Senior Payment Analyst, AML/ATF and Sanction Screening - Level 1 (Contract, Full-Time) - Bank of Nova Scotia - Toronto, Ontario
(2025-08)
- Conduct high-volume sanctions screening of national and international SWIFT payment messages (average of 900-1,200 transactions per day), ensuring activity does not involve sanctioned countries, entities, or individuals.
- Review SWIFT payment messages against internal and external sanctions lists, such as OFAC and WORLD-CHECK, confirming that transactions align with Scotiabank's risk appetite, sanctions framework, and AML expectations before release or escalation.
- Prioritize and clear alerts within jurisdiction-specific Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for the multiple countries where the bank operates, maintaining both speed and quality in decision-making.
- Identify patterns in recurring false positives and provide structured feedback to sharpen automation and refine screening rules, reducing noise and improving the effectiveness of first-level controls.
- Document screening decisions in an audit-ready manner, providing clear rationales that support regulatory reviews and internal quality assurance.
- Work closely with the Level 2 investigations team, escalating potential true matches with structured case summaries and collaborating to improve accuracy and overall service levels.
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives for payment screening processes and procedures, supporting a strong, risk-based financial crime compliance framework.
Compliance Officer, co-op placement - Canfin Financial Group of Companies - Toronto, Ontario
(2025-04 - 2025-06)
- Supported the submission and tracking of Continuing Education (CE) credits on the Mutual Funds Dealer Association (MFDA) portal to ensure licensing compliance.
- Reviewed sales communications, including business cards and social media, for adherence to regulatory and internal standards.
- Participated in Annual Compliance Questionnaire revisions and the review of complaint and jurisdiction files.
- Shadowed Tier 2 reviews of trading activities and assisted in refining internal compliance workflows for greater efficiency.
- Conducted preliminary reviews of client documentation for Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance and flagged discrepancies for further investigation.
- Performed a Know Your Customer (KYC) uniformity test to evaluate the consistency of client onboarding practices across departments and identified regulatory reporting gaps or inconsistencies.
- Assisted in the preparation of internal audit materials and compliance monitoring reports to support risk management initiatives.
- Monitored regulatory updates from Mutual Funds Dealer Association (MFDA) and Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), summarizing key changes for internal distribution.
- Collaborated with the compliance team during Association of Canadian Compliance Professionals (ACCP) meetings, documenting key action items and follow-up tasks.
Manager II - HERTZ Rent-a-Car - Mississauga, Ontario
(2023-03 - 2025-04)
- Improved Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 20% through enhanced customer service processes.
- Implemented procedural improvements focusing on regulatory compliance, reducing operational discrepancies by 15%.
- Analyzed fleet data to identify usage trends and mitigate financial risk.
- Led cross-functional collaboration efforts, achieving 95% adherence to customer service SLAs.
Warehouse Associate, Team Leader - Automann Heavy Duty Canada - Brampton, Ontario
(2021-05 - 2023-03)
- Increased team productivity by 25% through process optimization and targeted training.
- Conducted safety compliance inspections, resulting in a 30% reduction in warehouse incidents.
- Collaborated with senior management to implement inventory process enhancements, saving more than CAD $10,000 annually.
Professional experience Gap - Canadian Immigration Process - Brampton, Ontario
(2019-05 - 2021-04)
Corporate Lawyer - Self-Employed - Maracaibo, Venezuela
(2017-12 - 2019-04)
Anti-Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing Analyst - Banco Occidental de Descuento - Maracaibo, Venezuela
(2017-07 - 2017-12)
- Investigated suspicious transactions in line with SUDEBAN guidelines, improving regulatory compliance by 20%.
- Implemented updated Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies and flagged high-risk accounts for enhanced due diligence.
- Trained junior staff on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) protocols, strengthening internal compliance culture.
- Conducted ongoing Know Your Customer (KYC) reviews and introduced automated transaction monitoring, increasing detection accuracy by 30%.
Corporate Lawyer - Self-Employed - Maracaibo, Venezuela
(2013-01 - 2019-04)
- Drafted Articles of Incorporation and bylaws, ensuring all foundational documents met strict commercial and regulatory standards.
- Managed the legal constitution of new businesses, performing deep-dive due diligence on corporate ownership and structures.
- Spearheaded the end-to-end lifecycle of judicial filings, maintaining meticulous, audit-ready documentation for all cases.
- Provided strategic legal counsel to corporate clients, identifying regulatory gaps to prevent litigation and ensure compliance with various government agencies, such as SENIAT, SENCAMER, Ministerio Publico.
- Interpreted complex legislative updates and judicial rulings, translating technical requirements into actionable business advice for individuals and corporate customers.
Assistant District Attorney (Internship) - Ministerio Público - Maracaibo, Venezuela
(2012-09 - 2012-12)
- Prepared trial materials and filed pleadings, ensuring compliance with strict court deadlines.
- Organized exhibits and drafted legal documents, including interrogatories and requests for admission.
- Managed case schedules, record-keeping, and administrative functions to support district attorneys.
