GHISLAIN FIRMAIN FOTABONG FONKENG
Summary
Analytical professional possessing first-rate data collection, investigation, and collaboration skills. Solid team player interviews participants to obtain data and accurately interpret research. Commitment and understanding of equal opportunities with diverse and multicultural environments.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Veterans Fellow - Aviation Facilities & Infrastructure Asset Inventory Specialist
PORT OF SEATTLE
06.2025 - Current
- Supported development and implementation of F&I's asset management program, optimizing resource tracking and utilization.
- Created and maintained streamlined administrative and record-keeping processes, ensuring accurate and complete annual asset verification for Aviation Division.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to confirm asset status (active, demolished, or impaired), assign verification tasks, track progress, and present findings to executive leadership on infrastructure projects.
- Provided user support and resolved asset-related system and operational challenges, enhancing processes and troubleshooting technical issues.
Logistics Operations Specialist (Battalion S4)
US ARMY
07.2021 - 01.2025
- Leveraged GCSS-Army (SAP-ERP) to track inventory, process supply requests, update hand receipts, conduct physical inventories, generate logistics reports, reconcile discrepancies, and support financial transactions tied to property accountability.
- Coordinated with 4 Battalion supply rooms and multiple supply teams to maintain 100% asset accountability and facilitate timely reconciliation and cash/pay deductions for missing items.
- Assisted in the management of over $5M in military assets and accounts payable operations for 25+ government purchase card holders, ensuring invoice accuracy, resolving backlogs, and reviewing vendors' accounts in compliance with federal procurement regulations.
- Analyzed variances on underutilized company funds to enable smarter budgeting and resource reallocation; reviewed property loss cases via FLIPL and integrated logistics/financial data through AESIP to enhance transparency and interdepartmental coordination.
- Contributed to mission readiness by safeguarding personnel and government property, supporting operational objectives, and fostering a disciplined, team-oriented environment.........................
Senior Finance and Administrative Support
UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY (UNHCR)
02.2019 - 04.2021
- Managed $3M+ in subgrant disbursements to implementing partners, overseeing the full accounts payable cycle including invoice processing, bank wires, check issuance, and management of cash and petty cash accounts.
- Provided executive-level support for Head of Office, managing calendar, coordinating international and domestic travel, organizing meetings and conferences, tracking staff leave, assisting with local recruitment, and supporting operations for sub-office with two field offices and multiple implementing partners.
- Collaborated with Accounts Payable to reconcile vendor backlogs, ensuring compliance with UN financial regulations and audit requirements.
- Generated audit-ready financial reports, facilitating timely program closeout and ensuring donor compliance.
- Oversaw staff safety measures, monitored welfare risks, and executed emergency protocols following UNHCR security policies.
Admin & Logistics Officer
PREMIÈRE URGENCE INTERNATIONALE
04.2017 - 06.2019
- Managed asset inventory for EU- and UNHCR-funded project in 74,000-capacity refugee camp, overseeing procurement cycles, tracking vendor payments, and closing project documentation; verified vendor proposals against contract pricing, resolved discrepancies, and aligned reports with grant deliverables and budget pipelines to facilitate approvals.
- Produced monthly inventory forecasts and donor reports for USAID, ECHO, and Gates Foundation, ensuring project compliance, budget management, and resource allocation.
- Coordinated logistics operations to ensure timely delivery of humanitarian supplies.
- Managed inventory systems to track and maintain stock levels efficiently.
- Collaborated with local vendors to streamline procurement processes and reduce costs.
Senior Finance & Admin Officer
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS
07.2017 - 01.2019
- Managed financial operations and reporting across four field sites for 4+ concurrent projects using Costpoint 7, including vendor invoice processing, direct cash assistance to refugees, employee reimbursements, cost sharing, monthly budget reviews, and account reconciliations; coordinated reviews of financial reports to identify irregular payments and resolve inconsistencies, minimizing audit risk.
- Led project closeout activities by overseeing final reconciliations, donor reporting, and accounts payable closure to ensure compliance; supervised 4 Finance Assistants and 2 support staff, directing daily invoice processing and reconciliations to enhance accuracy and maintain operational efficiency.
- Coordinated logistics for medical supply distribution in emergency response areas.
- Managed documentation and reports for program compliance and audits.
- Trained and supervised junior staff on operational procedures and best practices.
Finance & Operations Officer
AFRICAN FEDERATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AUDITORS
08.2016 - 03.2017
- Managed full-cycle accounts payable and receivables for audit consultancy, reducing backlogs through timely reconciliations and payment audits; identified and resolved internal control discrepancies through data analysis and enforced corrective measures.
- Supported fundraising efforts with accurate financial data and impact metrics, ensuring vendor payment operations and compliance with donor reporting standards to maintain partner relationships.
- Coordinated internal audits to ensure compliance with established standards.
- Developed training materials for new staff on audit procedures and policies.
- Managed documentation for audit processes and maintained accurate records.
Country Accountant and Project Funding
SUMMER INSTITUTE OF LINGUISTICS INTERNATIONAL
01.2016 - 07.2016
- Managed invoice verification, bank reconciliations, full-cycle accounts payable using Sage 300; conducted variance analysis on budget utilization to deliver actionable insights on spending and projections across project budget lines.
- Led cross-system payment investigations to identify delays or duplicates, recommended process improvements through Excel tracking and system data; prepared audit-ready journals for donor compliance and closed out reporting for $1.1M Kenga Project in South Cameroon.
- Managed financial records and ensured compliance with accounting standards.
- Prepared monthly financial statements for internal reporting and analysis.
- Assisted in budget preparation and monitored expenditures against projections.
Finance Specialist
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS
07.2015 - 01.2016
- Managed financial operations for $890K ECHO/USAID-funded project in Northern Cameroon for Central African Republic refugee crisis; processed invoices in Costpoint, managed vendor and employee reimbursements, reported budget utilization, and handled cash/bank accounts payable in compliance with donor requirements.
- Collaborated with supply and program teams to address payment backlogs and fund allocation issues across four operational sites; conducted reconciliations, cash counts, payment reviews, coded and filed documentation, and updated project pipelines, identifying cross-transaction errors to enhance audit readiness.
- Managed financial reporting for international programs and projects.
- Reviewed and reconciled expenses in compliance with organizational policies.
- Assisted in budget preparation and forecasting for various initiatives.
Regional Credit Officer
GATSBY FOUNDATION TRUST
02.2012 - 07.2015
- Managed micro-loan and community lending programs, overseeing loan disbursements, debt collection, and payment processing to ensure accurate accounts payable and receivable records, enhancing program integrity.
- Reconciled payment delays across partner systems, guided borrowers on financial tracking, and collaborated with finance teams to monitor repayment performance, supporting program sustainability.
- Evaluated credit applications to assess borrower eligibility and risk levels.
- Analyzed financial statements to determine creditworthiness of applicants.
- Collaborated with teams to develop credit policies and procedures.
Education
M.S. - Applied Business Analytics
American Military University
B.S. - Supply Chain and Operations Management
Western Governors University
B.S. - Banking and Finance
University of Buea
Skills
- Asset documentation
- Inventory optimization
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Data interpretation
- Data evaluation
- Financial reporting
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Project management
- Project planning
- Project coordination
- Supply chain management
- Process improvement
- Standard operating procedures
- Performance metrics
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Strategic thinking
- Written and oral report creation
- Time management abilities
- Multitasking Abilities
- Teamwork and collaboration
Certification
- Certified Agile Scrum Master
- Certified Supply Chain Manager
- IBM Data Analytics Certificate
Active Secret Clearance
True
Timeline
Veterans Fellow - Aviation Facilities & Infrastructure Asset Inventory Specialist
PORT OF SEATTLE
06.2025 - Current
Logistics Operations Specialist (Battalion S4)
US ARMY
07.2021 - 01.2025
Senior Finance and Administrative Support
UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY (UNHCR)
02.2019 - 04.2021
Senior Finance & Admin Officer
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS
07.2017 - 01.2019
Admin & Logistics Officer
PREMIÈRE URGENCE INTERNATIONALE
04.2017 - 06.2019
Finance & Operations Officer
AFRICAN FEDERATION OF THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AUDITORS
08.2016 - 03.2017
Country Accountant and Project Funding
SUMMER INSTITUTE OF LINGUISTICS INTERNATIONAL
01.2016 - 07.2016
Finance Specialist
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS
07.2015 - 01.2016
Regional Credit Officer
GATSBY FOUNDATION TRUST
02.2012 - 07.2015
M.S. - Applied Business Analytics
American Military University
B.S. - Supply Chain and Operations Management
Western Governors University
B.S. - Banking and Finance
University of Buea