One of DTCC’s biggest priorities is to invest in developing and retaining talent. One way in which we foster professional development is by promoting internal mobility, allowing employees to explore different roles within the organization.
Being adaptable and relying on her “true self” is what allowed Cristina Diaz, Client Analytics & Reporting Associate Director, to make successful internal moves at DTCC. We asked her to share her internal mobility story.
Authenticity is a buzzword in the financial industry and a true element of the culture at DTCC. And I really have been able to lean on my own authentic self throughout my time at DTCC, which started for me when I was an intern in 2017.
My career journey began in the Enterprise Business Operations department, and I was immediately attracted to DTCC’s work culture and the support employees receive from the management team.
From there, I was offered a position for our one-year rotational acceleration program, where I had the opportunity to learn about each department and fundamentally understand the core of who we are at DTCC. A year later, I was fortunate to be offered a role within the SIFMU Center of Excellence, a newly established team. For five years my primary responsibility was assisting with the Management Control Testing Program, leading the FICC’s foreign regulatory reporting and helping build out the centralized governance and remediation efforts for SIFMU’s internal control program. My time here allowed me to build a risk mentality and develop my project management skillsets.
In early 2024, I was fortunate to be offered another role as the Chief of Staff to the Global Head of Relationship Management. In this new role I assisted senior management on strategic initiatives with the purpose of enhancing the client experience.
I attribute my career success to the networking and relationships I build through the UNIDOS Employee Resource Group (ERG). UNIDOS, the Latinx/Hispanic ERG, really allowed me to build my leadership skills and demonstrate them to my previous and current management, I joined as a committee member and later became the UNIDOS Co-chair. I always recommend individuals who I connect with to join the ERG’s, it’s a perfect place to connect with like-minded individuals, share stories and experiences and build new relationships, all while promoting a greater purpose that aligns to the company’s vision and mission. It’s a community of people, where you can embrace your authenticity.
My advice to anyone looking to advance their career, is build a mentoring circle. This mentoring circle should have individuals from different career backgrounds and experiences to highlight different perspectives and outlooks that perhaps you didn't initially think of. We perceive change to be scary and it brings a sense of insecurity, doubt, and anxiety. But learning to be adaptable and shifting your perspective from scary to a new opportunity will enable anyone to take that next step in your career. Trust in yourself always.