Sarah Nielsen
Liverpool,Merseyside
Summary
Passionate, ambitious banking professional extensively trained in bank leadership, fraud & financial crime awareness and teller operations; I am a highly respected Manager and analytical problem-solver with proven capability to lead, develop and manage teams to ensure delivery of outstanding customer experience. Proficient in using independent decision-making skills and sound judgement to positively impact company success. I have a reputation for integrity, trust, and transparency. This enables me to effectively utilise good influencing skills, decision making and ability to motivate my team. I have gained many years’ experiences in coaching and leadership. I understand the importance of engagement and how this can impact individual progression, individual and collective results, and attrition in a positive way. I am regarded as having strong procedural knowledge and great attention to detail which means I can deliver well in all risk settings. My approach and understanding of various business risks provides a good platform for delivering consistently strong results and helping others to achieve. I thrive in an environment that has constant transformational change; I can adapt quickly and lead by example.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work history
Branch Manager
Santander
Liverpool, Merseyside
2023.04 - 2026.06
- Providing inspirational leadership that engages whole team across agreed service, quality, performance, and risk objectives
- Coaching, supporting, and developing team of front-line colleagues to deliver second-to- none service, irrespective of interaction type
- Providing tailored service offering for customers focussed on their individual financial needs
- Motivating team to maximise opportunities in deepening customer relationships, increasing customer loyalty and digital adoption
- Keep close track of current banking regulations, policies, procedures, take immediate action when necessary
- Review and authorise customer applications ensuring all Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) information has been captured along with correct Identification and Verification (ID&V)
- Investigate and authorise complex transactions, demonstrating duty of care to customers to ensure they do not become victim of any potential fraud or scam
- Review and verify customer documents to support banks regulatory obligation for Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and On-going Due Diligence (ODD) checks
- Review of daily and weekly reports to identify, assess, manager and or report any risks
- Undertake effective Risk and Control activity to establish and maintain robust Risk environment
- Investigate allegations involving internal fraud, data protection breaches, employee misconduct etc. Using group internal audit methodology; Ensuring timely reporting to proper authorities where required
- Conduct timely and accurate fact finds with highest degree of integrity, objectivity, and confidentiality
- Conduct root cause analysis to determine underlying or fundamental causes of identified incidents and work with management to implement changes
- Address areas of improvement regarding all operations, developing, and implementing customer service procedures to ensure highest level of satisfaction
- Manage resource optimally; Use tools available to effectively plan daily activities/operations to meet customer demand for various channels; face to face, telephone and digital
Customer Service Manager
Santander
Liverpool , Merseyside
2010.04 - 2023.04
- Keep close track of current banking regulations, policies, procedures, take immediate action when necessary
- Review and authorise customer applications ensuring all Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) information has been captured along with the correct Identification and Verification (ID&V)
- Investigate and authorise complex transactions, demonstrating a duty of care to customers to ensure they do not become the victim of any potential fraud or scam
- Review and verify customer documents to support the banks regulatory obligation for Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and On-going Due Diligence (ODD) checks
- Review of daily and weekly reports to identify, assess, manager and or report any risks
- Undertake effective Risk and Control activity to establish and maintain robust Risk environment in branch whilst providing support and guidance for Customer Service Manager's and Customer Service Advisor's across other Financial Centres within Merseyside region
- Investigate allegations involving internal fraud, data protection breaches, employee misconduct etc. Using group internal audit methodology; Ensuring timely reporting to proper authorities where required
- Conduct timely and accurate fact finds with highest degree of integrity, objectivity, and confidentiality
- Conduct root cause analysis to determine underlying or fundamental causes of identified incidents and work with management to implement changes
- Address areas of improvement regarding all operations, developing, and implementing customer service procedures to ensure highest level of satisfaction
- Manage resource optimally; Use tools available to effectively plan daily activities/operations to meet customer demand for various channels; face to face, telephone and digital
- Uplift branch NPS (Net Promoter Score); conduct regular meetings and team briefs, staff coaching and development planning
- Raise overall skill levels of staff through successful evaluation, recruiting, motivating, mentoring and training employees to surpass company standards
- Proactively monitor and support CSA's day to day activities in branch through setting clear expectations, coaching, providing feedback and direction to support their job performance and career progression
- Be aware of all aspects of branch performance on daily basis, supporting other branches within Financial Centres, including sharing improvements and successes, whilst monitoring and tracking areas for further improvement
- Report directly to Branch Director and deputise in their absence
- Demonstrate, leading and training other colleagues on effective customer management so that customer journeys are updated and tracked, offering the same support to other CSMs and CSAs across the branch network
- Demonstrate a good understanding of specialist roles giving me the ability to have quality business conversations with Specialist colleagues in branch in absence of my BD
- Actively participate and contribute to working together across Financial Centre's within Merseyside region to create an environment in which people want to stay and perform to the best of their ability
- Ensure I am up to date on all Risk and Control policies and processes, completing any training required. Enabling me to support CSMs and CSAs across Financial Centre's where needed and appropriate
- Build delegation framework so that staff deliver expectations from service and risk perspective
- Handle in-person, email and mailed correspondence, resolving customer complaints efficiently following guidelines, referring complex/specialist complaints to relevant teams
Personal Banker
Santander
Widnes
2008.02 - 2010.04
- Opened accounts for customers ensuring all correct Know Your Customer information (KYC) and identification obtained
- Maintained friendly and professional customer interactions.
- Described products to customers and accurately explained details and care of merchandise
- Politely assisted customers in person and telephone
- Provided elevated customer experience to generate loyal customers.
- Investigated and resolved customer enquiries and complaints timely and empathetically
- Ensured superior customer experience by addressing customer concerns, demonstrating empathy and resolving problems
- Asked open-ended questions to assess customer needs
- Contacted customer to follow up on appointments, suggest alternative ways of banking, and inform them about promotions and upcoming events
- Answered product questions with up-to-date knowledge of sales and bank promotions
- Learned, referenced and applied product knowledge information
- Actively collaborated with specialist colleagues if customer need identified
Customer Service Advisor
Santander
Runcorn
2007.02 - 2008.05
- Acted as first point of contact for customers in branch
- Assisted with day-to-day transactions, queries and servicing
- Built relationships and found solutions to customer dissatisfactions or complaints
- Developed own knowledge of services and products to help customers make informed choices
- Identified new ways to improve customer experience within branch
- Supported by team in reviewing daily, weekly and monthly branch reports to identify, assess, manage and or report any risks
- Managed branch vault with zero errors
- Earned management trust by serving as key holder, responsibly opening and closing the bank ensuring adherence to Branch Security
Sales Associate
Gap
Liverpool
2001.04 - 2007.02
- Stocked shelves and supplies and organised displays.
- Trained and served as a peer coach for new sales associates.
- Greeted customers and ascertained customers' needs.
- Organised racks and shelves to maintain visual appeal of store
- Contacted other store locations to determine merchandise availability
- Maintained knowledge of current sales and promotions, policies regarding payment and exchanges, and security practices
- Recommended merchandise to customers based on their needs and preferences
- Completed all cleaning, stocking and organising tasks in assigned sales area
- Prioritised helping customers over completing other routine tasks in store
Education
NVQ Level 3 - Leadership & Management
ILM
Liverpool07.2018
AS & A Levels - Mathematics, Business Studies, IT & Drama
St Julie's Catholic High School
2002
GCSEs - English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, IT, Sciences, French, Religious Education & Drama
St Julie's Catholic High School
2000
Skills
- Good organisational skills
- Ability to work on own initiative
- Prioritise and meet deadlines
- Thrive in challenging situations, remaining calm and composed
- Ability to assimilate, capture and analyse complex data taking risk based approach
- Resourceful
- Tactful
- Exceptional communication and administration skills combined with strong attention to detail
- Microsoft Office; Outlook, Word and Excel
- Digital Advocate
- Experience in Quality Assurance, Risk and Control
- Knowledge of Fraud and Financial Crime Risks – Anti Money Laundering, Sanctions and Anti Bribery & Corruption
- Engaging leadership style
- Positive attitude, open to embracing constant change and utilising transferrable skills based on business need
- Stakeholder collaboration
- Technical Support
Professional Interests
Digital Advocacy - ensuring I stay educated and aware of changing technology
Fraud, Financial Crime and Scams - with a particular interest in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) annual Global Fraud Study reports to discover any new trends
Hobbies
For my fitness I attend Pilates and Swimming.
For my health and wellbeing I enjoy meditation and visiting Spa's, trying new treatments and holistic therapies.
I love to travel, visiting new places, experiencing different foods and cultures.
Cooking - I enjoy trying new recipes and love to cook for my family and friends.
I enjoy taking inspiration from Online platforms for Food, Fashion and Interior Design.
References
Available on request
Timeline
Branch Manager
Santander
2023.04 - 2026.06
Customer Service Manager
Santander
2010.04 - 2023.04
Personal Banker
Santander
2008.02 - 2010.04
Customer Service Advisor
Santander
2007.02 - 2008.05
Sales Associate
Gap
2001.04 - 2007.02
GCSEs - English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, IT, Sciences, French, Religious Education & Drama
St Julie's Catholic High School
AS & A Levels - Mathematics, Business Studies, IT & Drama
St Julie's Catholic High School
NVQ Level 3 - Leadership & Management
ILM