Austin Walker Email & Phone Number

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Washington D.C. Metro Area

- citiesRISE: Global Program Operations Consultant- Busara Center for Behavioral Economics: Risk Management Consultant

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Developed a strategic plan and operating framework to guide the department’s mandate and approach to working across 10+ countries on areas impacting the organization’s 600+ staff. Grew the department from a team of 4 with a $700k budget to a team of 11 with a $1.2M budget. Led annual goal setting and quarterly progress checks department-wide. Represented the department at Senior Leadership meetings, successfully advocating and garnering support for strategic investments in the organization’s global operating infrastructure and approaches.Led the management of and improvements to the organization’s global operating practices, including in the areas of: risk management, governance, new country entry, information management, knowledge management, safety and security, and information technology. Coordinated the organization's global COVID response in consultation with leadership and the board. Managed relationships with legal counsel, partners, donors and staff on areas of strategic importance to the organization.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Provided leadership to the U.S. based program team of 5, cultivating a culture of trust, humor, and passion. Provided professional development and guidance to direct reports. Managed aspect's of the program’s entry into Pakistan and Nigeria, and expansion in India, including: hiring and onboarding country teams; building relationships with government counterparts; developing leadership and board level briefs. Provided overarching financial oversight and management for ~$17M a year program, including: leading complex multi-country budgeting, designing monthly financial reports to promote informed decision making and planning; managing relationships with key donors and implementing partners on sensitive program, financial, and operational matters.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Maintained responsibility for the accuracy and quality of financials for rapidly expanding ~$8-10M a year program. Oversaw a critical donor audit, including a comprehensive financial reconciliation, which solidified ~$17M in funding. Developed a comprehensive tool to capture all program funding, commitments and gaps which strengthened funder confidence in the organization’s financial management and led to over $40M in funding between 2016 and 2019. Designed a program-wide budget template, subsequently adapted for use by the organization as a whole. Developed mechanisms to ensure efficient and compliant relationships with partners, including: contract development and execution, monthly invoicing, financial reporting, foreign exchange management, etc.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Managed the program’s cost-per-child analyses to monitor and highlight program’s cost-effectiveness. Oversaw end-to-end management of finances for rapidly expanding ~$5M a year program: • Conducted regular transaction level reviews to ensure accuracy and quality • Mapped historic budgets to organization’s chart of accounts to enable more efficient tracking • Developed ad-hoc financial reports to inform planning, resource allocation, and identify savings • Conducted initial reviews of all donor financial reports prior to submission

Kampala, Uganda

Worked with Principle Investigators at the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt Universities to design survey tools and methods for ensuring compliance with study protocols. Managed the research team’s relationships with Ugandan partners: the Electoral Commission, the Office of the President, Makarere University, Advocates Coalition for Development and the Environment. Oversaw all project finances including tracking expenses, adherence to budgets and donor reporting.Managed teams of 30-40 field staff tasked with conducting surveys across 11 counties in Uganda.

Nairobi, Kenya

Developed financial analytics to evaluate and strengthen the organization’s business model and wellness packages to increase access to healthcare among individuals residing in low-income settlements.

Mombasa, Kenya

Designed and executed research to explore how development organizations and Kenya’s newly devolved government could support urban youth on Kenya’s cost.

Lwala, Kenya & Clinton, Ny

Designed and executed research to gather Kenyan youth perspectives of development work in rural Kenya and reported results in honors thesis, Development Perspectives: Voices of Kenyan Youth

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Lwala, Kenya

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), International Development And Social Justice

International Development; Swahili Language