LaWanza Warren
Risk Professional
Kennesaw,GA
Summary
As a dynamic and results-oriented senior risk manager in the payments industry, I bring over 17 years of comprehensive experience in fraud prevention and risk management. With a decade of experience as a People Leader and Fraud Manager in payments, I have a proven track record of leading high-performing teams of Risk Analysts, Senior Analysts, and Supervisors. My teams and I have consistently mitigated monetary, regulatory, and compliance-related risks for both small businesses and large national corporations.
I excel in crafting and executing strategic programs that enhance profitability, productivity, and operational effectiveness. My leadership style is rooted in fostering a culture of integrity, customer-centricity, compassion, excellence, and collaboration.
My expertise spans a wide range of specialties, including fraud and credit mitigation, transaction monitoring, fraud investigations, ID theft, payments, credit cards, leadership, project management, and banking.
There's a difference in working a job and everyday doing something you love. I absolutely love what I do and am always open for a broader opportunity!
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Risk Operations Manager
Vantage Card Services
01.2024 - Current
- Ensured adherence to regulatory requirements while minimizing financial losses through proactive identification and remediation of control weaknesses.
- Facilitated seamless integration between risk operations functions by fostering a collaborative environment among team members.
- Designed and executed targeted training programs, improving employee understanding of risk policies and procedures.
- Improved decision-making processes with the implementation of a data-driven approach to risk analysis.
- Developed comprehensive risk assessments to identify potential threats and vulnerabilities.
- Implemented continuous improvement initiatives for existing processes, enhancing overall effectiveness in managing risks.
- Enhanced operational efficiency for better risk management and mitigation strategies.
- Promoted a culture of transparency and accountability within the organization regarding risk management practices.
- Built a high-performing Risk Operations team through strategic recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing development efforts.
Payments Senior Risk Manager
Dynamics
03.2021 - 09.2021
- Hired to head and create Risk Department for the emerging FSP
- I Wrote Standard Operating Procedures for the Risk Department
- I Wrote Policies of Risk for sponsor Bank
- I Assisted in choosing Risk Programs for the Risk and Underwriting Departments
- I Assisted in escalated matters for Customer Support.
Leader & Fraud Manager
World Pay Limited
Atlanta, GA
10.2015 - 12.2019
- Assisted in the integration of the Risk team with the merger of Vantiv and Worldpay
- Directs the creation and implementation of risk management strategy in the payments processing sector
- Utilizes systemic research and statistical analysis to develop and expand fraud prevention programs
- Effectively mitigated potential losses stemming from high risk transactional activity
- Assesses and reviews investigation activity completed on business entities
- Lead and manages team of fraud and credit risk investigators, and provides mentoring and coaching for the analysts
- Ensures compliance and operation of department within company regulations
- Conducts employee development through training and task analysis
- Administers the daily operations of the department in an effective manner
- Communicates and provided cross-training of other business units within the company
- Coordinates completion of financial monitoring activity on a daily basis
- Manages and administers software systems utilized in the detection and mitigation processes
- Cooperates with other financial business entities for the scope of improving the identification and prevention of losses as a result of fraudulent activity.
Fraud Operation Team Lead
World Pay US, Inc
Atlanta, GA
04.2015 - 10.2015
- Manages Risk systems and processes for SecureNet
- Manages Risk systems and processes for WorldPay
- Interact with other business units regarding decisions on high risk accounts
- Provides ongoing training/coaching to Risk Specialists
- Monitor fraud trends for current Risk reporting model
- Responsible for mitigating monetary, regulatory, and compliance related risk for small business, and large national corporations
- Reviews high risk businesses for fraud, ID theft, and/or credit risk issues
- Reviews investigations and gives payment approvals
- Reviews high risk accounts for suspension and/or closure.
Senior Risk Investigator
World Pay US, Inc
Atlanta, GA
05.2014 - 04.2015
- Monitors high risk businesses that process high dollar amounts or are high risk businesses, and provides decision making on escalated issues
- Reviews high risk businesses for fraud, ID theft, and/or credit risk issues
- Reviews high risk accounts for suspension/closure, investigations and grant payment approvals
- Reviews refunds over a certain dollar amount processed by the merchants to determine if they are valid or fraudulent
- Performs fraud investigations on newly boarded merchants using such tools as LexisNexis, google, BBB, etc
- Responsible for mitigating monetary, regulatory, and compliance related risk for small business, and national corporations
- Provides approvals/declines to merchants for specific high dollar transactions
- Assists in underwriting business accounts
- Works with other business units in mitigating fraud
- Responsible for training new and current Risk Professionals.
Risk Investigator
World Pay US, Inc
Atlanta, GA
06.2012 - 05.2014
- Responsible for using risk detection programs and processes to identify and mitigate monetary, regulatory, and compliance risk
- Responsible for making decisions that have high monetary and customer impact
- Responsible for maintaining professionalism while assisting other business units and customers with their inquiries
- Monitors and investigates merchant batches processed
- Investigates issues of fraud with transactions and collusive merchants
- Investigates newly boarded merchant accounts for legitimacy
- Maintains relationships with issuers, law enforcement, and other acquirers to help mitigate ongoing fraud
- Full Resume can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/lawanza
Education
Computer Information in systems
Oakwood University
Skills
- PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
- Demonstrated, through behavior of Integrity, Customers First, Compassion, Excellence, and Teamwork
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills; ability to work in teams and engage both executive leadership and frontline members
- Proven problem solving ability and ability to multi-task (identify problems and develop/implement solutions)
- Ability to develop, execute and drive programs to completion while improving profitability, productivity, and effectiveness
- Strong financial acumen, mathematical, project management and customer service skills
- Research and development of sales and relationships based on target customers
- Audit management
- Compliance monitoring
- Internal controls
- Risk mitigation strategies
- Portfolio management
- Credit risk assessment
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Problem-solving abilities
- Reliability
- Excellent communication
- Team collaboration
- Team leadership
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeWork Location
HybridRemoteImportant To Me
Career advancementWork-life balanceCompany CultureFlexible work hoursPersonal development programsHealthcare benefitsWork from home optionPaid time offTeam Building / Company RetreatsPaid sick leave401k matchStock Options / Equity / Profit Sharing4-day work weekTimeline
Risk Operations Manager
Vantage Card Services
01.2024 - Current
Payments Senior Risk Manager
Dynamics
03.2021 - 09.2021
Leader & Fraud Manager
World Pay Limited
10.2015 - 12.2019
Fraud Operation Team Lead
World Pay US, Inc
04.2015 - 10.2015
Senior Risk Investigator
World Pay US, Inc
05.2014 - 04.2015
Risk Investigator
World Pay US, Inc
06.2012 - 05.2014
Computer Information in systems
Oakwood University
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