JoJo DeStefano
Las Vegas,USA
Summary
Competent, proactive, and results-driven accounting professional, equipped with well-developed qualifications, combined with extensive experience in leading financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance analysis. Demonstrate efficiency in driving the company's total financial model to fruition via predictability & scalability all in fast-paced and high-volume settings. Utilize strategic planning and decision-making skills in initiating positive changes along with strengths in improving existing processes and defining continuous improvement to generate outstanding results. Skilled in negotiating partnerships and alliances with a keen ability to forecast industry trends and capture opportunities. Highly successful in analyzing operational and financial needs; proficient in conducting cost/benefit analyses to evaluate profitable growth initiatives and other strategic initiatives. Results-oriented individual with a passion for continuous learning and innovation. Known for leveraging analytical thinking and creativity to solve problems and deliver high-impact solutions in fast-paced environments.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Finance Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis
Mattress Firm
Houston, Texas
03.2021 - Current
- Manage the complete inventory budget for the market and realize a 100% Return On Investment (ROI)
- Cut operating costs by 34%; prepare product pricing model that reduced product pricing time by 80%
- Prepare projected profitability statements and monitor business performance to achieve optimal resource allocation
- Facilitate preparation of financial statements, month-end closing, and product budgets
- Help VP and Finance Directors improve the financial reporting processes to ensure that finance adds value to business operations
- Leverage relationship management, critical thinking, business analysis, strategic line of sight, and project management to conduct run-the-business activities and provide advisory consulting for supported internal client areas of responsibility
Finance Manager – Payment Processing Integration
Paysafe
Woodlands, Texas
08.2018 - 01.2020
- Worked with the executives to create and integrate new procedures which improved the whole data management process in compliance with company standards
- Ensured adherence to client’s policies and procedures, as well as Project Methodology and Change Control procedures established by the PMO
- Designed and maintained an overall analysis tracking Operational and Marketing expenses and provided management with reports and recommendations on expenses to incur based on cash flow analysis
- Accountable for month-end processes, managing and driving reserve efficiency, revenue reporting, manufacturing cost analyses, internal controls, sales process support, and staff development
- Pro-actively participated in weekly meetings with senior managers, conducted reports and financial analysis, and reported findings
- Supervised day-to-day operations of the accounting department, conducting individual meetings with the staff members, evaluating and managing staff performance, providing educational counseling and making appropriate decisions in the areas of employment selection, promotion and termination
- Performed the role of financing and accounting lead in business projects to ensure that control, accuracy and performance objectives are met
- Reported directly to the SVPs and CFO of payment processing for the integration projects focuses for coordinating and establishing budgets, forecasting and measuring performance of assigned projects or portfolios
- Actively engage in key activities that increase the likelihood that the project team meets project objectives in an effective and efficient manner
- Led recommendations and employ proactive and reactive approach to conduct deep dives on specific market analysis and dynamics
- Developed proactive opportunities within existing and emerging markets for clients
- Responsible for building volumetric projections, analytic models, and sensitivity analyses, obtaining and manipulating data, and preparing summaries and presentations for the executive team and board of trustees
- Identified key relationships, trends, priorities and gather intelligence within target markets and interprets this information and recommends points of entry and opportunities for development
- Participated in various corporate financial accounting projects, such as financial systems development and currency management programs
- Developed ways to continually improve the processes to ensure timely and accurate budget analysis and financial review for management team
- Successfully implemented organizational policies to determine planning policies and instructions, financial planning methodology, and database design
- Completed research and assessments related to existing and potential market development efforts
- Conducted deep dives on specific market dynamics such as mergers and acquisitions, market disruptors and consumer behaviors
- Provide in-depth analytical and research support to executive leadership
Sr. FP&A – Cash & Working Capital
Direct Energy
Houston, Texas
07.2013 - 07.2018
- Adhered to project governance guidelines such as the approvals processes and project/reporting structures
- Responsible for month end close, balance sheet reconciliation, intercompany transactions, financial reporting and analysis, technical accounting research, internal control assessment of US GAAP and IFRS for Corporate Shared Services group with annual revenue of $5 billion
- Tracked and monitored actual KPls and financial performance against budget/ forecast and provide insights into opportunities and risks to the business teams in a timely manner
- Developed financial models and build business cases to evaluate new business ideas
- Streamlined month end reporting process and improved timeliness of month end close
- Evaluated and applied internal controls to achieve accurate and efficient accounting systems and compliance with the company
- Served as lead for external audit activities and efficiently manages audit requests and timeline
Lead Project Accountant - Corporate
ABM Industries Ltd.
Houston, Texas
07.2007 - 07.2013
- Recurring responsibilities include short, medium and long-term operational forecasting, actual to forecast analysis, new profitability analysis for new products, KPI development and reporting for security, parking and engineering division with total annual revenue of $6 billion
- Supervised and mentored a team of five staff
- Developed financial models, cash flows, NPV & IRR analysis and capital planning
- Managed monthly financial review processes with various departments
- Monitored KPI indicators and performed root cause analysis to any operational inefficiency
- Created a monthly close calendar, determined the division of tasks for team members, presented proposals to supervisor for resolution of important issues and ensure deadlines are met by the team
- Provided support to internal and external auditors with quarterly reviews and year-end financial audit
Education
Master of Business Administration - Finance
University of Maryland University College
Adelphi, MarylandBachelor of Business Administration - Accounting
University of Maryland University College
Adelphi, MarylandBachelor of Business Administration - Finance
University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Hong KongSkills
- Financial & Strategic Planning
- P&L Management
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Research & Business Analysis
- Variance Analyses
- Financial modeling
- Profitability Analysis
- Budgeting and Expense Control
- Discounted cash flow Analysis
- ROI and ROA Analysis
- Cost & Expense Analysis
- Merchandising / Inventory Analysis
- Business Forecasting
- Business Development
- Capital Expenditure Analysis
- Leadership and Team building
- Data Analysis
- Presentations and Training
- Analytical models
- Forecasting
- Budget management
- Financial analysis
- Process development
- Financial models
- Digital transformation
- Variance analysis
- Data visualization
- Budget development
- Microsoft Office
- SharePoint
- Lotus Notes
- Outlook
- Power Point
- Pivot Tables
- V-Look Ups
- Workday
- Oracle ERP
- SAP HANA ECC
- BPC
- HFM
- Business Objects (BOBJ)
- Business Intelligence (BI)
- JD Edwards (JDE)
- Hyperion
- MS 365 suite
- Fixed income analysis
- Project finance
- Risk management
- Cash flow management
- Cost reduction strategies
- Analyzing finances
References
Available on request
Languages
English
Professional
Chinese (Mandarin)
Professional
Chinese (Cantonese)
Professional
Japanese
Limited
Timeline
Finance Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis
Mattress Firm
03.2021 - Current
Finance Manager – Payment Processing Integration
Paysafe
08.2018 - 01.2020
Sr. FP&A – Cash & Working Capital
Direct Energy
07.2013 - 07.2018
Lead Project Accountant - Corporate
ABM Industries Ltd.
07.2007 - 07.2013
Master of Business Administration - Finance
University of Maryland University College
Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting
University of Maryland University College
Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance
University of Hong Kong