Umer Syed
Birmingham,West Midlands
Summary
Compliance and Operational Risk professional with 3+ years of experience in Fintech, regulated financial services, specializing in KYB and KYC verifications, control testing, risk assessment and audits, and compliance monitoring. Proven ability to execute testing activities with precision, evaluate control design and operating effectiveness, and identify control gaps to support remediation and risk mitigation. Strong in analytical thinking, quality assurance, and data-driven reporting, with a consistent track record of cross-functional collaboration and maintaining audit-ready control environments.
Brings strong transferable skills aligned to the role, including end-to-end testing execution, control evaluation, issue identification, and clear communication of testing outcomes across stakeholders, supporting effective risk governance and continuous improvement.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
IT Support Engineer (Contract)
HCL/Network Rail
03.2025 - 10.2025
- Managed rollout and tracking of over 1,000 devices across multiple sites with near-zero errors, ensuring accurate record-keeping and process compliance.
- Delivered technical support and user training, improving adherence to system protocols, and generating consistently positive staff feedback.
- Executed system setups, data migrations, and software installations while maintaining 100% data integrity, supporting audit readiness.
- Streamlined device refresh workflows, reducing user downtime by 15%, and improving operational efficiency across sites.
- Maintained detailed technical documentation and compliance logs, enabling accurate reporting and process auditing.
Compliance Analyst
Payactiv
11.2022 - 05.2024
- Performed KYB reviews for corporate clients using Persona, conducting legal entity verification, beneficial ownership analysis, sanctions and adverse media screening, and risk assessments to ensure compliance with AML regulations and internal policies. Performed quality assurance and audit reviews of KYC processes through Idology, ensuring adherence to AML, OFAC, and compliance standards.
- Monitored business activity and customer transactions against AML regulatory requirements and internal policies, contributing to a circa 15% reduction in compliance breaches within six months.
- Audited fraud investigations for Regulation E compliance, reviewing transactions, findings, customer communications, documentation, and case timelines.
- Prepared compliance reports and management information using Salesforce and Excel, providing clear insights to senior management, and supporting audit and regulatory readiness.
- Collaborated closely with operations, risk, and legal teams to improve escalation workflows, reducing issue resolution time by approximately 20%.
Customer Support Representative
Payactiv
10.2021 - 11.2022
- Handled sensitive customer data securely, ensuring adherence to internal policies, and legal requirements.
- Resolved customer complaints with a QA score of 90% overall.
- Analysed transaction data and customer interactions, providing actionable insights to support risk assessment, and compliance reporting.
- Collaborated with internal teams to streamline escalation workflows, reducing errors, and improving efficiency by 10%.
- Maintained accurate documentation of cases and processes to support audits and regulatory compliance.
Education
Master of Science (MSc) - International Business with Data Analytics
Ulster University
07-2025
Skills
Technical skills
● KYB and KYC
● Compliance and Regulation E Case Investigation Audits
● Risk and control assessment
● Escalated complaints handling and reporting
● Salesforce, Excel, Persona, Idology, i2c
Soft skills
● Analytical thinking
● Attention to detail
● Stakeholder collaboration
● Clear communication
● Problem-solving
Administrative skills
● Compliance documentation and audit trails
● Process improvement support
● Time and priority management
● Policy and procedure adherence
Accomplishments
● IT Support Engineer Managed device deployment and system setups across multiple sites, ensuring process compliance and operational accuracy, supported by numerous positive user testimonials on LinkedIn and Microsoft feedback forms.
● Consumer Compliance Analyst Designed and implemented Salesforce-based compliance case queues for KYB onboarding reviews and Reg E investigations audits in partnership with the Salesforce Architect, streamlining cross-functional escalation workflows, reducing escalation turnaround time by 30%, and enhancing reporting capabilities through automated weekly compliance metrics.
●Customer Service Representative Promoted to helpdesk within three months in recognition of exceptional performance, receiving company-wide acknowledgement from the customer support floor; trained new colleagues on compliance procedures, Salesforce reporting, and QA best practices to enhance team efficiency and adherence.
Certification
- Business Analysis & Process Management Certification
Coursera
- Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
Coursera
References
Available upon request
Timeline
IT Support Engineer (Contract)
HCL/Network Rail
03.2025 - 10.2025
Compliance Analyst
Payactiv
11.2022 - 05.2024
Customer Support Representative
Payactiv
10.2021 - 11.2022
Master of Science (MSc) - International Business with Data Analytics
Ulster University