Dawn Bergin

One of the first sustainability focused companies in the U.S., working with clients to advance their sustainability journeys and operational performance

• Presently works on Executive Team to build and ensure leadership alignment, shape and execute on strategic direction, and monitor financial performance and legal compliance
• Selects and collaborates with external stakeholders (CPA, banking, legal counsel, culture representatives)
• Leads multidisciplinary Consulting Directors in their driving of project performance and profitability through practice and service financial management, resource planning, and contract negotiation with emphasis on and project and client success
• Oversees all operational functions of firm including Finance, HR, IT, and general administration with focus on Employee Experience
• Directed and executed on conversion from disparate financial tools to integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) tool
• Designed and instituted new strategies and reporting tools focused on profitability
• Supported consulting directors to elevate project management skills driving toward project profits in support of firm profits
• Reduced aged accounts receivable from 35% to 17% and streamlined overhead spending by 14%
• Led and socialized progressive Family Leave Policy over 14 states, updated PTO policy and introduced Sabbatical Plan
• Facilitated earning of Just Label Certification and Living Wage for U.S Leading for firm

A world-class innovation and design firm, the best kept secret of Fortune 500 companies, there is something in every household that Ziba has helped bring to life

• As the primary partner with CEO, served as member of Executive Team to define strategic direction, ensure financial performance and legal compliance with regulations for business practices internationally
• Coordinated with external legal, tax, banking, and insurance firms and managed 15-person administrative and project management team
• Helped to build culture of trust through active and transparent communication while aiming to achieve organizational goals
• Streamlined procedures with engagement and buy-in of firm leaders to create systems that created space for innovation and profits
• Managed fiscal oversight of five separate business entities with inter-company transactions in multiple states and assisted in opening of two international offices
• Drove organizational change and led accounting software conversion from narrowly defined accounting programs and five disparate software programs to all-inclusive, project-based ERP
• Successfully navigated firm through COVID through policy and financial strategy
• Initiated DEI program and led earning of When Work Works Award and B Corp certification
• Instituted Unlimited Paid Time Off policy, redesigned Staff Manual with bias toward culture improvement

A national multidisciplinary design firm for commercial, institutional and public buildings

• Collaborated with Leadership to define strategic direction, ensure financial performance, and achieve legal compliance with regulations for business practices in 18 US states
• Coordinated with external legal, tax, banking, and insurance firms and oversaw 10-person administrative team
• Headed adoption of Deltek Vision ERP, ensuring use on 100% of projects to facilitate transparency tracking and accuracy; increased profits by 18%
• Championed full redesign of corporate buy-sell agreement to increase fiscal responsibility and sustainability for succession planning; gained buy-in from all stakeholders, managed implementation, and handled communication during change
• Led efforts to be the first US architectural firm to offer an affordable and progressive Family Leave plan; resulted in firm winning the 2016 When Work Works Award
• Facilitated Business Practices 101, an internal business education, coaching and mentorship program for junior staff members to gain understanding and skills in the business and financial side of the practice
• Developed finance tools and reports to help make forecasts, KPIs and other metrics accessible to non-financial members of firm