time online transactions

Expertise in handling Level 1 review for sanction matches during execution of real time transactions .Team exceeded KPI metrics considering this process is zero tolerance towards error .

4)Delivery service Unit

Expertise in handling Cards / Banking statements returns either physical or electronic form and accordingly process as per regulatory norms. This unit also process Pin, welcome letter , cards , cheque book returns

5)Cards operations

Having wide knowledge in how card reward programs work and how special reward campaigns run by business teams and customers get these campaign reward points updated in their card account . This unit also process other activities pertains to recon related to card loans , sending letter to customer on card loan restructuring and payout to vendor for card related programs

6)Quality check (Account opening and Account maintenance)

Managing a team with extensive knowledge on performing quality checks for all accounts opened or maintained on previous day across various channels . This team also ensures proper reconciliation is done to ensure all required KYC documents are in place. This unit also carries out daily recon to detect any potential fraud attempt made in our customer account

Roles and responsibilities

Operation manager - 2021 to Present

• Handling 25 member team across 3 different process based at Chennai and Pune with Team leader for each process
• Working closely with unit manager to deliver on key unit goals involves Cost save and enhancing control in critical process
• Streamlined all process in Delivery service unit post audit observation

Assistant manager Band 2 - 2017 to 2021

• Handled 15 member team across 3 different process
• Worked and delivered on Sanction workflow migration project
• Successfully migrated critical process pertains to card operations and sanction review
• Successfully integrated quality check team across two domain by cross training resources and integrating system access which resulted in forming bigger team to handle a process with much more flexibility .This initiative helped the unit to save 2 resource cost.

Assistant Manager Band 1 - 2015 to 2017

• Handled 10 member team and successfully migrated 3 process from Singapore / Malaysia
• Completed process migration within timeline
• Implemented additional controls for the newly migrated process which made team to exceed expectation in all metrics
• Worked closely with Manager and delivered on unit goals in terms of productivity goals

Project handled

1)New Workflow Migration ( Transaction sanction review) - 2020 / 2021

Volume of transaction = 1.26 million transactions per month screened

Duration - 18 Months

This was one of critical migrations as it involves a critical process pertaining to sanction review for all realtime online transactions which has compliance risk. This project happened across 3 countries and in 3 phases for 18 months This new workflow is designed with a lot of enhanced controls and some of which has been from our recommendation. Also effectively partnered with Business, project and technology team to scope , sought approval from stakeholders , identifying critical test steps , performing UAT testing and production implementation .The eye for detail and coordinated work with the project and technology team has been highly appreciated and recognized as my accolades in this project . The accomplishment of this project was rewarded by my elevation to next grade.

2) Process migration from Singapore / Malaysia - 2015

Volume - Handling 0.3 million transaction per year

Duration - 3 months

Successfully migrated 4 processes seamlessly from Singapore and 3 processes from Malaysia . The key challenge in the project being not only knowledge transfer but also to identify the right talent from new recruits as majority of them were freshers . Meticulous training plan , right placing resource , proactive identification of process gap / open risk and go live within agreed time has been highly appreciated and also got Opus award for this accomplishment.

3)Migration of Sanction screening process with 12/7 support (First of its kind ) - 2018

Volume - 0.24 Million transaction reviewed per year

Duration - 2 Months

This migration was a very challenging one considering the nature of support required , this process requires 12 hours support every day including weekends and public holidays. With limited staffing we need to set up this process in 2 months time . This challenge was seen as an opportunity and process was migrated by implementing an innovative floating shift where we have one month roster prepared in advance and each day shift for each team member is scheduled in advance along with back up so the process can be seamlessly executed everyday including weekend and public holidays if any. We also cross trained staff across other processes and standardized system access so we can have additional buffers in case of a spike in volume . This has been highly appreciated by our stakeholders in Singapore and Chennai .

4) Process risk review - 2020

Volume - 10 k request per month

Durations - 1 month

Process risk review is a unit initiative and all critical processes to be reviewed in detail, especially any step in the process which has potential risk and how that can be mitigated . This review helped to identify open risks in the Card rewards upload process and we were able to enhance system control to mitigate the same . This has been highly appreciated by all seniors and was recognized in the quarterly gratitude program and this control has been adopted across other geographies who had similar processes

Started the journey as a fresher in the year 2007 and took responsibility as a officer in Central operation unit which handles PDC (Post dated cheque repayment) repayment and other allied processes like foreclosure loans, swapping of repayment mode and data entry of new loan booking. This unit entirely run by external vendors hence there was a opportunity to gain expertise in how to handle external Vendor and as part of this assignment my responsibility includes supervising work done by 30 member vendor team which helped me to nuture my supervising skills . Post migrating PDC's to Mumbai unit new assignment was given to manage a process in Regional operations . This 1 year stint gave experience on how post disbursal documentation happens in operations and how it is warehoused and retrieved whenever needed .

Key accomplishment

• Continuously exceeded expectation and consistently sustained top rating and promoted 2 times in the span of 7 years
• Managed 40 member vendor team to ensure timely processing of PDC in the respective cycle date
• Successful led the migration process by forming a team to move physical PDC from Chennai to Mumbai
• Gained expertise in repayment management process and post disbursal documentation process including handling of Home loan documentation.

Process handled

1)Repayment management - PDC Handling

Managing repayment modes including Banking of post dated cheques in the respective cycle date and handling returns of the same by storing and representing the same in subsequent cycle date .

2)Repayment management - Auto debit execution (ICICI Bank repayment mode)

Ensured all auto debit is executed in the respective cycle date , this also to ensure any incorrect execution is rectified and subsequently executed .

3)Foreclosure , Swapping and Data entry

Have expertise in handling customer request for foreclosure , swapping repayment mode and performing data entry of repayment mode when new loans booked

4)Post disbursal documentation (Home loan)

Worked in a regional unit and supported Home loan post disbursal documentation and ensure the same is warehoused and retrieved whenever needed

Project handled

1)Implementation of Speed clearing

In the year 2008 / 2009 manually implemented speed clearing for metro cities in southern region . This project was done by bypassing system segregation to ensure we bank at par cheques in Chennai rather than presenting in respective regions clearing house . Before system functionality was developed this was done which was highly appreciated and recognized with Ops ka boss award

2)Migration to new system Cheque pro

This project was done in 2 phases first in Chennai and second in Mumbai. Established good partnership with Technology team and successfully delivered this project in Chennai , Mumbai migration was also tasked to me which was also delivered successfully. This has been highly appreciated by seniors and was one of the key reason for getting promoted to Assistant manager band 1 with top rating

3)Process migration from Chennai to Mumbai

Led a team to migrate all PDC from Chennai to Mumbai without impacting any delay in presenting the respective cycle date .