What is your name and your role?
My name is Ateeqa Yasmeen and I am the RTR Business Operations Manager here at Interac on the Business Execution (Commercial) team.
What is an interesting fact about you?
I am a foodie and Toronto being a global hub to many different cultures and cuisines, I enjoy exploring diverse delicacies every weekend. Coffee and desserts are my main interests and I have devoured some great local options when I moved to the Waterloo community early last year. To curb my foodie expeditions and balance it with healthy living, I am a regular gym goer at F45 Training to burn those calories that I intake every weekend.
What does a typical day at Interac look like for you?
As a Business Operations Manager I work on the Real-Time Rail (RTR) initiative within Interac which will enable Canada to better compete globally with faster payment options. My core responsibility is to manage and oversee the business management and operations support for RTR Vendor Services, ensuring products are both effectively and efficiently managed, including adherence to contractual obligations, regulatory standards and SLAs responsible for quality assurance activities. In addition, I am gaining a strong understanding of the domestic and global payments landscape, systems, and market usage across segments, including the ISO 20022 data scheme and associated business applications.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love the challenge of being told ‘no’ and turning it to a ‘yes’. I believe that the strongest organizations are those where employees feel connected — to each other and to their work. Meeting and socializing with cross functional units across the organization also keeps me up to date with recent occurrences and fosters collaborative relationships at Interac.
What comes to mind when you think about your journey at Interac?
It’s surprising how many things come to my mind in my very short time here of just one year, but I can say it’s the culture. People truly care about each other here, and the Executive team is truly invested in creating a people-centric organization where people matter.
Interac has inspired growth by giving me the opportunity to work alongside highly qualified and seasoned industry professionals. Establishing myself in the FinTech industry is extremely rewarding as it has allowed me to leverage my existing skill set in a fulfilling work environment. I was especially grateful for the opportunity to work on an innovative project and enhance my expertise by participating in numerous industry events like the Payments Canada Summit and Women in Payments. These experiences helped me refine my aptitudes and develop a strong sense of direction for my future career.
What has been your favorite project you have worked on at Interac?
RTR has been my priority thus far but I am keen on learning more about other exciting products like Interac e-transfer and Interac Verified solutions which are game changers in the Canadian economy.
What is a new skill or a piece of knowledge you have acquired since working in your role?
Ever since I embarked on my career journey at Interac, I have worked towards effective workflow optimization and keeping data dense repositories in a user-friendly format, easily accessible to all users. This has helped me thrive in times of chaos.
What makes Interac a unique place to work?
I think the Quiet Hours initiative here is amazing and so unique. At previous organizations, I often found myself in meetings all day and struggled to find time to work. With Quiet Hours, I feel empowered to take the much-needed time to thoughtfully think through feedback on marketing materials or analysis I’m working on.
