Caitlin Bender Email & Phone Number

Laurel, Maryland, Us

• Partner with the Group Supervisor to lead the 70+ members of APL’s Procurement Group, which is responsible for APL’s commercial and non-commercial purchases, subcontracts, construction contracts, furniture procurement, real estate leasing, and Small Business Liaison.• Responsible for drafting personnel requisitions, interviewing candidates and collaborating on hiring decisions, fostering diversity and innovation, and ensuring technical knowledge is exchanged within and beyond the group. • Work collaboratively across the Department and Lab to foster partnering and maximize impact to the organization. Assist in a creating a climate conducive to creativity, collaboration, diversity of ideas and respect for others. Partner in communicating and implementing vision and strategy for the Group.

Laurel, Maryland, Us

• Teamed with Program Managers, Financial Managers, and Operations Coordinators to identify operational priorities and develop approaches to ensure priorities are addressed. • Subject matter expert for inquiries made by staff members throughout the Mission Area in the areas of schedule, risk, quality, communications, procedures, etc.• Demonstrated creativity in resolving complex business issues, including the use of Tableau for Program reporting, Business Operations reporting, and ad-hoc data calls. Built reports and trained other staff in the use of Tableau, ultimately leading to adoption by other teams.• Served as the primary RA2 Management review for National Health proposals. Educate staff to ensure compliance with established processes, procedures, and quality expectations. Interview new hire candidates, collaborate on hiring decisions, and serve as a training lead on the REDD Business Operations Training Team.• Developed and implemented process improvement activities across the Mission Area and other Departments to promote increased team efficiency, effectiveness, and uniformity.• Responsible for strategic financial planning for the Mission Area, including data aggregation, analysis, and deliverables for the Director’s Office Review and Long Range Planning of over $46M in expenditures per year. Created and maintained monthly Mission Area reports including $6.1M of program development funds, overhead and direct program activities.

Laurel, Maryland, Us

• Used APL’s various internal business applications to prepare and present monthly financial reports, proposals, and fulfill audit requests as required per contracts, sponsors, Project Managers and Program Managers. Create ad-hoc reports using Excel and Tableau as required and to minimalize financial risk.• Partnered with Contracts and Program Managers in the interpretation of solicitation requirements and work with Laboratory procurement organizations to obtain sufficient basis of estimate information to support material and subcontract cost estimates.

Laurel, Maryland, Us

Laurel, Maryland, Us

• Partnered with APL Program and Project Managers on procurement planning and statement of work development, soliciting and evaluating subcontractor proposals, developing basis of estimates, conducting negotiations, preparing detailed cost/price analyses, and executing subcontract modifications in response to changing program requirements.• Managed nearly 60 subcontracts with values totaling more than $47M. Serving as a primary subcontract manager on multiple complex APL programs.• Mitigated program risk and unexpected cost growth by evaluating subcontractor performance and invoicing against monthly reports and estimates to complete. Successful negotiations have resulted in cost savings/avoidances of more than $1.2M to APL programs.• Led the development and implementation of subcontracting business process improvements, including an electronic approval process for all subcontracts. Utilize internal Management Information Systems, including the Oracle-based Enterprise Business Support System (EBSS), EBSS Business Intelligence (BI), and Funding/Planning/Budgeting (FPB). • Highly skilled EBSS and Excel user. Serve as a Department team-lead for EBSS enhancement team.

Baltimore, Md, Us

• Participated in a program designed to give new-hires a broad overview of research administration, including cradle-to-grave financial planning, procurement, and Government award management. • Partnered with Project and Financial Managers to follow research proposals through the entire administration lifecycle. Aided Contract Representatives during negotiations and administered modifications. Supported Grant Associates by interpreting solicitations and developing compliant proposal packages. Compiled financial reports and interacted with Program Managers to reconcile accounts for Estimate to Completion projections.

• Performed essential administrative duties, maintained records management databases, and generated reports from web-based information systems for Clinical Specialists. Oversaw operations and maintenance of department financial management system and provided training in SAP R/3, Microsoft® Access, and Microsoft® Excel to the Administrative Staff.

• Updated and maintained an electronic database of human tissue samples, documented storage locations of samples in the cryogenic freezer in a database, and aided the shipment of tissues and their supporting documentation. Generated invoices and managed several office accounts using QuickBooks software.

Columbus, Ga, Us

• Expanded customer relations while generating sales

• Worked with the creative team to plan and produce events• Event budgets in excess of $100,000

Chestertown, Md, Us

• Organized press releases and promoted campus events• Used a variety of operating systems and proprietary software

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Bachelor Of Arts, Business Management