APRIL BLAIR
Raleigh,NC
Summary
Seasoned Executive Director with 25 years of project finance experience, cross-functional collaboration, and team leadership. Demonstrated ability to drive growth through innovative solutions and a people-focused leadership style. Strengths include strong interpersonal skills, financial acumen, and commitment to fostering positive organizational culture. Notable impact to employee engagement scores, with a 100% Engagement index for Manager Relationship.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Director, Project Finance
FORTREA (formerly Labcorp Drug Development)
Durham, NC
01.2020 - Current
- Lead and mentor a team of 45 Financial Analysts, Managers, and Directors to drive revenue, forecasting, and performance improvements
- Expanded team to cost effective regions (India, Bulgaria, China) to maintain a fit-for-purpose finance support team based on workload
- Partner cross-functionally with Commercial, FP&A, and Controllership to enhance forecast accuracy of revenue
- Lead targeted training initiatives (WISER sessions) for large, cross-functional teams to build their knowledge of overall project financial health, resulting in enhanced team productivity and skill development
- Identify solutions to Agings balances and customer negotiation to receive payment for aged invoices
- Define requirements for new ERP and collaborated with multiple vendors, evaluate demos for new ERP launch
- Author executive summaries and reports outlining progress on projects or initiatives for senior leadership review.
- Perform risk assessments across multiple areas of operations in order to identify potential issues before they arise
- Exceptional employee engagement survey results every year (97% overall engagement index score), far exceeding company-wide score
Director, Finance
IQVIA (formerly Quintiles)
Durham, NC
01.2015 - 01.2020
- Led a Project Financial Management organization consisting of 28 team members across three functions, with primary enterprise accountability for ASC 605 and 606 revenue recognition, financial controls, and contingent revenue oversight
- Forecasted and managed backlog, profitability, and unbilled/unearned for top key accounts, internally and externally for customer
- Engaged, organized, and led a team of Project Finance Analysts through a year-long PeopleSoft Conversion, culminating in the presentation of Lessons Learned at Global Project Finance Conference post-conversion
- Maintained Enterprise-wide responsibility for SOX controls and Audit for revenue recognition, operating as the North America liaison for both internal and external audit teams
- Integrated Novella acquisition into PeopleSoft, established revenue deliverables, and developed all training for their project finance team.
- Appointed the PeopleSoft SME for Global Project Finance, acquisition-based assets, and new service offerings to be migrated into the PeopleSoft finance system
- Led PFM team through EAC conversion resulting in successful initial EAC baseline at conversion
- Established intercompany processes and procedures between IQVIA entities post-acquisition
Associate Director, Finance
IQVIA
01.2010 - 01.2015
Manager, Finance
IQVIA
01.2010 - 12.2010
Project Finance Manager
IQVIA
01.2008 - 12.2010
Senior Project Financial Analyst
IQVIA
01.2003 - 12.2008
Senior Contracts Analyst
IQVIA
01.2002 - 12.2003
Budget/Contracts Analyst
IQVIA
01.2000 - 12.2002
Education
B.A. - Economics, Public Policy Minor
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
Chapel Hill, NC01.1997
Skills
- Revenue recognition processes
- EAC forecast modeling
- Financial analysis
- ASC 605/ASC 606
- SOX/Audit compliance
- Team leadership
- Financial system conversion
- ERP implementation
- Post-Acquisition system integration
- Strategic business partner
- Project margin optimization
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Service expansion accounting solutions
Certification
- Scotwork Negotiation Skills, 2003
- Forecasting Techniques for Accounting and Finance Professionals, 2005
- Dealing With Difficult People, 2005
Community Service
- Sycamore Creek Elementary PTA Audit Committee, 01/17 - 01/19
- Girl Scout Volunteer, Journey Badge Leader, 01/18
- Soapstone UMC Children’s Council and Tween Leader, 01/17 - Present
- Cub Scout Volunteer, Spring Social Lead, 01/18 - Present
- Soapstone UMC Audit Committee, 01/20 - Present
Technology Summary
- PeopleSoft Financials
- Workday Financials
- MS Office
- Salesforce
- Anaplan
- EAC revenue models
Timeline
Executive Director, Project Finance
FORTREA (formerly Labcorp Drug Development)
01.2020 - Current
Director, Finance
IQVIA (formerly Quintiles)
01.2015 - 01.2020
Associate Director, Finance
IQVIA
01.2010 - 01.2015
Manager, Finance
IQVIA
01.2010 - 12.2010
Project Finance Manager
IQVIA
01.2008 - 12.2010
Senior Project Financial Analyst
IQVIA
01.2003 - 12.2008
Senior Contracts Analyst
IQVIA
01.2002 - 12.2003
Budget/Contracts Analyst
IQVIA
01.2000 - 12.2002
B.A. - Economics, Public Policy Minor
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
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