It finance manager

RAKHI KOTHARI

** ******* *****

Hillsborough, NJ 08844

Cell: 908-***-**** ******@*****.***

SUMMARY

Accomplished financial manager with extensive expertise in IT and Telecommunication hardware/software asset management. Proven track record in reducing cost and improving turnaround time through automation and process standardization and enhancement. Recognized for exemplary customer service and innovation in issue resolution.

WORK HISTORY

CIGNA CORPORATION, Philadelphia, PA 1983 – 2008

IT Finance Manager 2000 – 2008

Managed a staff of seven that supported the full life cycle of asset management for CIGNA’s IT and Telecommunications hardware and software. Responsibilities include inventory control, asset recovery, redeployment, disposal, transfer, and retirement, as well as invoice processing and vendor management.

• Managed a high volume production environment supporting annual IT and Telecommunications procurement and maintenance contract renewals totaling $300M, 40,000 assets, and 25,000 invoices. Ensured that all financial and physical dispositions were accurately and timely maintained in all asset management and financial systems.

• Continuously improved team efficiency through process improvements and automation to enable supporting a 10% annual increase in volume with reduced staffing.

• Key project member in the selection of a new asset management system to replace the legacy mainframe tool, from the development of the RFP, total cost benefit analysis, to the implementation. Developed business requirements, designed and implemented new processes and procedures, and completed user testing including interfaces to the Oracle A/P and Oracle Fixed Assets systems. Saved $3M by preventing the purchase of a new discovery tool after initiating, researching and recommending the utilization of in-house discovery tools, Marimba and Netview Tivoli.

• Analyzed and reconciled IT HW Assets between various databases for the migration of assets to Asset Center.

• Partnered with one of CIGNA’s outsourced vendors to develop and implement a centralized approach for managing surplus computer assets; improved turnaround time to fulfill employee desktops/laptops requirements, thus reducing new computer purchases. Redeployed 2,772 assets for a savings of $2.6M in 2007, 3,566 assets for a savings of $1.9M in 2006, 3,752 assets for a savings of $2.1M in 2005, and 3,400 assets for a savings of $1.8M in 2004.

• Partnered with CIGNA Tax and financial resources to minimize tax liabilities and payments. Recovered $1M from the State of Connecticut as part of a State Sales & Use tax audit. Reduced sales tax liability for software maintenance for the Connecticut data center by increasing the utilization of electronically transmitted software instead of physical media. Supported recovery of $4M from the IRS by research and analysis of seven years of wireless billing to determine overpaid taxes, due to a new IRS ruling. Retired disposed assets from the Oracle Fixed Assets system to reduce annual personal property taxes on a monthly basis.

• Supported IT Finance planners for the annual $300M IT budget by reconciling actual invoices paid to budget and providing financial reports. Participated in a cost savings initiative to Co-term Software maintenance renewals, resulting in a savings of $40M. Reduced invoice paper processes, improved time and cost efficiencies by developing and managing Vendor EDI (Electronic Data Interface) billing for large volume vendors. Supported a company-wide initiative to consolidate and centralize Telecom billing of 4,000 invoices from 126 field offices to 500 summary invoices. Further improved invoice efficiencies by consolidating 2,500 Teleconference invoices down to 50.

• Key subject matter expert in the development and implementation of a new budget-tracking tool. Recommended interfaces with Asset Management and Oracle A/P systems to improve automation and accuracy.

RAKHI KOTHARI PAGE TWO

Senior Equipment Analyst 1994 – 2000

Managed a staff of five that supported asset management of CIGNA’s IT hardware and software. Responsibilities included inventory control, invoice processing, and computer equipment dispositions.

• Ensured high quality invoice processing and inventory control using a mainframe-based asset management inventory system through continuous process improvements, system related enhancements and proactive issue resolution.

• Created efficiencies to improve the reconciliation accuracy of interfaces between the multiple systems used for asset and financial management of IT hardware and software, including the AS400 Procurement system, the Asset Management System & Oracle A/P and Oracle Fixed Assets systems.

• Developed a standardized policy for the procurement, transfer, and disposition of employee computer assets. Partnered with Human Resources to integrate the policies with employee on-boarding/off-boarding.

• Managed three computer stock rooms, ensuring accurate accounting of assets and timely disposal of surplus for cost savings and efficient deployment to employees.

• Leadership role in resolving vendor management issues resulting from CIGNA’s divestiture of its property and casualty division.

Equipment Analyst 1986 – 1994

Ensured accurate and timely management of IT hardware and software assets. Responsibilities included invoice review, processing, and Subject Matter Expert in system and process automation and enhancement initiatives.

• Subject Matter Expert (SME) in the development, documentation, testing, and implementation of a Pay per Order process in VM Focus, mainframe based tool, to automate invoice processing.

• Key team member in the development of the ARGIS Software Inventory System for full life cycle tracking of mainframe/midrange software.

• Participated in the development of the Oracle Procurement, A/P & Fixed Assets projects.

• Developed and documented Help screens for the Hardware International Inventory Project in VM Focus.

• Provided adhoc financial inventory reports to the planners for budgeting and forecasting.

Telecommunications Analyst 1983 – 1986

Reviewed and processed telecom invoices.

• Researched and validated data and network charges with the data and network database.

• Notified vendors of inactive circuits, requested disconnects, and ensured credits were received.

• Maintained monthly reports for the Voice and Data spend for planners and managers.

• Supported the IT organization with special telecommunications projects.

EDUCATION

B.S. in Business Administration, Saurashtra University, India

TOOLS

• Peregrine GET Resources - Procurement Portal

• HP Asset Center - Asset Management Inventory Control & Invoice Processing Tool

• VM Focus – Mainframe Asset Inventory tracking tool

• Oracle Accounts Payables and Fixed Asset System modules

• Citrix Systems APEX – Duplicate payment & Vendor Spend reporting Tool

• Hyperion BRIO – Invoice & Fixed Assets Reporting Tool

• Peoplesoft – Human Resources Database

• Marimba - Software Discovery Tool

• Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint

SKILLS

Fluent in English, Hindi and Gujarati (dialects from India)

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