Suvaarana Goundan
Suva - City Center,Fiji
Summary
An innovative and detail‐orientated Banker with over 18 years of experience influencing business growth and enhancing profit. Possesses practical and theoretical knowledge in banking procedures and practices, with strong planning and analytical skills to inform management team of key risks and/or any possible losses by thorough investigations. Dynamic and hardworking individual with ability to achieve change and growth in a constantly changing business environment.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
11
11
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Reconciler
Nostro, Westpac Banking Corporation
Suva
01.2008 - Current
- Ensure that all accounts are balanced and every outstanding item investigated with appropriate actions taken until clearance achieved
- Prepare and produce monthly Wrap reports for each Pacific Island and send to respective Pacific Branch Ops Managers and Finance team
- Daily advice foreign balances held in all banks offshore account to Treasury dealers to allow them to fund the account appropriately to avoid interest claims and reject of international payments by Overseas bank due to insufficient funds
- Be the first point of contact by all Pacific Branches, Offshore banks and branches to ascertain if actual funds are in account before payment or to direct any queries relating to banks foreign books
- Provide ad hoc product training when issues are found on regular basis from any PINS or when advise is sought by Pacific branches
- As and when issues detected role is responsible to ensure incidents of "expected loss or exposure” is recorded and escalated appropriately
- Classify and determine which items are high risk and can cause an exchange loss and report as required by the Fraud and Scheme Compliance Unit
- Identify regular issues for all PINS and escalate to Manager to close gaps by providing expertise training and coaching for all International products
- Once risk items detected ensures and implements quick recovery process with all offshore banks /Branches to retrieve funds to minimize loss or exposure to bank and customers
- Check if Statement / ledger has downloaded into TLM system for all Pacific countries and if not escalate to IT team for resolution or post ledger manually into TLM subject to approval
- Check if system shows that all Nostro accounts are balanced with zero proof showing nil
- Attend to all items held in System Offered queue and clear after ascertaining if match is correct, if not un‐match and raise an investigation file
- Check daily Cash outstanding reports for all unmatched items and attend to manual matches and for remaining unmatched items instigate investigation files
- Send queries to all Off‐shore bank, PNG and Fiji local branches to ascertain why banks Nostro and Control accounts account is debited or credited if underline transaction is not found or when narrative provided is not traceable or unable to match
- Follow up on all items outstanding more than 1 day past value date for all critical debits /credits
- Conduct thorough Open search in TLM system for all un‐cleared entries before escalating to Pacific Branches TLM system Notes must be updated with all follow up actions as and when details are received from investigation institution ‐all items above 3 days must show evidence of all correspondence for AUDIT TRAIL
- Hold all resolved and unresolved files for investigations in own archive drive
- Daily check for Inward TT and Draft covers and advise PINS and Fiji Branches
- Annotate Stop Payments when requested by branches offshore banks on Drafts accounts
- Done reconciliation and training for the Pacific Branches (Westpac Vila, Samoa, Honiara, Cook Islands and Tonga) that were reporting to Fiji Business
- Relieved on Manager financial market role a number of times and on each relieve have received a outstanding rating, this exposure in the past years has enable me to upskill the interpersonal/human skills, Technical and problem solving skills, Analytical skill and communication skills
- Build my confidence level
- Daily balancing, matching and clearance of unreconciled items on bank accounts or product systems
- Where required, escalation with key stakeholders to execute timely resolution
- Active engagement in the review of exception cases and processes with the intent to improve the daily match rates, identify process improvement and look for emerging trends and common error types
- Through the review of end-to-end functions, drive the implementation of process improvements with a specific focus on customer experience and productivity gains
- Identify and eliminate root cause of errors associated with failed settlements by practising continuous improvement
- Successful implementation of Upgrade projects with outcomes focused on customer outcomes and productivity gains
- Strength in knowledge across all FX Financial Market Products plus local settlements of MoneyGram, RTGS ESA accounts CARDS Scheme Settlement flows
- Attend to all business related risks are identified, logged and managed in accordance with Westpac Group WRAP policy , Accord Incident Policy , Monthly Risk Controls , Global Payments Policy
- Monthly rendition Wrap certificate to finance team
- Evaluate root causes or rework causing increased unreconciled /investigations file and conduct partnership meeting with key stakeholders
- Liaison Contact Point with SMART Host team Sydney to escalate system issues and obtain fixes same day of detection
- Reduce reputation Risks and Customer impacts by advising Treasury Desk to fund account appropriately
- Respond to Correspondence and queries escalated by Overseas bank .Validate interest cost and seek compensation/back valuation to reduce expense for OD interest
- Identify ongoing issues and set up partnership meetings with both PNG and Retail Branches
- Raise system problem with IT Fiji and Sydney team
- Instigate/respond correspondence to /from /with all offshore banks /Branch and counterparty offshore bank
Manager
Westpac Banking Corporation
Suva
12.2021 - 02.2021
- Responsible for furthering the ongoing rhythm already established by specifically overseeing the specialised International operations effectiveness and efficiency results of these teams
- Core Responsibilities
- Manage business needs including expense control and accountability, procedural adherence, process improvements, problem escalation & disaster preparedness (BCP)
- Manage, mitigate and minimise risks associated with Financial Markets products
- Position Westpac as the Bank of Choice for all the Pacific locations with our expertise and accuracy in processing of International transactions
- Manage, motivate, provide regular coaching , training, learning and development to personnel for both PNG and FIJI team
- Processes are easy for our people to operate in and improve the quality of processing
- Conduct performance reviews, productivity management to staff under direct report to maintain the knowledge, expertise & professional standards Westpac is renowned for
- Initiate & formalise various continuous improvement initiatives from the insights gained on the operational performance of the business
- Provide ongoing business and expertise support to Fiji PNG and Finance Team
- Drive team to meet Service levels and productivity results
- Facilitate an environment where team members strive to “Delight our Customers” by fostering teamwork and cooperation across all functional units within Pacific Operations to ensure the customer is placed first in all dealings
- Working with business partners and process champions to develop policy/processes that will increase or bring Customer Value Propositions to life and drive customer satisfaction (NPS):
- Reducing effort that customers are required to go through in doing business with the bank
- Ensure timely delivery of products and services
- Effectively handle, escalate and follow-up customer compliments, issues and complaints, using judgement to resolve customer concerns on the spot
- Proactively build long term relationships
International Trade and Payments Processor
Westpac Banking Corporation
Suva
12.2006 - 05.2009
- Processing numerous international products with no processing errors or losses leading to high customer satisfaction
- Support self‐development through learning different International products to become a well‐ rounded International officer
- Core Responsibilities
- Inward and Outward Trade payments and document processing
- Foreign Exchange, Money Market deals, Offshore Placements and Forward Exchange Contracts
- Inward and Outward telegraphic transfers and RTGS payments routing Money‐gram balancing, AMEX traveller's cheques settlements
- Fax log sheet monitoring and verification
- Internet banking and facsimile transfer requests
- Foreign Currency Accounts opening/postings
- MIDAS deals, FX cover & Batch/Journal data input
- SAA system queue monitoring
- Processing work for other teams as requested
- Having a high quality output within agreed service levels
- Processing of trade payment (Letter of Credits, IFC, Collections, SBL and WTF)
Tellers
Westpac Banking Corporation
Suva
09.2005 - 12.2006
- Created strategies to develop and expand sales of services to exciting customers resulting in increased annual revenue
- Core Responsibilities
- Executed customer transactions, including deposits, withdrawals, money orders, (Money gram) and cheques
- Received recognition awards for error free telling and exceptional customer service
- Rapidly and efficiently prepared customer and ATM cash and change orders
- Maintained balancing records 100% rate of accuracy
- Sold travellers Checks and money Orders
- Executed wire transfers, stop payments and account transfers
- Processed exchange and foreign currency
- Handling of cash transactions
- Conduct foreign currency transactions
- Balance cash and advise supervisors of cash position
- Deliver personalized service to customers (face-to-face and via telephone) on various banking products, accounts and services in an effective and efficient manner
- Maintain Friendly and professional customer interaction
- Identifying cross-sell opportunities during customer interaction
- Train new recruits on teller duties
Tellers
Westpac Banking Corporation
Labasa
04.2003 - 08.2005
- Created strategies to develop and expand sales of services to existing customers resulting in increased annual revenue
- Core Responsibilities
- Executed customer transactions, including deposits, withdrawals, money orders, (Money gram) and cheques
- Received recognition awards for error free telling and exceptional customer service
- Rapidly and efficiently prepared customer and ATM cash and change orders
- Maintained balancing records 100% rate of accuracy
- Sold travellers Checks and money Orders
- Executed wire transfers, stop payments and account transfers
- Processed exchange and foreign currency
- Answered Telephone inquiries on banking products checking, savings, and Loans
- Maintain Friendly and professional customer interactions
- Social events Handling of cash transactions
- Conduct foreign currency transactions
- Balance cash and advise supervisors of cash position
- Deliver personalized service to customers (face-to-face and via telephone) on various banking products, accounts and services in an effective and efficient manner
- Identifying cross-sell opportunities during customer interaction
- Train new recruits on teller duties
- Selected Key Achievements
- Handled numerous customer complaints and issues with relative to customer service
- Provided banking services
- Volunteered in office function organising
Education
Master’s - Business Administration
Post-graduate Diploma - General Managers
MBA - undefined
Post-graduate Certificate - Human Resources
Professional Diploma - Business Management
Labasa Sangam SKM college
01.1998 - 04.2002
Fiji intermediate Examination – Pass - undefined
Sangam Primary School
01.1996 - 04.1997
Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Credit (1999) Fiji Mathematics Competition‐ Participation (2000) Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2000) Australian schools English Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2000) Australian schools English Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2001) Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Distinction (2001) Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2002) Fiji Mathematics Competition‐ Participation (2002 - undefined
Saint Mary’s Primary school
01.1990 - 04.1995
Fiji Junior Certificate Examination - undefined
Fiji Seventh Form - undefined
Skills
Problem Solvingundefined
Accomplishments
- Managing Your Career
- Customer Service Workshop
- Tellers Workshop
- Time management
- Telephone Skills
- Communication skills workshop
- Service excellence workshop
- Managing Change
- Financial Statement Analysis, Equity Valuation and interpreting Market announcement
- Part of the ITTR International Project Team
- TLM Project Team
- Leadership Workshop
Timeline
Manager
Westpac Banking Corporation
12.2021 - 02.2021
Reconciler
Nostro, Westpac Banking Corporation
01.2008 - Current
International Trade and Payments Processor
Westpac Banking Corporation
12.2006 - 05.2009
Tellers
Westpac Banking Corporation
09.2005 - 12.2006
Tellers
Westpac Banking Corporation
04.2003 - 08.2005
Professional Diploma - Business Management
Labasa Sangam SKM college
01.1998 - 04.2002
Fiji intermediate Examination – Pass - undefined
Sangam Primary School
01.1996 - 04.1997
Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Credit (1999) Fiji Mathematics Competition‐ Participation (2000) Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2000) Australian schools English Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2000) Australian schools English Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2001) Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Distinction (2001) Australian Mathematics Competition‐ Certificate of Participation (2002) Fiji Mathematics Competition‐ Participation (2002 - undefined
Saint Mary’s Primary school
01.1990 - 04.1995
Master’s - Business Administration
Post-graduate Diploma - General Managers
MBA - undefined
Post-graduate Certificate - Human Resources
Fiji Junior Certificate Examination - undefined
Fiji Seventh Form - undefined
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