GOLF
MARIA ISABEL FRIAS
Product Owner | Onboarding Manager | CLM Specialist
Houston,TX
Summary
Experienced Product Owner with a background in financial services, specializing in client onboarding, regulatory compliance, and workflow automation. Strong skills in configuring Fenergo KYC solutions and leading process improvements to streamline onboarding and reduce cycle times. Proficient in supporting UAT testing, automating customer lifecycle processes, and ensuring compliance with SEC, FINRA, and OFAC regulations. Fluent in both English and Spanish. Proven track record of effectively managing cross-functional teams to meet complex business requirements.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
year of post-secondary education
4
4
Certifications
2
2
Languages
Work History
Product Owner
Fenergo
10.2021 - 12.2023
- Transformed complex user stories into actionable business requirements, leveraging Fenergo CLM architecture expertise to optimize workflows, cutting manual processes by 50%.
- Configured rules engines and data validation for regulatory standards (KYC, BSA/AML, FATCA, etc.), enhancing compliance accuracy by 30% and audit readiness.
- Supported UAT by addressing functional queries and adapting configurations, ensuring system performance kept pace with evolving regulatory requirements.
- Drove product strategy by analyzing market trends and integrating user feedback, fostering a customer-centric approach that guided development priorities.
- Defined project scope and deliverables with stakeholders, while streamlining cross-functional coordination to accelerate feature delivery.
- Collaborated with UX/UI teams to design user-friendly interfaces that met business objectives and improved user experience.
- Owned and prioritized the product backlog, leading the creation of detailed user stories to guide development teams toward timely delivery.
Manager Client Onboarding
BBVA USA
09.2019 - 10.2021
- Led cross-functional initiatives involving compliance, legal, and IT teams to automate customer lifecycle processes, improving onboarding efficiency by 30% and achieving a 100% compliance rate for ISDA packages
- Directed the implementation of Fenergo across two U.S
- Entities, harmonizing onboarding models and risk assessment procedures to meet regulatory standards
- Conducted due diligence for high-risk customers and automated monitoring processes, reducing operational risk by 60%
- Improved sales reporting accuracy by 20% through automation of order processes and streamlined data handling for key performance indicator forecasts
VP - Client Onboarding Specialist III
BBVA SA New York Branch
03.2016 - 09.2019
- Chaired 100+ stakeholder meetings, aligning cross-departmental teams on customer onboarding strategies, resulting in 80% faster issue resolution and stronger interdepartmental collaboration
- Led UAT and onboarding enhancements, focusing on reducing manual intervention in the order cycle and improving system functionality
- Implemented automated quality checks in collaboration with IT development, resulting in a 60% reduction in documentation errors
- Enhanced global awareness of risk management practices by promoting a unified customer risk scoring model across Corporate Investment Banking branches
Consultant
BBVA SA New York Branch
11.2015 - 03.2016
- Spearheaded a compliance-focused overhaul of the onboarding process, enforcing rigorous quality controls that resulted in a 30% reduction in operational risk
- Ensured timely and high-quality completion of all client-level due diligence requirements, reducing onboarding time by 20% through process improvements
- Identified and escalated high-risk items as necessary, driving resolution and closure, which minimized potential compliance risks by 40%
- Utilized SOX and internal audit insights to optimize quality assurance measures, improving regulatory compliance efficiency by 30%
Project Manager
Credit Suisse
09.2014 - 06.2015
- Directed FINRA 2111 compliance efforts, addressing ad-hoc requests and ensuring accurate updates for remediation projects, improving workflow precision by 15%
- Resolved feed discrepancies between Dealogic and Credit Suisse through root cause analysis, enhancing end-of-day processing accuracy
Consultant - Institutional Equity Division
Morgan Stanley
09.2012 - 08.2014
- Led the onboarding process for the Institutional Equity division, managing client readiness for trading, reducing escalations and ensuring seamless trading operations
- Addressed complex KYC issues proactively by collaborating with compliance and risk teams, decreasing policy gap-related escalations by 30%
- Tracked and reported on KYC policy implementation progress, providing insights on key challenges and mitigation strategies
Education
Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business
Pittsburgh, PA 05.2023 - 11.2023
BBA - Business Administration
Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre Y Maestra
Santiago, Dominican RepublicSkills
Fenergo
Agile
World Check
Powerpoint
KY3P
Salesforce
JIRA
Excel
Microsoft Office
Tableau
Lexis Nexis
FIS AML
KYC/AML
Peoplesoft
Anti Money Laudering
Client Lifecycle Management
Certification
Series 7
Volunteer Experience
Precinct Captain, Harris County Democratic Party, 07/01/24, Present, Lead voter engagement efforts through phone banks and block walks, focusing on verifying voter registration and sharing important election information.
Industryexpertise
- KYC/AML
- Risk & Compliance
- Project Management
- Implementation, Configuration & Integration
- Risk Scoring Model
- Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration
Accomplishments
* Configured workflows to meet client-specific
requirements and validated functional
configuration changes, resulting in a 50%
reduction in manual processes.
* Led cross-functional initiatives involving
compliance, legal, and IT teams to automate
customer lifecycle processes, improving
onboarding efficiency by 30% and achieving
a 100% compliance rate for ISDA packages.
* Chaired 100+ stakeholder meetings, aligning
cross-departmental teams on customer
onboarding strategies, resulting in 80%
faster issue resolution and stronger
Affiliations
Precinct Captain
Harris County Democratic Party 07/2024 - Present
Lead voter engagement efforts through phone banks and block walks, focusing on
verifying voter registration and sharing important election information.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Interests
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeContract WorkLocation Preference
On-SiteRemoteHybridImportant To Me
Work-life balanceCompany CultureCareer advancementTimeline
Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business
05.2023 - 11.2023
Product Owner
Fenergo
10.2021 - 12.2023
Manager Client Onboarding
BBVA USA
09.2019 - 10.2021
VP - Client Onboarding Specialist III
BBVA SA New York Branch
03.2016 - 09.2019
Consultant
BBVA SA New York Branch
11.2015 - 03.2016
Project Manager
Credit Suisse
09.2014 - 06.2015
Consultant - Institutional Equity Division
Morgan Stanley
09.2012 - 08.2014
BBA - Business Administration
Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre Y Maestra