Hector Sierra Email & Phone Number

United States

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Contributed to the operational transition projects of the firm by creating and enhancing financial reports to improve visibility, communication, and decision-making process to upper management. Oversee the daily accounting operations, while ensuring that improvements that could positively impact financial performance were realized. Responsible for accounting, financial reporting, cash flow, forecasting and budgeting, payroll, 401(k) plan management and firm insurance policies. • Prepared and reviewed monthly financial statements. Drafted monthly comprehensive narrative for Directors that encompass monthly and year-to-date pertinent data with previous year comparisons. • Identified billing process inconsistencies that led to delays and impacted cash flow. To improve the process, we documented the billing process to ensure all details and features are available to Directors, bill managers and the billing team. We also implemented comprehensive billing process training during the onboarding process to ensure accurate procedures were communicated and in place from day one for new hires.• Developed a weekly snapshot encompassing cash projection which included invoiced and collected amounts, accounts receivable balances, work in progress, billable and non-billable hours (i.e., month-to-date and year-to-date).• Identified and rectified previous year calculation errors in the 401(k) plan, assuming oversight of the correction process.

Chicago, Illinois

Guided firm’s operational transition by reviewing and correcting all services and processes including: Accounting, Financial Reporting, IT, 401k Plans, payroll, banking, insurance and Marketing. Managed and drove change in a very established culture. Oversee the daily operations, increase productivity, improve processes, and reduce costs. Responsible for office management, accounting, finance, billing, budgeting, IT, 401k plans and vendor relations. • Overhauled accounting system to allow complicated reporting system as noted in the Partnership Agreement. • Created unique and extremely complicated reporting system which allocates income and expenses to Partners by timekeeper use (attorneys and paralegals). Create 15+ individual monthly financial reports and Profit & Loss statements. Previously, accountants and consultants had been hired without success. • Researched, hired, and worked closely with new IT Team to move firm to the cloud for all programs. Saved 50% in cost. • Increased productivity by redesigning compensation and bonus structure for Attorneys and Paralegals while improving profitability.• Updated and corrected 401k plans by working closely with plan accountants. Repaired several mistakes and created processes to ensure proper management going forward.• Implemented internal controls to financial operations, which allow strict security to processes and avoids fraudulent activity. Achieved 0% overpayments or double payments to vendors and service providers.• Transitioned banking relationship which allowed firm to secure PPP loans and improved service. • Transitioned Professional Liability insurance and saved 30%.• Transitioned Legal research program and saved 40%• Researched, hired, and worked closely with new Marketing Team. Launched new website and began social media presence.

Chicago, Il

Guided the firm’s growth and increased productivity by creating and correcting all processes and services including: Accounting, Financial Reporting, IT, 401k Plans, payroll, banking, insurance, legal research, phone/internet service and Marketing. Led mergers, collaborated in Partnership changes, and successfully overcame challenging situations on limited cash flow. Increased productivity by implementing bonus driven compensation packages for Associates and staff. Created and implemented Partner distribution system which improves cash flow and allows equitable distributions to Partners. Oversee the daily operations, increase productivity, and cash flow, improve processes, and reduce costs. Responsible for office management, accounting, financial analysis, billing, budgeting, IT, database, marketing, and vendor relations. • Increased productivity 25% by redesigning compensation and bonus structure while improving profitability.• Increased cash flow 50% by improving AR process, mastering electronic billing systems, and redesigning invoices. Achieved 99% collection of Accounts Receivable.• Redesigned the Paralegal Team to become a profit center while completing back-office activities including electronic billing. Also resulted in improved processes, reduced headcount, staff restructuring and a reliable database (25% operating cost savings). Created and documented all processes as a risk management measure.• Managed and designed compensation packages to attract new partners/principals and ensuring firm profitability.• Implemented internal controls to financial operations, which allow strict security to processes and avoids fraudulent activity. Achieved 0% overpayments or double payments to vendors and service providers.• Partnered with IT Team and implemented cutting-edge technology, allowing a paperless, rapid and flexible workflow.

Mexico

ContiTech manufactured and shipped air spring systems from Mexico to the US and Europe. There was a lack of accuracy in the inventory and that caused production stops and delayed shipping to customers. Through several projects working with Production, Quality Control, and IT we were able to identify errors in the process and improve our production and shipping to customers. Responsible for sourcing of direct and indirect materials, imports and exports (Europe, US, and Mexico), inventory control, warehouse management and database management. The priority of this position was to avoid production stops and timely shipping to customers.• Led team to the logistics department process reengineering project, which resulted in reduced error level by 50%, avoided production stops, reduced shipment delivery time while reducing transportation cost of exports and imports by 25%.• Improved processes include purchasing, inventory, and shipping• Led operation managers to information system reliability project by partnering with the IT Team, identifying process owners and encouraging a teamwork approach.• Achieved 30% cost reduction on commodities by negotiating and working with suppliers on continuous improvement projects.• Led logistics department to VDA and QS9000 certifications. Ensured all processes are documented as a risk management measure. • Devoted 5 hours a month instructing staff in business processes and operations which facilitated workflow and decreased error level.

Tempe, Az / Mexico

Honeywell Global Business services provides administrative services to 27 business units in North America. Services include: Finance, accounting, accounts receivable/payable, IT, payroll, tax and HR. I was responsible for collaborating in the transition to SAP and ORACLE, outsourcing processes from US to Mexico and improve the supply chain to avoid production stops. Managed team of 15. Responsible for sourcing related customer service for 27 business units located in the U.S. and Mexico. The priority of this position was to avoid production stops and ensure the secure payment of international suppliers with strict internal controls in all departments involved.• Improved customer satisfaction 80% by attending to customers proactively and identifying potential problems.• Reduced supplier payment complaints by 60%, avoided credit holds and production stops by partnering with the IT Team and leading improvement projects with Purchasing, IT, AP and Warehouse managers of several business units.• Led the accounts payable outsourcing project (moved the process from US to Mexico) for Aerospace and Turbo Charging Systems divisions; received “Teamwork Award” in Honeywell’s “Quest for Excellence”.• Collaborated SAP and ORACLE implementation for business units located in the US and Mexico. • Devoted 5 hours a month instructing staff in business processes and operations which facilitated work flow and decreased error level.

Master Of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Global Mba

Specialized in Latin America

Bachelor’S Degree, Business Administration, Management And Operations

Specialized in Globalization