Amber Sowa, Mba Email & Phone Number

United States

• Oversee daily operations of the division to include resource management, portfolio budget, human resource management, policies and processes. • Serve as liaison between senior management and program and operations support staff• Assist Corporate with the coordination of country and regional field presence, whether in the form of new offices, or as a supplemental of staff, equipment, and infrastructure to an existing office• Collaborates with leadership team on overall division strategic planning• Collaborates with leadership team in leading the development and maintenance of division portfolio of projects identified in growth areas for specified areas of expertise• Leads and participates in assessments, design team, capacity building, and program/project start-up activities• Responsible for ensuring all programs and activities comply with donor regulations and local laws• Improve and develop tools and process to monitor projects- financial, contractual, and deliverable tracking• Ensures quality of operational support to FHI 360 projects and programs according to FHI 360 standards• Supports the development of communication materials and other documents to disseminate EIDHS activities and results• Create standardized financial systems, budgeting, and reporting for the division including donor required reports• Review and monitor approved budgets including approval accrual reports, financial forecasts, budget realignments and other financial exercises• Participates in proposal development and review of cost proposals from federal agencies and private funding sources

• Oversee project operations including human resources, logistics, procurement and accounting/finance• Develop financial risk management and control strategies and will review and approve recommendations for financial planning and control• Provide leadership and oversight for financial reporting for annual budget planning, audit reviews and assessments processes• Prepare financial guidance to financial staff in field offices through memos, updates to policies, and procedure manuals• Develop and implement effective and efficient business processes and procedures• Develop and manage internal financial audits• Develop formal reporting system to communicate results of audit activities to management and FHI 360 regulatory compliance department• Select, develop and evaluate the personnel to ensure the efficient operation of the function• Liaise with the donor program finance and management team• Lead the creation of regular financial tracking reports to monitor project spend against the approved budget• Lead the preparation of project budgets• Monitor time spent by project staff and advise the technical Leads/PI if time is not being charged and spent according to the approved project budget• Advise project staff on USG/CDC requirements and provide training on financial management, record keeping, operational systems and policies as needed• Accountable for procurement procedures ensuring all required supporting documentation and approvals within agreed-upon thresholds• Provide strategic leadership to financial staff in a local, regional or HQ office• Provide recommendations and consults with management on financial performance and enterprise risk management• Develop and implement process improvement plans to ensure the project financial controls and operational procedures• Keep abreast with the latest trends in financial accounting and mentors’ staff• Develop capacity of team performance and drive for excellence

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Serve as financial lead to CFO and COO by strategically managing financial planning and allocation of growing operating budget (currently $130 million). • Prepare monthly and projected profit and loss statements, review and analyze incurred to date expenditures and revenue, and investigate variances from original budget.• Track accounts receivables and obligations and reconcile with general ledger.• Develop forward pricing rate proposal by establishing general and administrative, fringe, overhead, and materials and handling rates. • Support business units on monthly and annual financial projections and reporting, incorporating new initiatives into the budget, and reallocating resources as needed. • Oversee financial analysts, accounting outputs, and financial transactions for accuracy and consistency. • Develop short-term and long-term financial plans, projections, and cash flow based on probability of proposal wins, changes in project scopes, and project ends. • Develop financial models and analysis and evaluate cost efficiencies to support strategic initiatives.

Washington, Dc

• Communicated with senior level operations, technical, and financial staff on awards and budgets, financial execution, and variance to plan and forecast.• Managed diverse international finance and operations teams based out of Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, and Zambia.• Supported preparation and analysis of annual negotiated cost rate agreement (NICRA). • Managed annual expenditures exceeding $29 million; prepared monthly, quarterly, year to date, and ad-hoc financial reports highlighting trends and variances for US government funding. • Identified best practices, lessons learned, areas for improvement, and created financial training tools. • Designed and produced financial reports and rollout new financial system upgrade to field offices. • Oversight of proposal budget development by in-country financial teams; ensured proposals followed donor guidelines specifically Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. • Performed and completed special projects and other financial duties as required such as exchange rate analysis, report writing, and budgeting and proposal support for other countries outside of scope.

Washington, Dc

• Direct support to Sr. Director for two Department of Defense contracts with revenues of $60 million annually. • Provided project summary status reports to senior management as required or requested; produced tables and charts that correctly reflect analysis for presentations. • Managed commitments and subcontract efforts with emphasis on cost performance against plans to ensure effective and accurate program cost reporting requirements.• Monitored actual costs against established spend plans; forecast and tracked financial results throughout the year to meet budget projections.• Collaborated with contracts and subcontracts on billing, project accounting, and financial planning.• Prepared estimate at complete and estimate to complete briefings, documentation, and reports for business or financial case reports by project.• Developed spend plans including budgets and schedules to meet contract and project requirements. • Prepared purchase requisitions for subcontract funding, monitored funding status, and conducted first level approval on invoices. • Maintained and automated tools for accurate financial forecast projections.

Washington, Dc

• Worked directly with Vice President of Field Operations, Director of Advising and Testing Department, Country Directors, and headquarter and field office staff with implementing advising and testing programs in the Middle East and North African region.• Advised VP of Field Operations and Director of Advising and Testing on monthly reports, explaining variances to budget, and counseling on financial opportunities and risks in the market. • Provided management and mentoring to three program assistants in accordance with AMIDEAST’s policies and procedures, reviewed their financial reports, and approved sales and purchase orders they produced. • Managed operational processes for six projects, analyzed program performance, conducted financial reconciliations, and projected billings using Deltek CostPoint, Microsoft Excel, Impromptu, and Peachtree Accounting.• Conducted and participated in training on Deltek CostPoint.• Prepared and submitted proposals in accordance with U.S. Department of State (DOS) guidelines.

Mba, International Business

B.S., Business Administration, Marketing Concentration

Activities and Societies: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. National Kitchen and Bath Association

B.S., Interior Design

Activities and Societies: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc National Kitchen and Bath Association