Sandra Graffeo
Denville,NJ
Summary
Experienced in identifying and assessing risks related to operational and business management processes, including policy, governance, risk management, and reporting.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Mgr. VP Middle Office
First Citizens Bank & Trust
04.2018 - Current
- Provided strong leadership to enhance team productivity and morale.
- Led cross-functional teams to achieve project milestones and deliver high-quality results.
- Established strong relationships with clients and stakeholders, ensuring long-term partnerships and repeat business.
- Improved team performance by providing comprehensive training and fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Managed large-scale projects and introduced new systems, tools, and processes to achieve challenging objectives.
- Mentored junior staff members for skill development and career progression within the organization.
- Implemented and developed operational standards, policies and procedures.
- Achieved operational excellence by streamlining processes and implementing best practices.
AVP- Data Assurance Dept.-Static Data Unit
MUFG
01.2016 - 04.2018
- Provided effective leadership to a team of 4+, navigating through various change scenarios
- Enhanced TTCs through effective role management, consistent weekly reviews, and comprehensive training in time management and metrics
- Effectively oversaw client onboarding process encompassing all trading products, including support reconciliation and reporting for DFA
- Partnered with Front Office, Legal, Relationship Managers, and Compliance to ensure seamless integration of newly on-boarded clients into various source systems.
- Implement Process improvements for area; manage changes, completion various teams and report on Manager monthly meeting on our value add to the bank
- Self-Identified issues; raise, work with BURM Team (compliance and risk) and remediate end to end
- Implemented and executed new projects, including change implementation, tactical upgrades, and project participation in existing infrastructure and services.
- New MTS system replaces WSS, Sophis upgrade, BTMU name change 2018, Project Coalition (access data base tool) to streamline onboarding products
- ECN Coalition onboarding Deal Hub
- The Lead to CMM (Customer Web Portal-40 million-dollar investment) DFA which including planning, design, testing, customer migration, and implementation for customer statements
Financial Professional
Prudential Financial
01.2016 - 12.2016
- Review client’s current financial situation and develop a plan for retirement, college funding, secure future for legacy and goals
- 401K for small companies, Life insurance policies, umbrella policies, IRA's College planning
- Organized and led engaging workshops in schools and community centers covering essential areas like retirement planning, estate management, and college funding.
- Built strong relationships with clients, fostering trust and loyalty in managing their financial portfolios.
Derv Operations Settlements
Citigroup
08.2011 - 09.2016
- Vendor Manager for 3 teams, Broker Dealer, Derivative Customer Service and Structured Credit (located in Pune, India)
- Ensure Vendor is conforming to company standards and meeting business expectations at all times
- Ensure departmental and team process, procedures and controls are followed, high standards of quality, productivity and consistency
- Develop efficiencies within the team's work
- Check all trades settle CLS in OASYS versus DTCC raise any discrepancies to correct desk, check morning report for any issue, escalate any failures/potential high value failures
- Quarterly CLS roll (15 to 20 thousand payments) 99.9% success rate
- Monitor Policies & Procedures and responsible for maintenance of the vendor risk management system
- Liaise with lines of business on third party risk management questions and help conduct training to adhere to policies and run reports
- Assist in preparation of KPI/KRI reporting
- Review and approve all settlements out going funds via OASYS, PWS, DTCC, manual memo)
- Funding deadlines ensure top priority clients and high value items are monitored/completed
- Processing of trades for settlements and custody for various products: Fixed Income Products; FX, MM, MT Notes, Securities, Eurobonds, Interest Rate Agreements and Swaps, Repos, Derivatives, Arbitrages, Corporates, Treasury and Agency
Intermediate -Business Analyst
Project Management ICG
07.2009 - 08.2011
- FX project to decommission legacy front office treasury system/ Operations platform
- Project also involved transferring risk from New York to London legal vehicle
- (Cost saving 1.8 Million each year for Investigations Unit)
- Implemented new Recon system for FX unit for two legal vehicles - Citibank & Smith Barney legacy system
Senior Specialist/ Special Projects (Officer Level)
FX Investigator
01.2005 - 07.2009
- Assisted supervisor for a team of 8 Investigators in FX (now migrated to Buffalo location)
- Investigated / Resolved cash break and interest claim case files
- Trained and coached existing staff members
- Reconciled open cash breaks using in-house and vendor systems (RECON Plus & Pega)
- Trained new hires for FX Investigations functions when department was migrated to Buffalo, Continued support until successful completion of the Migration project
Treasury Operations
Credit Industriel et Commercial
02.2001 - 01.2005
- Foreign Exchange, Money Markets, Securities, Futures and Options products
- Implemented and maintained new processing procedures
- Various settlements systems including SWIFT, CHIPS, FED, Summit, Real time online bank clearing
- Managed all activities for Investment trading portfolio (Money Market, Foreign Exchange, Fixed, and Trading) including client contact
- Used various security settlements systems including: DTC, Euro clear
- FX (client based and trading), MM (overnights, term deposit, CD’s, global deposits), MT Notes, Securities, Euro, Bonds, Swaps/OIS Swaps, Repos (margin calls), Derivatives, Arbitrages, Futures, Options etc
- Performed market value pricing for Investment and Trading
- Liaised between brokers and custodians, clearing, follow-up, day-to-day operations: input (BCS, System II, Devon, Opus, and Polaris), verify, reports etc
- Reconciled and investigated settlement discrepancies of various bank accounts, including manual reconciliation of suspense / nostros accounts
- Worked closely with accounting department, Payment & receiving units and branch management
- Prepared and verified accuracy of monthly Investment Activity Report, Swap and Hedge Report and Investment, Trading, Held and Options Report
- Processed and analyzed reports for Management & Board members
Service Account Manager
SUNGARD PORTFOLIO SOLUTIONS
03.2000 - 02.2001
- Maintained continuous communication with clients; provided customer service by assisting clients with Company products questions, manage requests for enhancements and reporting problems, analyzing issues, prepare and follow-up on all System Change Requests and Specification
- Participated in client training and act as liaison between the client and the Company
- Portfolio accounting and/or the portfolio management business, Ensured I excelled at customer service, communication and interpersonal skills
Treasury & Investment Operations Div.
BANCO CENTRAL HISPANO-USA
01.2000 - 12.2000
- Ensured compliance with Federal Reserve requirements while effectively managing daily cash positions and executing transactions involving overnight fed funds.
- Back up to the F/X, Money Market traders
- Daily supervision of Bank’s asset and liabilities, Earning spreads, Customer CD interest rates
- Reconciled and investigated discrepancies of various bank accounts including manual reconciliation of suspense
- Liaised effectively with accounting department, Controller office, payment and receiving units, and sales traders.
- Ensured the accuracy of monthly reports including Investment Activity Report, Alco Report, and Investment, Trading,
Held, and Options Report. - Process/analyze reports for Management, Board, and Credit Committee
- Established strong working relationships with Treasury Operations as well as various operation departments including FX, MM, Trust, Payments,and Receiving unit
- Implement and update new procedures
- SWIFT, CHIPS, FED, on-line banks
- Handled trading and administration of three offshore funds.
- Perform market value pricing; liaison between brokers and custodians, clearing, reconciliation’s, follow-up, day-to-day operations: (PAM system) input, verify, reports etc
Education
Queensboro Community College
Bayside, New YorkPMP Certification - Project Management
Middlesex County College
Edison, NJ08.2020
New Horizons
02.2011
New Horizons
02.2011
Bond Market -
New York Institute of Finance
01.1998
Excel 97 (Adv. Cert.) -
New Horizons
01.1999
Word 97 (Advanced Cert.) -
New Horizons
01.1999
New Horizons
09.2010
New Horizons
05.2011
New Horizons
06.2011
Skills
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Outlook
- PowerPoint
- Teams, SharePoint
- ASL – American Sign Language
- Series 63
- Series 6
- Property and Casualty
- Cross-functional Team Coordination
- Strategic Planning
Accomplishments
Chairwoman Award 2020; Repo Implementation
Team Award 2021: Investment Onboarding FCB portfolios
Onboarding SVB 2023: GDC Team, Collateral Mgmt
Affiliations
- Woodbridge Tooling Around the Township
Languages
ASL
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Senior Mgr. VP Middle Office
First Citizens Bank & Trust
04.2018 - Current
AVP- Data Assurance Dept.-Static Data Unit
MUFG
01.2016 - 04.2018
Financial Professional
Prudential Financial
01.2016 - 12.2016
Derv Operations Settlements
Citigroup
08.2011 - 09.2016
Intermediate -Business Analyst
Project Management ICG
07.2009 - 08.2011
Senior Specialist/ Special Projects (Officer Level)
FX Investigator
01.2005 - 07.2009
Treasury Operations
Credit Industriel et Commercial
02.2001 - 01.2005
Service Account Manager
SUNGARD PORTFOLIO SOLUTIONS
03.2000 - 02.2001
Treasury & Investment Operations Div.
BANCO CENTRAL HISPANO-USA
01.2000 - 12.2000
Queensboro Community College
PMP Certification - Project Management
Middlesex County College
New Horizons
New Horizons
Bond Market -
New York Institute of Finance
Excel 97 (Adv. Cert.) -
New Horizons
Word 97 (Advanced Cert.) -
New Horizons
New Horizons
New Horizons
New Horizons
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