Ahmed Popalzai
Fredericksburg,VA
Summary
A senior Project and Operations Manager with over 22 years of experience leading U.S. Government contracts, nonprofit programs, and international development initiatives. I have successfully managed complex, multimillion-dollar projects funded by U.S government, United Nations, and Australian Government across the Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and the United States.
My experience includes:
Project Management of USAID programs and projects throughout West Africa and the MENA region, with operating budgets of up to $120 million.
Financial analysis for federal programs with budgets over $12 million annually.
Business development and proposals.
Communications.
Procurement.
Logistics.
Cross-cultural management.
Subaward management.
Reporting and deliverable creation and management.
Personnel and team management experience.
I offer a strong blend of strategic planning, grants and compliance management, cross-functional team leadership, and operational execution. My background includes overseeing field offices, engaging with senior stakeholders, and ensuring full compliance with FAR, AIDAR, and 2 CFR 200 regulations.
I am currently seeking opportunities in the nonprofit, corporate, or consulting sectors, where I can leverage my expertise in program delivery, risk mitigation, capacity building, and operational innovation. PMP certification in progress. Fluent in English, Urdu, Farsi, and Pashoto.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Project Manager – MENA
Management Systems International (MSI)
05.2022 - Current
- Responsible for overall operations, contractual compliance and financial management of the $44 million Afghanistan Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity (AMELA) project.
- Develop operational processes, management tools and templates, best practices, and understanding of internal policies/procedures.
- Cooperate with FO management on operations and support.
- Manage and monitor project finances/financial forecasts.
- Prepare contract modification documents and budgets.
- Oversee contractual execution of sub-contracts.
- Coordinate with MSI’s Contracts unit on contractual matters.
- Communicate with USAID.
- Oversee project procurements, recruitment, and solicitations.
- Conduct periodic audits of project operations and provide targeted support.
- Point of contact for external audits, including SIGAR audits.
- Supervise, mentor, and build confidence among junior staff. Collaborate with FO management (COP/DCOP) on capacity building, support and morale issues.
- Point of contact for Clients and partners.
- Adhere to/promote highest ethical and compliance standards.
Project Manager
Reading for Success – National Program for Reading (RFS – NPR)
01.2020 - 10.2022
- Managed the $2.6 million USAID-funded project (sub to Creative) in Morocco. This includes the overall recruitment process, budget management, reporting, communication with the client, reviewing vouchers, and project expenditures, tracking actual spending against project projections, and providing financial guidance to the technical team to develop sustainability initiatives and budgets.
Indonesia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Platform
09.2020 - 05.2022
- Manage the $2 million USAID-funded project (sub to Panagora) in Indonesia. This includes the overall recruitment process, budget management, reporting, communication with the client, reviewing vouchers, and project expenditures, tracking actual spending against project projections, and providing financial guidance to the technical team to develop sustainability initiatives and budgets.
Project Manager
Afghanistan’s Measure for Accountability and Transparency (AMANAT)
05.2016 - 05.2022
- Financial and budgetary tracking, including overall BTFM, PEEAC, and PFM.
- Labor processing (CCN/TCN/USN).
- Processing pending payroll (approximately $1.5M)
- Assisting the technical team with the hiring of associates and the processing of labor agreements;
- Review vouchers, project expenditures, and track actual spending against project projections; and
- Responsible for providing financial guidance to the technical team to develop sustainability initiatives and budget for project functioning.
- Supporting the SIV/P2 efforts and tracking staff due to security, including weekly communication with 50 CCNs.
- Supporting the SPM with other daily activities.
The Performance Management Support Contract (PERFORM)
07.2019 - 04.2020
- Support the $96 million USAID-funded PERFORM project in Pakistan
- Supervise travel and logistics for all USN/TCN consultants and HO staff, and make sure it is contractually acceptable.
- Oversee USAID Partner Vetting requirements for all USN/TCN/HO staff.
- Manage the projects Organization Conflict of Interest for all SOW, nondisclosure agreements and exit briefings.
- Review and approve timesheet/invoices, expense reports, field expense reports, and subcontract invoices.
- Manage project budget, invoicing, and overall financial reporting to senior management and client.
Supervisory Agent
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Supervisory Agent, Third Party Monitoring
01.2018 - 07.2019
- Proactively liaise between headquarters and field team on financial and contractual matters, resulting in consistent compliance with donor rules and regulations. Assist the Home Office Sr. Project Manager and the Field Office Team Leader with all necessary tasks related to the accounting and financial management of the project. Monitor and facilitate compliance of sub-contract actions such as reports, deliverables, contract modifications and contract extensions. Recruit, mobilize, and demobilize short-term consultants and long-term project staff. Manage and build the capacity of local administrative staff in the field. Assist in tracking project expenditures and profitability. Handle all documentation of field purchase orders and subcontract procurements. Review expense reports and process travel reimbursements and other payment requests. Conducted two filed trips to assist the FO team with the transition from the ARTF Villa to Baron, this included: 100% accountability of project inventory. Finalize sub-contracts. Retrain ARTF’s procurement specialist on MSI’s required procurement documentation. Assisted the FO team with day to day activity. Assisted with cross-project coordination. Review/audit of HR, Finance, and procurement filing and procedures.
Geospatial Database Quality Control Specialist
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Supervisory Agent, Third Party Monitoring
11.2017 - 01.2018
- Preparation, cleansing, matching, validation, and sharing of data records associated with specific ARTF projects for delivery purposes. Subproject records quality control for all three main aspects of infrastructure based reports: Construction Practices, Environmental and Social Safeguards and Project Management (PM). Identify/clarify deviations. Assist with the Quarterly and Annual Report data analytics and visualization. Maintain and manage Egnyte and Ardea databases. External data search and data capture in the ARTF Geospatial database. ARTF geospatial database queries for internal and external data requests. Continually track and report ARTF results by geography, IPs, and related criteria. Periodic and ad hoc trend analysis, visualization and reporting. Periodic renewal of Ardea dashboard content. Track and report on Ardea dashboard use. Suggest and implement improvements to the Ardea dashboard. Design, development, and refinement of ARTF TPM data collection forms in order to facilitate accurate and comprehensive capture of quantitative and qualitative data in Afghanistan. Analyze data and prepare reports as necessary for the ARTF Technical Manager and other managers as required.
Geospatial Analyst and Database Administrator
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Supervisory Agent, Third Party Monitoring
11.2016 - 11.2017
- Review and edit the Environmental, Social safeguard, and Safety sections of all subprojects (120 to 150 subjects every month). Draft the Environmental, Social safeguard, and Safety section of the monthly report. Develop and refine data collection forms in MS Word and the Fulcrum app to facilitate accurate and comprehensive gathering of quantitative and qualitative data in Afghanistan by SA field staff. Maintain the ARTF TPM program’s Egnyte database containing data collected and generated within the scope of all program activities. Query the geospatial and non-geospatial ARTF TPM databases for specific information in order to meet internal and external data requests. Conducted monthly, quarterly, annual and ad-hoc analysis of ARTF TPM data in order to meet World Bank requirements and following MSI guidelines. Develop and implement data visualization strategies, including but not limited to charts, images, diagrams, maps, tables, etc. for monthly, quarterly, annual and ad hoc analysis, reports and presentations.
Associate Program Officer
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
10.2013 - 03.2016
- As an Associate Program Officer, I was responsible for supporting program operations, including budgeting, scheduling, and reporting, for active infrastructure development projects in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia and the Middle East. The responsibilities included frequent trips to the field offices; ensure timely completion of deliverables and adherence to project budget and schedule; collecting and analyzing data from Project Management Reports, monitor projects’ performance through project deliverables and milestones progress/achievement; produce bi-weekly project status reports; attended monthly project review meetings and present finding/solution to findings; ensure projects’ compliance with U.S. Department of State, USAID, and other donor requirements, such as FAR, and ADAR; conduct weekly VTC/Skype call with project directors to discuss project activities and other project related matters; produce weekly Program Operations Report for Senior Management Team; work with the field offices to collect and analyze various data (project information, manuals, etc.), develop surveys/questionnaires; conduct data analysis on project status/progress and present findings to senior management, conduct new hire interviews; mentor new team members on organization’s policies and procedures, manage internship programs; coach and evaluate interns and temporary employees; research and coordinate registration process in foreign countries; negotiate and liaise with other agencies as needed; manage country registration; close coordination with Finance and Contracts; maintain and update project database on SharePoint Intranet (Project status/progress including financial report); manage project start-up activities; conduct the new project start up meetings; review grant, contract agreements, and the budgets; identify project supporting team, assign action items to the team, and ensure completion of the tasks; maintaining close relation with host countries, especially the Government of Afghanistan by meeting and discussing issues regularly; develop training materials for in-house project management reporting system; develop Standard Documentation Checklist for projects, incorporating different donor requirements with the organization’s requirements; conduct training as needed; manage the IRD’s relation with Afghan Embassy in Washington DC, and assist the Travel Department with urgent Afghan visa or any other requests; manage the arrangements of corporate events, including annual leadership conferences for over 200 attendants.
- Program portfolio includes: – $126.5M USAID-funded program, providing quality assurance of the U.S. Government funded infrastructure projects throughout Afghanistan. – $39M World Bank Third Party Monitoring program in Afghanistan. – $1M World Bank Third Party Monitoring program in Yemen– $6.4M DFAT-funded Public Financial Management-Afghanistan.
Country Representative
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
01.2011 - 08.2013
- As the Country Representative, I was responsible for supporting the IRD’s projects in Afghanistan (EQUALS, ACAP II, SRAD, ARTF, SIKA Sought, SPR & DAFA III). The responsibilities were: Maintaining IRD’s registration/legal status with Ministry of Economy, Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA), Ministry of Interior Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prepare semi-annual & annual reports to Ministry of Economy; assist the Finance teams with the preparation and submission of Financial Report/Annual Tax Return to Ministry of Finance. Lead and supervise the Administration and Government relation departments of all eight projects; support them with obtaining approvals from varies ministries and government agencies. Support the Country Security Office (CSO) with obtaining the required approvals from the Afghan government for the improvement of compound security. Provide training on how to keep a positive relation and communicate with deferent government ministries and departments; primary contact point between IRD and the Afghanistan government; represent IRD’s activities to local communities and the Afghan government; support development of outreach and awareness strategy. Meet with sub-contractors and resolve claims and lawsuits; meet with Chief of Parties on a monthly basis to discuss project activities and identify issues, find a reasonable solution to any problem that may arise; manage the legal status of almost 150 expatriates staff in Afghanistan, Help projects with tax related issues.
Senior Manager of Administration and Government Liaison
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
05.2007 - 01.2011
- Led and supervised the Admin team; Developed/updated the Administration and Government Relation policies and procedures. Conducted multiple trainings advocating office policies to all staff; led and supervised the startup of SPR, funded by USAID and DAFA III, funded by the Australian Government, including finding proper office and accommodation space (eight buildings) negotiation and finalizing the monthly rent. Supported Home Office with the initial job posting, and recruitment of 20+ key filed personal, provided training on IRD policies and procedures. Obtained country clearance, visa, and work permit for the expatriate staff on a regular basis; provided training and guidance on Afghanistan Law to expatriate staff, and made them understood their rights and responsibilities as expatriates in the country. Assisted them with registration with their respective embassies. Served as the key point of contact and representative of IRD in Afghanistan. Supported the security department with obtaining armored vehicles permit, weapon permits, passes for government facilities. Updated and renegotiated leases with the landlords. Drafted letters and memos on related matters; maintained all Administration and Liaison Files; checked and controlled Travel Authorization Forms. Provided guidelines on administrative issues to all staff in a timely manner. Identified the need and created multiple positions; coordinated both international and domestic corporate travel arrangements for the entire staff (500+); negotiated with travel agencies and hotels to establish the new business and corporate rate; ensured compliance with U.S. Government rules and regulations (FAR); designed various forms and templates; researched and obtained visas for various countries; liaised and built strong relationships with Embassies;; conducted the selection analysis of vendors, defined budget and timeline; contributed to the development of corporate travel policy and procedures; ensured that all airline tickets are either used or returned prior to the expiration date, coordinates with recruiters in HQ for advice on best methods regarding the return of tickets and credits.
HR/Admin/Finance Officer
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
04.2005 - 02.2007
- Assisted HR director with the mission’s large number recruitment and hiring process; participated in interviews and made hiring recommendations when applicable. Advocated gender equity and staff diversity upon IRD-HRLS recruitments. Issued employment contracts to successful candidates. Ensure timely HRD correspondence. Drafted well tailored to the situation letters, memos, and reports. Maintained personnel files and records; provided support to the field offices to develop relevant databases in accordance to staff transitions. Analyzed the findings of the mission’s APA process and prepared a summary of the ratings/overall ratings of the APA process. Ensure regular organizational climate assessment and participated in organizational climate surveys. Obtained Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indian visa for all the expatriate staff, accompanied them to and from the Kabul Airport to make sure smooth entry/exit. Established and maintained personnel files and records for local employees and contractors, ensuring completeness of documentation for on-going personnel management and audit of hiring and contracting; provided training and direct supervision of all support staff in the performance of required record keeping tasks to be monitored and regularly reviewed for thoroughness and accuracy. Managed and controlled team payroll and staff benefits.
Logistic/HR/Finance Assistant
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
03.2004 - 04.2005
- Supported the senior management team with the procurement of office equipment, goods for four targeted ministries; set-up of five field offices throughout Afghanistan. Delivery of hard cash ($10,000 to 50,000) on a monthly basis to the field offices for their daily and monthly expenditures; arranged Travel Authorization, flight, and accommodation for international and in-country travel. Prepared travel expensive forms, after travel claims and maintained travel/expenditures log. Obtained visa and work permit for the expatriate staff. Assisted the Logistic Manager with planning, allocation, and utilization of space and resources for new buildings, or reorganizing current premises; conduct regular physical inspections of premises to ensure that they are maintained and functional. Calculating and comparing costs for required goods or services to achieve maximum value for money. Create the department budget, coordinating and planning essential central services such as reception, maintenance, mail, archiving, cleaning, catering, and events; ensuring facility staff in particular cooks obtain health and safety training and supervise them. Conduct weekly inspection of facilities to make sure equipment are functioning and the kitchen staff follows hygiene requirements.
Admin/HR/Finance Assistant
Golden Gate Bridge Foundation (GGBF)
01.2002 - 03.2004
- Supported the senior management with day to day activities including drafting memos, contracts; translation of Request for Proposals, and Request for Quotations issued by the USAID in Afghanistan. Rewriting the company’s fact sheet, providing interpretation in meetings.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
Kabul University
01.2013
Diploma in Law - undefined
Khorasan Institute of Higher Education
01.2013
Diploma in Business Administration - undefined
Rana Institute of Higher education
01.2010
Skills
- Hostile Environment Awareness Training - HEAT (Provided by MSI)
- Ethics & Fraud Awareness (Provided by MSI)
- USAID/Federal Rules and Regulations (Provided by IRD)
- Project Management (Provided by IRD)
- Opening and Closing a Field Office (Provided by IRD)
- Security Awareness (Provided by IRD)
- Fraud Awareness (Provided by IRD)
- IT and English-related skills and courses
- MS Office (Access, Word, Excel, MS Project, PowerPoint), Photoshop, SharePoint Internet, Flash 5, Web Designing, and Hardware
Languages
Pashto: Native Language
Dari: Excellent reading, speaking, writing, and comprehension.
English: Very good reading, speaking, writing, and comprehension.
Urdu: Good reading, speaking, writing, and comprehension.
Arabic: Beginner (Currently student)
Hebrew: Beginner (Currently student)
Countries of Work Experience
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen, Palestine (Gaza and West Bank), Indonesia, Morocco, and Jordan.
Timeline
Senior Project Manager – MENA
Management Systems International (MSI)
05.2022 - Current
Indonesia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Platform
09.2020 - 05.2022
Project Manager
Reading for Success – National Program for Reading (RFS – NPR)
01.2020 - 10.2022
The Performance Management Support Contract (PERFORM)
07.2019 - 04.2020
Supervisory Agent
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Supervisory Agent, Third Party Monitoring
01.2018 - 07.2019
Geospatial Database Quality Control Specialist
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Supervisory Agent, Third Party Monitoring
11.2017 - 01.2018
Geospatial Analyst and Database Administrator
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) Supervisory Agent, Third Party Monitoring
11.2016 - 11.2017
Project Manager
Afghanistan’s Measure for Accountability and Transparency (AMANAT)
05.2016 - 05.2022
Associate Program Officer
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
10.2013 - 03.2016
Country Representative
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
01.2011 - 08.2013
Senior Manager of Administration and Government Liaison
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
05.2007 - 01.2011
HR/Admin/Finance Officer
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
04.2005 - 02.2007
Logistic/HR/Finance Assistant
International Relief, and Development, Inc.
03.2004 - 04.2005
Admin/HR/Finance Assistant
Golden Gate Bridge Foundation (GGBF)
01.2002 - 03.2004
Diploma in Law - undefined
Khorasan Institute of Higher Education
Diploma in Business Administration - undefined
Rana Institute of Higher education
Bachelor of Arts - English Literature
Kabul University
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