Colleague Stories

What's your superpower?

Hey Adina, what are you working on right now?

I work for Virgin Money as a Financial Crime Investigator. At the moment, I am working on investigating and reporting on Unusual Activity Reports. These can come from our front-line colleagues in Branches as well as business and mortgage teams. You never know what the next case will be, and every investigation is different. That is what makes this job so fun, you keep your brain working and learning and no two days are the same. This role has challenged me to learn so much more about the different criminal activity that can be conducted through a bank account and most importantly how to spot it.

As well as my Investigator role, Virgin have been so great in allowing me and offering resources to keep up with my engagement and inclusion work. A big part of my passion and drive in life comes from great colleague experiences and the morale around me. Virgin has enabled me to head up the Culture Club for Financial Crime as well as other Engagement initiatives such as feedback days, collaboration initiatives, learning opportunities through ‘Lunch and Learns’ and even just collaborative colleague calls to celebrate birthdays or career moves within the business.

How do you use your superpowers and strengths to thrive in your role?

As someone who is part of the LGBTQ+ community and neurodivergent with ADHD, I used to shy away from admitting it, particularly in job interviews.  However, I have learnt that you can totally spin these things on their heads and that they can be your superpowers so you should celebrate them. 

For example, my ADHD helps me to hyperfocus on tasks, analyse and pick apart information, and think outside of the box to come to conclusions. In Financial Crime I find that is an amazing talent to have as you can spend a great chunk of time shifting through transactional information or adverse media on a case to locate the thing that blows it all open. I have also become far more adaptable, able to overcome challenges and barriers easier and I am an incredibly quick learner too. Given how no day or case is the same in Financial Crime, I am so appreciative of this superpower more than ever.

We’re all about empowering our colleagues to take the lead and invest in their development. You’ve joined the Vibrant career sponsorship programme at Virgin Money - What advice would you give based on what you have learnt so far.

The learning the Vibrant Career Sponsorship program has given me has been so invaluable, it has taught me how to be more confident and stronger, especially in my own career and best interests, but it is not just the learning that is to be shouted about. Vibrant has opened doors for me and given me opportunities to network with stakeholders and learn more about what is available for my career progression.

As part of my sponsorship, I have a brilliant sponsor who has been fantastic with his support and guidance on how to create a great CV and application, as well as setting me up with meetings with managers from other areas and initiatives. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience and has used this to help direct me and allow me to best navigate myself through my own career. I have had several amazing conversations to identify other areas of Financial Crime thanks to Vibrant and my sponsor. This has given me such great clarity on my career, and I feel so supported knowing there are whole teams dedicated to supporting your career within Virgin Money.

In terms of advice I would say, make your perceived weaknesses your strengths. Look into that thing that makes you different and identify how that can work in your favour, help you stand out and can support you in your career. I would also say, do not be afraid to be in your best interests. Shout up about what you want and how you can get that out of your role. You are your biggest advocate at the end of the day.

When are you happiest?

I have always found that I am happiest in nature, whether that is on a run or a walk. I love listening to the wind in the trees or a river running along my favourite routes, as well as just the peace of being in my own thoughts. I love an explore on a new trail and taking pictures of the nature, especially mushrooms which I have, in the last two years, been really interested in the identification and biology of. I also have a love of gardening and growing my own vegetables so being able to sit in the garden amongst everything I have created and grown from seed makes me so happy. And lastly, I would have to say with my pub quiz team ‘Bucket of Cheese’. Not to brag but we are pretty decent!

Day to day, what's the best bit about working for Virgin Money?

For me, I would have to say the opportunity to do a job I love without compromising on the bits of my life that I love. For example, working from home means I can go for a run before work rather than sitting in traffic, and their flexible working means that I can rejig my hours for appointments or other occasions.  As well as this, Virgin Money has no interest in seeing you sat in the same role with no progression if you are someone who wants to develop.