Senior Program Manager/Director

Safiya Nelson is a senior program manager/Project Manager with an MBA and a demonstrated history of transforming financial institution and telecommunications operations. Expertise delivering positive change in enterprise systems, regulatory frameworks, controls, processes, technology, and governance.

Headed portfolios of game-changing programs for Wells Fargo, USAA, BB&T, Bank of America, and other Fortune 500-size firms. Navigated C-level leaders and in-business stakeholders in charting and inspiring roadmaps to sustainability.

Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, strategic agility, and flexibility. Well-versed in Lean Six Sigma, Agile, Scrum, and other methodologies enabling operational success and alignment.

Rescued program from inactivity, achieving 79% completion (9/22) and planned early 2023 pilot deployment. Used agile methodology in aligning stakeholders around playbooks, approvals, risk models, and change plans.

Orchestrated successful RCSA (Risk Control Self-Assessment) process for Life Compliance group.

Program managed migration and consolidation of multiple Treasury Management functions following acquisitions of both National Bank of Pennsylvania and Wachovia.

SAFIYA A. NELSON

Charlotte, NC 28278

COMPETENCIES & SKILLS:

Strategic Planning • Vision Definition • Program Management • Business Road mapping • Cross-Functional Leadership • Process Improvement • Business Transformation • Resource Planning • Governance • Risk Management • Team Building • Leadership Development • Change Management • Agile • Scrum • Waterfall • Lean Six Sigma • SharePoint • MS Word, Excel & PowerPoint

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Tek Systems/Experis: Charlotte, NC 2021–Present

Senior Program Manager

Provide the full scope of program management leadership on a portfolio of strategy, technology, risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational transformation initiatives as embedded project leader. Drive alignment and collaboration with C-level executives, line managers, and other stakeholders, directing project lifecycle from initial analysis and planning through final signoff and change management. Leverage Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, and PMP methodology in managing cross-functional project teams.

Bank of America (Nov 2024- Present): Provided risk management oversight within the Global Technology organization to ensure on time delivery of CashPro digital platform initiatives and enhancements. ($28.5MM)

Lumen (Feb 2023–Sept 2024): Conducted deep dive analysis in dispute resolution within the Finance Process team to reduce repeated disputes by 35.8% during a technology transformation. Leveraged pareto and root cause analysis to significantly improve customer experience.

Wells Fargo (2022–Oct 2022): Navigated Consumer and Small Business Banking (CSBB) group in driving culture change via transformation of employee incentive program for 2023 rollout. Facilitated teams in IT, Legal, Risk, and Branch Operations in identifying changes, building communication plans, and obtaining Board approval.

oRescued program from inactivity, achieving 79% completion (9/22) and planned early 2023 pilot deployment. Used agile methodology in aligning stakeholders around playbooks, approvals, risk models, and change plans.

USAA (2021–2021): Orchestrated successful RCSA (Risk Control Self-Assessment) process for Life Compliance group. Liaised across 7 teams in consolidating audit findings, architecting corrective actions and process changes, building enterprise training, and leveraging data analytics to provide leadership and oversight around themes.

First Republic Bank (2021–2021): Directed program governance of core technology transformation consolidating multiple customer data stores (Business Deposits, Total Data Store, Risk Data Management, Enterprise Data and Client Insights) under single structure, with concurrent shift from Waterfall to Agile culture.

oDelivered owned components on time and within KPIs. Unified data stores, upgraded reporting, prepared TDS team for internal audit, upgraded Confluence page as Admin, and reduced risk across the enterprise.

WELLS FARGO & COMPANY: Charlotte, NC 2018–2021

Consultant – Business Initiatives, Strategic Execution & Operations Office

Recruited back to US’s 3rd-largest bank to strategic program leadership role directing action plan development and deployment to lift OCC consent orders pertaining to risk management framework. As member of the Chief Operating Office, strengthened regulatory compliance and reduced risk via direction in analyzing consent orders, understanding infractions and design and implementation of action plans to close operating gaps. Headed teams of stakeholders across lines of business, Legal, Audit, Compliance, IT, and 3rd-party consultants. Delivered C-suite reporting. Administered program SharePoint data platform.

Elevated risk management framework. Led critical executive stakeholder conversations to map current and future state, identify functional owners, socialize best practices, and drive change across people, processes, and systems.

Played integral role in closing out 80% of active consent orders, with action plans implemented to resolve remainder. Facilitated 3rd-party reviews of sales practices and oversaw creation and deployment of training across the business.

Built a high-performing project team with a deep bench of leaders. Drove growth across matrixed teams via clarification of roles and responsibilities, peer mentoring, and individual career planning.

CORNING, INC.: Concord, NC 2017–2018

Manager – Front Line Operations

Headed strategy, production, and technical operations for fiber optic manufacturing plant. Directed long-term planning, P&L performance, quality standards, health and safety, project management, and process improvement. Hired, led, and developed an organization of 30 supervisors and 300 total employees.

Collaborated on design and execution of plant business and operations strategy as member of leadership team. Liaised cross-functionally to set priorities, build plans, and manage to corporate quality and productivity standards.

Architected business transformation roadmap. Onboarded 18 pieces of new equipment, facilitated workforce training, and oversaw Six Sigma projects that resolved legacy technical issues and drove improvements to product quality.

TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION (FORMERLY BB&T CORPORATION): Charlotte, NC 2016–2016

Project Manager Consultant, Migration – Treasury Management Services

Program managed migration and consolidation of multiple Treasury Management functions following acquisition of National Bank of Pennsylvania. Liaised across commercial teams to gather requirements, build day-one transition plans, and seamlessly migrated $200M in assets and 36 commercial clients to BB&T platforms.

WELLS FARGO & COMPANY: Charlotte, NC 2010–2016

Process Engineer/Vice President – Enterprise Strategy, Execution & Process Engineering

Migration Project Manager – Treasury Management Services

Promoted to drive a portfolio of business process engineering and redesign initiatives within the company’s Home Lending group. Managed matrixed teams driving the full scope of a portfolio of Lean Six Sigma programs from initial analysis through needs identification, resource allocation, process design, road mapping, and training and change management. Collaborated with C-level leaders to influence enhancements and drive successful adoption of new ways of working.

Enhanced regulatory/compliance ecosystem. Closed CFPB and FRB gaps, streamlined controls, and upgrade reporting.

Led reinvention of home lending customer scheduling, improving customer satisfaction and contact points by 73%.

Drove improvements to loan modifications via HPU/HPS partnership, reducing reworks by 30%+.

Aligned default mortgages for legacy Wells Fargo teams and acquired Wachovia business around CFPB/NSS regulation.

EARLY CAREER

Served as US Army Reservist in Civil Affairs, Process Quality Engineer & Internal Process Auditor with Diebold, Inc., and Project Manager for the Enterprise Operations & Technology Group with Bank of America.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

STANFORD UNIVERSITY – GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS: Stanford, CA

LEAD- Executive Leadership Certificate

UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX: Phoenix, AZ

Master of Business Administration

NC A&T STATE UNIVERSITY: Greensboro, NC

Bachelor of Science in Industrial & Systems Engineering

CERTIFICATIONS

North Carolina State University – Certificate in Quality Auditing

Helix – Facilitation Methodology Certification

Corning, Inc. – Six Sigma Green Belt

Scrum – Scrum Master Training

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