J. ROSABEL SELVARAJAH

240-***-**** (Mobile)

301-***-**** (Residence)

acvu2d@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY:

My professional expertise is broad and includes proficiency in accounts payable functions and Government accounting procedures. I posses excellent knowledge of payment and accounting operations, solid interpersonal, team spirit and communication skills (both written and oral), ability to manage tasks quickly/prioritize work effectively with minimal supervision, applying creative and practical problem solving skills.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Nathan Associates Inc. - Arlington, Virginia

Billing Specialist

May 2006 – March 2016

Billing government contracts including Time & Material, Fixed Price and Cost type contracts.

Work closely with Project Accountants to ensure accuracy of invoices.

Audit and process International and Domestic Travel Vouchers. Advise staff in filing claims and provide clear interpretation of Government Regulations and provide guidelines to enable them to understand what costs are allowable based on Federal Travel Regulations.

Process travel advances to employees and consultants for business travel and ensure they are fully liquidated when travel vouchers are submitted on completion of travel.

Research travel regulations, per diem rates, currency exchange rates and any other cost related matters to ensure that costs claimed are in compliance with government travel regulations.

Audit and process expense reports, reviewing receipts and making sure claims are in consistent with government regulations and thereby discern and make payments only for allowable costs. Also, process expense vouchers for company credit card holders by ensuring the charges are accurate and fully liquidated.

Ensure proper approvals in accordance with levels of authority for timeliness of payments for invoices and company credit cards. Initiate all collection activities including telephone calls and emails through Microsoft outlook.

Record and reconcile monthly credit card expense transactions for general ledger accounts and prepared journal entries as necessary for all credit card expenses.

Keep track of international travel for employees and consultants in order to prepare the Defence Base Act Insurance Billing.

USAID - Washington DC (worked through John Sawh Associates Inc. for USAID)

Voucher Examiner

June 2005 – April 2006

Processed full range of USAID worldwide program funded vouchers and ensured prompt and accurate payment.

Prepared payment reports as needed. On a weekly basis, I reviewed the voucher report, flag any unpaid vouchers for payment to avoid interest penalties, and ascertained that payment schedule avoids early payments.

Reconciled data input reports against project and operating expense documentation and referred corrections to the Accountant; this involved checking operating expense reservations and obligations, project element and information papers, earmarks and commitments, and advances and disbursements against the data posted by project accountants and operating expense accountants.

USAID – Colombo, Sri Lanka

May 1986 –April 2005

Financial Assistant/Voucher Examiner

1997- 2005

Served as USAID Sri Lanka’s primary voucher examiner for payment of vouchers of all types, and complexity for a $25 million Mission portfolio of project assistance, programs and operation expense funds.

Provided continuity and “institutional memory” for long-term projects, and ensured accuracy and integrity the disbursement of program and operating expense funds through the voucher review and verification process.

Processed institutional contract vouchers (AID direct contracts), program and operating expense vouchers, reviewed supporting documentation to ensure funds availability, compliance with USG/USAID regulations.

Reviewed adequacy of documentation to ensure appropriate authorization of certification from grantees and contractors, correct documentary evidence, and a valid binding agreement has been properly executed, recorded and on file. This required intense study of applicable sections of ADS Chapters, Foreign Affairs Manuals, Standardized Regulations and Federal Travel Regulations.

Processed local and international travel vouchers with the aid of Travel Manager Software. Advised Mission personnel in filing claims and clear interpretation of the regulations and guidelines to enable them to understand what costs are allowable based on Federal Travel Regulations.

In order to ensure compliance with USAID regulations and contracts and congruence with grantees’ monthly/quarterly summaries, conducted regular field voucher audits of grantees’ and contractors’ voucher procedures. I advised and coached contractor and grantee personnel in appropriate procedures thus monitoring and evaluating grantee and contractor compliance.

Maintained the bill for collection ledger.

Reconciled utility payments with relevant government institutions’ records.

Obtained weekly a copy of the unprocessed voucher report from the Mission's off-shore accounting station, and ensuring all vouchers are managed in accordance with US Government regulations.

Communicated with partners, stakeholders, Mission personnel, Embassy personnel and off-shore accounting station personnel on all matters pertaining to vouchers and payments; and acting as liaison between the Financial Management Officer all others concerned to resolve disbursement problems.

Ensured the production of timely and quality records and reports to the Mission.

Performed other job related duties, including backstopping functions of the Project Accountant/Financial Management Specialist.

Handled payroll functions using software such asAETA (American Employee Time and Attendance System) and WIN-T&A the FSN (Foreign Service National) payroll processing and reporting procedures.

Served as the Mission’s sub-Cashier.

Independently processed and filed all documents relating to loan and related agreements in conjunction with bilateral loans between the Government of Sri Lanka and the U.S. Government. Coordinate with USAID/Washington Loan Management Division.

Secretary to the Financial Controller

1986 - 1997

Operated as the principal administrative support person in the Office of the Controller coordinating the full range of daily administrative support activities.

Handled correspondence independently and reviewed correspondence and reports for errors.

Performed stenographic, typing and word-processing duties.

Maintained the Financial Controller’s calendar, and made all his/her travel arrangements for local and international travel.

Coordinated the incoming action correspondence and followed up with other secretaries and staff members to ensure timely action.

Organized and maintained the filing systems in the Office of the Controller and designed new filing systems when required.

CARE INTERNATIONAL - Colombo, Sri Lanka

(CARE is a U.S. based Non-Governmental Organization specialising in the provision of food aid to needy countries internationally.)

Program Assistant / Secretary

1976- 1986

Handled the coordination of food distribution to several districts of Sri Lanka, including the analysis of monthly beneficiary reports, correspondence with healthcentres, and the monthly allocation of food aid to the centers.

Functioned as the Secretary to the Project Supervisor of the Sri Lankan Government Ministry of Health/CARE Food Program.

SPECIAL TRAINING:

Training sponsored by the U.S. Government

USAID Financial Management Overview - USAID/Washington - August 2003.

Comprehensive Training in USAID Rules and Regulations, Cairo/Egypt,

June 2002.

• Introduction to Federal Accounting - conducted by the U.S. Graduate School,

Denver, Colorado, USA. - August 2001.

USAID Administrative Compliance Requirements conducted by the Center for Public Management, Philippines. - October 2000.

Financial Management of USAID Awards conducted by Center for Public Management, Philippines. – October 2000.

Voucher Examination, Travel and Transportation Workshop, held at USAID/ REDSO, Kenya - May 2000.

Time and Attendance Reporting Course held at FinancialServiceCenter, USAID, and Bangkok - May 2001.

Windows Time and Attendance 3.02 Workshop held at FSC/USAID, Bangkok - Mach 1999.

OTHER RELATED INFORMATION:

I am also knowledgeable with the following U.S Government operations manuals:

Foreign Affairs Manuals (FAMs)

Federal Travel Regulations

Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR)

Government Accounting Office Decisions (GAO)

USAID ADS Chapters

USAID Handbooks

Project Budget

Project Assistance-Host Country Contracts

Contracting

Grants

Procurement

Financial Management

Travel

AIDARs

USAID/Sri Lanka Mission Orders

ACHIEVEMENTS:

I received fourteen “Outstanding” and four “Commendable” performance ratings in my 19 years’ service with USAID/Sri Lanka. In addition, I have received several awards at regular intervals for superior performance.

EDUCATION:

Completed G.C.E. Ordinary Level and Advanced Level, which is the British System of Education which is equivalent to a High School Diploma.

References available upon request

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