Senior Fintech Operations Leader - Global Payments & Fraud Prevention

ILEANA SCHMIECH

**************@*****.*** 540-***-**** linkedin.com/in/ileana-schmiech-9060b31b

Stafford, Virginia

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY - Fintech professional with 10+ years of experience in global payments, FX, client operations, and fraud prevention. Proven record of driving process automation, enhancing client experience, and mitigating operational and compliance risks across international markets. Recognized for consistently achieving KPI targets in transaction quality, client retention, and sales support. Skilled in cross-functional collaboration between Sales, Treasury, Product, and Compliance teams, with a passion for financial technology innovation and data-driven solutions that improve efficiency and trust.

CORE COMPETENCIES - Fintech Operations • Digital Payments • Cross-Border Transactions • Client Success • Compliance (AML, BSA, OFAC) • Fraud Risk & Investigations • FX & Treasury Operations • Salesforce CRM • SWIFT / ISO 20022 • ACH / FEDWIRE / SEPA / BACS • Transaction Monitoring • Process Automation • KPI Optimization • Data Analysis • Stakeholder Management • Team Leadership

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Convera USA LLC (formerly Western Union Business Solutions) – Washington, DC

Senior Investigator / Coordinator Lead – Corporate North America Global Payments

2015 – 2023

Served as fintech operations lead connecting global Sales, CRM, and Treasury teams to ensure seamless cross-border payments execution and compliance with regulatory frameworks.

Supported digital FX transactions exceeding $150M annually, driving operational efficiency and client satisfaction across corporate and institutional portfolios.

Leveraged Salesforce and SWIFT platforms to manage and resolve 60+ high-value investigations daily, with 98% accuracy and compliance adherence.

Achieved 120%+ of sales and performance KPIs by optimizing transaction workflows and identifying product upsell opportunities.

Partnered with Product and Engineering teams to enhance FX resale and hedging functionality, reducing trade processing time by 30%.

Investigated and mitigated 12+ fraud or sanctions-related cases daily, recovering multimillion-dollar losses across 140+ currencies.

Led training and development programs for new analysts, increasing onboarding efficiency by 25% and promoting a data-driven, compliance-first culture.

Collaborated with client management and sales enablement teams to enhance CRM insights, increasing client retention and engagement by 15%.

Recognized as a “Superstar” Award Winner in WUBS for productivity, adaptability, and outstanding customer focus.

World First USA – Crystal City, VA

Team Coordinator / Middle Office Specialist /2014 – 2015

Supported fintech operations for FX products and cross-border transactions, ensuring compliance with local and international payment regulations.

Processed and validated payments through BACS, SEPA, and SWIFT, ensuring 100% accuracy within currency cut-off times.

Enhanced operational efficiency by 20% through automation of transaction tracking and reconciliation processes.

Partnered with UK operations to align FX deal execution standards across global offices, ensuring seamless integration of client data and reporting.

Contributed to development of improved transaction monitoring procedures to detect and prevent fraudulent or erroneous activity.

Ruesch International / Travelex / Western Union Business Solutions – Washington, DC

Team Leader – European Markets / Senior Investigator / 2007 – 2013

Led European investigations team focused on high-value FX and payment anomalies within fintech operations.

Managed cross-border transactions across 30+ currencies and 25+ financial institutions, ensuring compliance and operational accuracy.

Reduced investigation turnaround times by 40%, increasing client satisfaction and SLA performance.

Collaborated with Sales and Treasury on transactional risk reviews, improving fraud detection accuracy by 15%.

Built and maintained a network of correspondent banking relationships to ensure smooth global settlement and faster fund recovery.

PNC / Mercantile Potomac Bank / James Monroe Bank – Centreville, VA

Operations Specialist / Team Lead / 2005 – 2007

Oversaw digital banking operations and EFT/ACH transaction monitoring, ensuring regulatory compliance with FRB standards.

Improved client retention by 20% through enhanced customer support and process accuracy.

Supported implementation of fintech payment solutions to streamline branch-level cash and fund management operations.

BB&T / F&M Bank of Northern Virginia – Springfield, VA

Relationship Manager / 2000 – 2005

Managed digital and retail banking relationships, focusing on customer onboarding, financial product sales, and cross-selling of digital banking services.

Ranked among the Top 5% of Relationship Managers regionally, achieving 125%+ of sales goals for deposit and loan growth.

Awarded “Best of the Best” for driving innovation in client experience and service delivery.

EDUCATION

Graduate School of Banking – University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) – Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Salesforce CRM • SWIFT • ISO 20022 • FX Platforms • BARX • ACH • SEPA • BACS • FEDWIRE • EFT • MS Office Suite • Payment Systems Integration • Data Analytics

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Superstar Award – Western Union Business Solutions (Fintech Excellence in Operations & Sales)

Best of the Best – BB&T Regional Sales Recognition

Consistently achieved and exceeded operational, compliance, and client satisfaction KPIs

KEYWORDS FOR ATS OPTIMIZATION

Fintech • Global Payments • FX • Digital Banking • AML • Risk Management • Payment Processing • Cross-Border Transactions • Fraud Prevention • Client Operations • Compliance • Transaction Monitoring • Salesforce • ISO 20022 • SWIFT • Data Analysis • Process Automation • Treasury

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