Financial Management Operations

Mazhar Ahson

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SENIOR FINANCE PROFESSIONAL

30+ years in aссоunting, budgeting, financial аnаlуѕiѕ and management, foreign assistance, grants and IAA management and auditing experience in domestic and overseas United State Government(GOV) environments ~ Expert leadership for managing large complex financial operations domestically and overseas ~ Expert knowledge of State Department overseas working capital fund (ICASS) operations, policies, and payment processes ~ USG and Department level expertise in appropriation law, federal travel, acquisition & standardized regulations, payment processes, and financial management of large agency wide grants and assistance ~ Experienced senior auditor ~ Trainer of U.S. and Locally Engaged Staffs (LES) in multiple financial Topics in multi-cultural contexts ~ Experienced consultant for federal agencies new to overseas operations ~ Experienced consultant for federal agencies in managing and implementing effective internal controls ~ Expertise in federal acquisition, travel, standardized regulation ~ Top Secret Clearance ~ Certified Public Accountant (CPA) ~ Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) ~ Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA)

Experienced in developing federal assistance financial management policies for Grants, Bilateral Agreements, Cooperative Agreements, for State Department’s $12 billion Foreign Assistance portfolio.

Expertise in providing oversight and effective management over payment processing both domestic and overseas for federal assistance financial management for Grants, Bilateral Agreements, and Cooperative Agreements of State Department’s $12 billion Foreign Assistance portfolio.

Extensive experience in preparing and managing Mission’s International Cooperative Administrative support Services (ICASS), Diplomatic & Consular Program (D&CP), Public Diplomacy, and Diplomatic Security budgets up to $95 million annually along with other agency’s budgets at U.S. missions in Pakistan, China, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ghana and Afghanistan.

Experienced oversaw of voucher processing operations for Mission’s payments and cash operations in accordance with applicable federal financial, travel and acquisition regulations and in accordance with appropriation law.

Principle Certifying and Funds Control Officer for Millions of dollars of simple and complex transaction and travel vouchers for U.S. Missions oversees and domestically in accordance with applicable federal financial, travel and acquisition regulations and in accordance with principles of appropriation law.

Monitored, reviewed and tracked expenditures against multiple appropriations for up to 55 different agencies. Presented and provided periodic status of funds reports to the Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, Management Counselor, and agency heads. Briefed VIP’s and Congressional Delegations.

Over the 25 years, supervised several Financial Management Officers, Eligible Family Members, and Locally Engaged Staffs of up to 37 people.

Over the Years, streamlined accounting processes and financial reporting for DOS’s largest financial operations to create more efficient and cost effective operations.

Extensive and comprehensive understanding of budgeting, funding related to International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) programs both domestically and overseas including comprehensive understanding of Bilateral Agreements, LOA, and Other INL specific processes such as effective monitoring of advances and travel grants .

core competencies

Overseas and Domestic Financial Management Oversight

Financial Analysis

Financial statements

Federal Auditing(DOD,DOS,PBGC, IRS, Congressional Offices Etc.)

Interagency Agreements

ICASS Invoicing

Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) /Foreign Affairs Handbook(FAH)

Federal Travel Regulations

Federal Acquisition Regulations

DOSAR and DSSR

Large Team Leadership

Grants Management

Cooperative Agreement Management

Bilateral Agreement Management

Budget Formulation and Execution

Collaboration

Negotiation

Financial Internal Controls

Statements of Assurance

Supervision

Strategic Planning

Ad hoc Reporting

Procurement

Certification of Payments

Microsoft Office

Coast Cashiering and Reporting

Top Secret Clearance (Valid 2021)

Momentum, E2

ILMS Ariba

Oracle

DOS Data Warehouse

Mission Strategic Plan

LOA Management

Program Advances

Grant Travel Program

Consolidated Oversees Accounting System Toolbox (COAST)

Financial Management Activity Report( FEMR)

Management of Interagency Agreements (IAA)

Program Management assessment and evaluations.

HHS Payment Management System (PMS)

transferable competencies

Expert in Federal Financial Process & Administration

Federal Budgeting (Coordination, Formulation, Data Collection, Preparation, Prioritization, Alignment, Justification, Presentation, and Execution)

Federal Accounting, Vouchering, Pay rolling, Cashiering, and Auditing

Management of Apportionments and Allotments

Forecast/Trend Projections, Variance Analysis, and Reporting

Managerial Statistics / Project Management

Project Management Assessment

Financial Management Training

Foreign Assistance Training in Grants, Bilateral & Cooperative Agreements & Invitation travel

Defending and negotiating issues involved in executing large organization's strategic goals.

Planning & Management

Effectiveness of Work Methods & Procedures

Manpower Utilization & Delegation of Authority

Financial Systems Controls & Implementation

Expertise in COAST, Momentum, FEMR, E2, ILMS, Data warehouse

Expert in INL Financial Processes

Expertise in Grants and Program Monitoring and Evaluation

professional experience

Overseas Private Investment Cooperation (OPIC) – Senior Consultant January 2017- Current

Advisor to OPIC Senior Management for various oversees Office issues

Developed financial management and administrative Policies and procedures for OPIC’s five oversees Offices in Africa, East Asia Pacific, & Middle East

Liaison with Various Offices in State Department to resolve and address administrative and financial management issues for OPIC’s oversees offices.

Manage the funds and financial operations for 3 Interagency Agreements (IAA) of about 8 million dollars.

Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) – Senior Advisor Aug. 2016- Dec. 2016

Assisted in Conceiving & Developing a worldwide bureau plan (Financial assistance and Support Team (FAST)) for Managing Financial Resources and Funds Control for the Bureaus High Profile Missions in terms of dollars and risk. FAST was conceptualized to provide better funds controls on the front end, development of unified standardized streamlined procedures, build and sustain institutional knowledge in a guidebook, develop standardized policies and procedures.

Assisted in developing staffing and work plan for the new Office

Prepared and/or reviewed financial plans for various INL Foreign Assistance Programs worldwide. The support included reviewing LOAs, Grants, PRs, Contracts, Claims, IAAs, IPACs, etc., reconciled bulk & sub-obligations recorded in FMAR with COAST, ad-hoc queries on the spending trends and reconciliations.

Worked with senior staff in reducing millions of dollars of INL Bureau’s Unliquidated Obligations for almost 100 plus programs world Wide.

Worked with senior staff, in Washington DC and posts worldwide to reconcile open advances (non-travel) in numerous INL funded programs worldwide.

Assisted in resolving complex financial and system issues before the year end closing

American Embassy Abidjan - Regional Financial Management Officer (FMO) August 2014 – July 2016

During period of significant Mission expansion, prepared and managed ICASS, Program, Public Diplomacy, and Diplomatic Security budgets totaling approximately $20 million annually in addition to operating budgets totaling approximately $3 million for 10 other U.S. Government agencies operating in Abidjan.

Supervised 10 Mission employees including one Eligible Family Member and nine Locally Engaged Staff.

Monitored, reviewed and tracked expenditures against multiple appropriations for 11 agencies.

Advised agency heads and representatives on establishing Mission presence and facilitated integration of financial operations for agencies such as Oversees Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Foreign Commerical Service (FCS), Millenium Challenge Coorporation (MCC), and Treasury at post.

Worked with the Ambassador and INL Washington in opening the INL office in Abidjan and in hiring and training the Locally Engaged Staff

U.S. Department of State – Director, Federal Assistance Financial Management July 2009 – July 2014

Developed and administered financial management policies and controls for Department’s $10 billion annual federal assistance programs. Developed and advised on payment policies and procedures for grants and cooperative agreements issued by Department offices and overseas Missions.

Advised Department principals, budget directors, procurement policy staff, and grants officers in Department regional and functional bureaus and overseas Missions on implementation and interpretation of policies and controls.

Promoted Department compliance with USG and agency-specific grants and financial regulations and laws in cooperation with financial auditors, GAO auditors and OMB.

Developed and Implemented Department wide concise Policy for Invitational travel. Provided domestic and overseas training on invitational travel.

Led the Department’s effort to fully automate grant life cycle processing both domestically (SAMS) and oversees through ILMS

American Embassy Cairo – Supervisory Financial Management Officer (SFMO) July 2008 – July 2009

Prepared and managed Mission Cairo’s ICASS, Program, Public Diplomacy, and Diplomatic Security budgets of approximately $25 million annually along with annual budgets totaling about $9 million annually for ten other U.S. Government agencies operating in Cairo. Managed the financial operation of the U.S Consulate in Alexandria.

Supervised one U.S.direct-hire Financial Management Officer along with one Eligible Family Member and 15 Locally Engaged Staff.

Served as primary point of contact for establishment of Treasury Department presence and integration of agency budget operations within Mission.

Streamline the Financial Management Office processes and procedures and hired and trained senior staff in budgeting and vouchering

American Embassy Beijing – Supervisory Financial Management Officer (SFMO) August 2003 – July 2008

Served as primary point of contact for all agencies establishing new presences in Beijing (Coast Guard, Food and Drug Administration, Treasury, U.S. Patent Office).

Managed financial operation of all the U.S consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenyang and Wuhan. Served as Mission’s Principal Certifying Officer, certifying more than 40,000 vouchers.

Served on Board of Directors for International School of Beijing.

Oversaw budget of $600 million for new embassy compound.

Develop a comprehensive plan for the almost 30 million dollars acquisition plan for the classified and unclassified equipment for the New Embassy Compound.

Planned and managed USG financial operations of more than 30 million dollars for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Developed strategy and financial plan for increase of 50 U.S. direct-hire employees to Mission staffing levels.

Led and plan for the efforts in opening the consulate in Wuhan

Embassy Islamabad and Kabul’s Senior Financial Management Officer (SFMO) August 1999 – August 2003

Established financial operations for the U.S. Mission in Kabul. Recruited and hired local financial management staff.

Established comprehensive Kabul support Unit in Pakistan which included processes for electronically managing Embassy Kabul funds and voucher processing out of Pakistan.

Prepared, executed and managed ICASS, Program, Public Diplomacy, and Diplomatic Security budgets of approximately $40 million annually in addition to annual budgets totaling approximately $10 million for 25 other U.S.

Government agencies operating in Islamabad and Kabul. Managed financial operations of U.S consulates in Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi.

Supervised one U.S. direct-hire Financial Management Officer, Eligible Family Member & 25 Locally Engaged Staff.

Served on Board of Directors for Employee Association and International School of Islamabad. Served as Chair of Employee Association.

Department of State, Office of Inspector General – Inspector December 1997 – July 1999

Management Inspection including Security, System, Financial Management, Human Resources and General Services Offices of the U.S. Embassies Paris, Lusaka, Papua New Guinea, Suva, Paramaribo, Lusaka, Lilowanga and US mission to United Nations.

Deputy team Leader for Thematic inspection of the critical Foreign Service grievance process led to streamlining of the grievance process.

Deputy Team Leader for the Thematic Inspection of the review of Special Embassy Program

Prepared a comprehensive Worldwide reviews of the Implementation of the ICASS and Mission Program Performance (MPP)

Department of State, Office of Inspector General - Senior Audit Manager March 1995 – December 1997

Managed and Conducted Financial Statement Audits of Department Of State Gift Funds, Unliquidated Obligations, And Working Capital Fund

Government Accountability Office - Auditor February 1991 – March 1995

Managed, Conducted, Performed Financial Statement Audits of Internal Revenues Service, Custom, Army, Navy, Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), Senate Sergeant At Arms, House Recording Studio, Senate barber Shop, Office Of independent Council.

Assisted in the background work for Government Performance Review Act, Chief Financial Officer Act, and Draft of the Yellow book.

Other Professional Work

University of Idaho - Budget Analyst February 1989 - February 1991

New York Life, Moscow Idaho - Field Agent June 1986 – January 1989

awards

Group Honor Awards – Meritorious (1998, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009); Superior (1998, 2003, 2007)

Individual Honor Awards – Meritorious (1995, 2006); Superior (2003)

Department Of State Comptrollers Award for distinction in Public Finance, August 2001

Distinguish honor award from National Grants Management Association, August 2011

Secretary of State Award for distinguished service – 2016

COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE

City of Fairfax Representative to State of Virginia Health Commission

Vice President, United Way of Latah County, Idaho

Vice President Of Graduate Professional Student Association At Washington State University

Board of director for International School of Beijing, and Pakistan

Chairman Of the Board Embassy Pakistan Commissary

Security Clearance, education and professional Certification

Top Secret Clearance since 1991 valid through 2021

Certified Grants Management Specialist, National Grants Management Association 2013

Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM), Association of Government Accountants 1997

Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Licensed in State of Virginia 1993

Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) 2016

Washington State University, MA, Adult and Continuing Education 1987

University of Idaho, MBA, Business Administration 1986

Washington State University, Master Of Sciences, Agricultural Economics 1985

Washington State University, BS, Accounting/Finance 1983

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