American Express
Improving complex payment and operational systems
Worked across complex payment and operational systems — including transaction monitoring, KPI frameworks, data integrity, service performance and platform improvement across global environments.
Context
The context
American Express involved large-scale, high-risk financial systems with complex transaction lifecycles, global stakeholders, compliance requirements and operational dependencies.
Challenge
The challenge
Across multiple roles, improve the systems supporting authorisation, submissions, KYC, payment processing, merchant services, reporting, monitoring and operational resilience.
What I did
The work
- Led large-scale global programmes and operational improvement initiatives within complex financial environments
- Led a global compliance and KYC programme across EMEA merchant services with responsibility for a USD 2.5M budget
- Managed project managers and business analysts across international delivery workstreams
- Designed KPI frameworks using Six Sigma methods including process mapping, SIPOC and House of Quality
- Worked across authorisation and submission processes, including real-time and batch transaction flows
- Built data integrity and monitoring systems on AS400
- Developed out-of-pattern monitoring to detect unusual transaction behaviour before full processing
- Developed SLA monitoring to identify missing merchant submission files and alert stakeholders
- Built analytical data environments, structured raw data and created queryable datasets
- Produced bespoke reporting and dashboards for operational and financial decision-making
- Worked with delivery teams through standups, story grooming, user stories, backlog prioritisation and technical issue resolution
- Explored alternative service models for emergency card replacement, including distributed card production and virtualised card approaches
What changed
The outcome
Improved visibility, monitoring, data integrity and operational decision-making across high-value transaction processing environments.
Why it mattered
Why it mattered
In financial systems, small operational failures can have major consequences. Better monitoring, clearer processes and more thoughtful service design reduce risk for both the organisation and its customers.
Capabilities
What this work demonstrates
- Operational systems design
- Programme leadership
- Process and KPI design (Six Sigma)
- Data and reporting
- Compliance and risk
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