Whitney Turner Email and Phone Number

Advises Senior Executives of unique conditions and issues which affect program/project activities. Provides guidance on interpretation and implementation of new and revised policies, regulations, and procedures. Establishes and adjusts short-term priorities based on direction from leadership. Collaborates with key officials and Senior Executives to ensure timely and responsive replies to communications. Builds rapport and engages with broad/multi-level stakeholders to support strategy development and transformation. Guides the planning and scoping of work, to be accomplished by employees, overseeing the schedule for completion. Identifies and analyzes problems, assessing relevance and accuracy of information to generate and evaluate alternative solutions, resulting in recommendations. Enables performance management and professional development of employees by facilitating the creation of robust performance plans. Provides ongoing feedback and opportunities to learn and improve. Identifies opportunities for expanding technical capabilities and prioritizes areas for improvement. Assesses resource and workload issues and promptly identifies solutions. Performs personnel tasks, i.e., processing leave requests and timesheets, and conducting monthly progress reviews. Hears, mediates, and resolves minor complaints from employees. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner. Serves in the position of the Assistant Director (AD) in his absence.

Develops, maintains, and updates project related documentation, i.e., Charter, Project Management Plan, Integrated Master Schedule (IMS). Identifies, documents, and evaluates potential risks and issues to proactively develop and implement strategies to mitigate risks. Actively participates in cross-functional groups to solve problems across various VBA Lines of Business (LoBs). Identifies opportunities for business process improvements within project scope. Works with senior management to resolve more complex problems. Compares actual performance against planned/scheduled performance. Creates verbal and written reports for Executives. Advocates, supports, and provides expert guidance and advice to LoBs, partners, and stakeholders in assessing and adjusting to changing situations, and in implementing innovative solutions to create organizational improvements, resolve problems, and achieve aggressive targets, Identifies new areas of opportunity for continuous improvement. Balances organizational change and continuity. Identifies gaps and oversees improvements in the collection, management, quality, and effectiveness of VBA performance data. Utilizes technology, data, and evidence to enhance processes, customer experience, and decision making. Promptly addresses noteworthy findings from internal and external audits and reviews. Manages group processes to achieve desired outcomes, using facilitation tools and techniques to maximize the group's decision-making potential and generation of innovative ideas and solutions. Explains, advocates, and expresses facts and ideas. Negotiates with individuals and groups internally and externally. Independently develops action plans to engage with current and future customers. Establishes and maintains strong relationships with clients that yield organizational and performance success.

Designed and implemented risk management procedures for the 2020 Integrated Communications Contract. Guided integration of risk management with other contract planning and management activities. Performed risk assessment to include analyzing current risks that are affecting the contract, while identifying acceptable levels of risk. Proactively identified emerging risks and report to relevant stakeholders. Performed risk evaluation to include evaluating the contract and contractor’s previous handling of risks, and comparing potential risks with criteria set out by the contract. Managed stakeholder mapping, prepare communications & respond to stakeholder’s inquiries. Developed and successfully delivered stakeholder engagement plans in accordance with the stakeholder engagement strategy. Arranged and attended stakeholder meetings with technical team members and ensure feedback of stakeholder responses and requests to technical teams are responded to. Strengthened engagement capabilities and identify the gaps and weaknesses. Provided information and analysis to the Deputy Program Manager that is accurate, sound and relevant. In conjunction with the Deputy Program Manager, developed an action plan resulting from engagement initiatives that improves communication outcomes. Designed, documented, implemented, and enhanced work processes that follow program/contract standards in the form of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Ensured the contract operates according to applicable regulations. Developed visual aids to coincide with SOPs.Provided analytical and troubleshooting expertise to enhance created sites, build custom workflows, and manage permissions and content. Provided advanced-level SharePoint 2010 and 2013 design work, custom development, and product implementation. Consulted with program managers to identify SharePoint requirements, conduct/coordinate customization, development of reports and unit testing.

Facilitated the definition of project scope and objectives, involving all relevant stakeholders in order to ensure technical feasibility. Defined project tasks and resource requirements. Assembled and coordinated project staff. Developed, published, updated, and monitored project schedules. Measured and tracked project performance & deliverables, specifically to analyze the successful completion of short and long-term goals and objectives. Assessed risk through identification, mitigation, and active monitoring of project level risks. Provided direction and support to project teams by implementing and managing project changes and interventions. Delivered clear and concise communication between project team members and management on project status, goals, and objectives. Managed stakeholder’s expectations.

Served as a liaison between Animal Care business units and MRPBS/Human Resources Division on all hiring and recruitment to ensure consistency in the execution of Agency policy and guidelines. Coordinated recruitment activities and explored recruitment sources in an effort to reach a diverse applicant pool. Developed, analyzed, and managed information in Microsoft Excel and SharePoint. Advised supervisors in understanding common staffing and placement concepts, principles, laws, regulations, and procedural and regulatory requirements governing the internal and external hiring processes of Federal employees. Developed instructional Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Developed applicant evaluation methods including paper panels, structured and behavioral interviews, and coordinate logistics with participants. Onboarded and orientated new hires. Coordinated procurement activity for services, equipment and supplies within the delegated procurement authority and Federal Supply Schedule Contract limitations and was responsible to utilization of the Integration Acquisition System (IAS). Maintained surveillance of performance and/or delivery of goods or services utilizing the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP). Responsible for transmitting verified invoices with the proper supporting documentation to the appropriate payment office, recommending approval or withholding of payment considering clauses and provisions of contracts, and insuring procurement activity close-outs are performed in a timely manner including deobligation of remaining funds.