Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Hiwot Bekele

Somerset,NJ

Summary

An accounting professional with more than 20 years of experience in both not-for-profit & for-profit industries. My experience includes Operational Budget Planning and Analysis ($500M), Monthly and year-end Close, Audit (including A-133 single audit), Staff Management, Grant Budgeting and post-award Management, Reporting, and compliance. I am well versed with Microsoft D365 & Dynamics Great Plains, Lawson, and SAGE MIP Fund.

Overview

26
26
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Director of Finance

International Rescue Committee
02.2023 - Current
  • Reporting to the Senior Vice President, responsible for the Operational Budget Planning & Analysis of the Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration (RAI) program with $500M in oversight.
  • Manage Direct Reports overseeing Payroll Allocation, Grant Proposal Development, Grant Budget Management post-award, Operational Budget Exercise, and Roving Finance Management.
  • Support Executive Leadership Team with Budget Planning and program Implementations, including Scenario Planning Exercises.
  • Collaborate with Key working groups to develop policies, determine fund allocations, and improve systems and processes throughout the organization

Director of Budgets & Planning

International Rescue Committee
10.2019 - 01.2023
  • Reporting to the VP of Operations, responsible for the Operational Budget Planning & Analysis of the Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration (RAI) program with +$300MM in oversight
  • Manage Direct Reports overseeing Payroll Allocation, Private Donor Billings, Grant Proposal Development, Grant Budget Management post-award, Operational Budget Exercise, and Roving Finance Management
  • Support Executive Leadership Team with Budget Planning and program Implementations, including Scenario Planning Exercises
  • Collaborate with Key working groups to develop policies, determine fund allocations, and improve systems and processes throughout the organization.

Budget Officer

International Rescue Committee
02.2015 - 09.2019
  • Responsible for the Operational Budget Planning of the US Program with $100MM portfolio
  • Manage the monthly Payroll Allocation of US Program, HQ division
  • Develop Grant Budgets and supporting documents for National Programs
  • Support Program Directors and Managers with post-award grant management and closeouts.

Manager, Grant Accounting

Visiting Nurse Association Health Group, VNAHG
02.2011 - 02.2015
  • Oversee the entire grant operation of the nursing division
  • Report to the Controller and responsible for all grant budgeting, reporting both internally & externally
  • Supervise two grant accountants on a daily basis
  • Responsible for audit work papers as well as working closely with outside auditors on A-133 reporting.

Senior Accountant

Visiting Nurse Association Health Group, VNAHG
09.2009 - 02.2011
  • Oversee the financial activity of the Essex Valley VNA division
  • Report to the Director of Finance on monthly financials and statistics
  • Develop the annual budget with the Budget Director and Executive Director of division
  • Generate working papers and documents for annual audit by a CPA firm.

Controller

New Community Corportion, NCC
01.2007 - 09.2009
  • Oversee the entire financial activity of the Essex Valley Visiting Nurse Association
  • Administer the billing and payroll departments
  • Develop the annual budget, periodic forecasts and cash projections
  • Report to the Board of Directors on the agency's financial position
  • Generate working papers and documents for annual audit by a CPA firm
  • Prepare Medicare cost report and expenditure reports on state-funded grants.

Senior Accountant

New Community Corporation, NCC
02.2006 - 01.2007
  • Assisted the Chief Financial Officer with the corporation’s annual budget.
  • Prepared monthly operating reports for selected entities within the corporation.
  • Coordinated special projects relating to financial and payroll software selections.
  • Actively participated in insurance meetings, related discussions and decision-making processes.

Accounting Revenue Manager

Somerset Marriott Hotel
01.2002 - 09.2005
  • Audited the daily income of the hotel for compliance with GAAP and Sarbanes-Oxley Act and assisted
  • CPA firm, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, with SOX audit
  • Headed the night audit department staff of five employees to ensure service of excellence to customers and the compilation of audit reports
  • Hired and trained qualified night audit staff and wrote night audit manuals for the department
  • Managed the payroll of the hotel on a bi-monthly basis
  • Improved the cash management of the hotel thereby preventing mishandling and misuse of company's property
  • Supported the system migration process to an internet-based financial reporting system
  • Managed the accounting department in the absence of the Director of Finance.

Accounting Supervisor

Somerset Marriott Hotel
01.2000 - 01.2002
  • Hiwot Bekele, MBA - page 2
  • Assisted the Controller with daily audits of income and rebates
  • Prepared and analyzed the daily labor report
  • Participated in MICROS system migration in the Food & Beverage Department
  • Managed the accounts payable and cash activities of the hotel
  • Assisted the Controller with special projects.

Income Auditor

Somerset Marriott Hotel
01.1998 - 01.2000
  • Participated in the audit of income and rebates that was reviewed by the Assistant Controller
  • Prepared daily and weekly labor reports and schedules
  • Assisted with accounts payable and provided backup to the cashier
  • Provided assistant to the Controller and Assistant Controller as needed.

Education

MBA - Management & Global Business

Rutgers University
Newark
2008

Bachelor of Science - Accounting & International Business

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown
1998

High School Diploma - History & French

Nazareth School
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
1993

Skills

  • Budgets
  • Grant Management
  • Financial Reporting
  • GAAP
  • Auditing
  • Payroll
  • Staff Management
  • Financial Analysis
  • Forecasting
  • Sarbanes-Oxley Act
  • Collaborative Leadership
  • Team Building and Motivation

Languages

Amharic
Native or Bilingual
English
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

Senior Director of Finance

International Rescue Committee
02.2023 - Current

Director of Budgets & Planning

International Rescue Committee
10.2019 - 01.2023

Budget Officer

International Rescue Committee
02.2015 - 09.2019

Manager, Grant Accounting

Visiting Nurse Association Health Group, VNAHG
02.2011 - 02.2015

Senior Accountant

Visiting Nurse Association Health Group, VNAHG
09.2009 - 02.2011

Controller

New Community Corportion, NCC
01.2007 - 09.2009

Senior Accountant

New Community Corporation, NCC
02.2006 - 01.2007

Accounting Revenue Manager

Somerset Marriott Hotel
01.2002 - 09.2005

Accounting Supervisor

Somerset Marriott Hotel
01.2000 - 01.2002

Income Auditor

Somerset Marriott Hotel
01.1998 - 01.2000

MBA - Management & Global Business

Rutgers University

Bachelor of Science - Accounting & International Business

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

High School Diploma - History & French

Nazareth School
Hiwot Bekele