Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Timeline
Generic

Sarita Hicks

Washington,DC

Summary

Acquisitions professional with over 20 years of experience in research operations and supervision. Implementing research studies for a large variety of clients including but not limited to nonprofit organizations and the Federal Government. Responsible for data collection, database edits, and telephone interviews. A solid history of optimizing acquisition strategies and fostering beneficial partnerships. Proven track record in overseeing comprehensive acquisition processes, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. Reliable team player known for adaptability and commitment to achieving results through strong leadership and strategic planning skills.

Overview

36
36
years of professional experience

Work History

Acquisitions Manager

WESTAT
01.2009 - Current
  • Supervising, training and monitoring hourly staff during the daily operations of the VSAO (Vital Statistics Acquistions Office)
  • Conducted market research to identify new acquisition targets aligned with company goals and objectives
  • Preparing VSAO state applications, forms and documents, project specific memos, check requests and accounting requests
  • Providing informal and formal correspondences to project study managers and government agencies including; acknowledgement letters, cover letters, request letters, email inquiries and response letters
  • File maintenance, photocopying, receipting and distributing death certificates as well as classifying incoming and outgoing mail
  • Training and monitoring staff during daily technical operations
  • Importing and exporting submission files, formatting and converting ASCII and Excel files, preparing VSAO tables, charts, and reports pertaining to daily operations and other various Word documents
  • Drafting and reviewing correspondences related to state regulations and requirements
  • Review accounting request, assess systems needs, office supplies and equipment
  • Assist and comply with processing health study projects and state requests for death certificates, relevant documents, monitoring various state procedures, requirements and cost variations
  • Assessing in-house compliance and requirements of health study projects for Westat’s IRB
  • Schedule and attend monthly meetings with health study directors, managers, programmers and other key project members
  • Discussed DCTS upgrades, new state vital statistics regulation, requirements, and recommendations for implementing new operational procedures and re-organization of the VSAO office

Research Assistant

WESTAT
01.2006 - 01.2009
  • Create excel spreadsheets for weekly project status reports
  • Conducted follow up calls with state and facility representatives to finalize site procedures
  • Assisted in recruitment strategies, verbal status reports and inquiries regarding study protocol
  • Coordinated with external research partners to ensure seamless integration of collaborative projects
  • Collected pertinent data on state internal review board processes, facility logistics and layout information
  • Drafted confirmation letters, and email correspondences
  • Performed daily database updates using project specific designed software and access management systems
  • Coordinated and arranged conference room facilities, room reservations, and supervised travel arrangements for focus groups
  • Attending both in-person and teleconference focus group sessions to record and take hand written notes
  • Reviewing and editing hand written notes from other project note takers for verification and accuracy in preparation for final report
  • Streamlined project workflow, optimizing team efficiency through development of detailed scheduling and tracking systems

Operations Supervisor

WESTAT
01.2003 - 01.2006
  • Project operations such as; planning, managing and staff development for all fieldwork
  • Reviewed a variety of protocols to assist with questionnaire designs
  • Compiling and merging 14 regional lists, containing vital information of 915 respondents into a central excel file that was subsequently formatted for sampling
  • Responsible for training, supervising and monitoring all survey work conducted by telephone interviewers
  • Assessed all completed survey work, as well as designed a project specific coding manual to be used for data entry
  • Trained field staff in data processing methods such as; data retrieval, coding, verifying, and keying
  • Assisting with a comparison of weighed and unweighed data and summarizing all operational procedures for the methodology segment in preparation for final report
  • Developed training and standard coding manuals, and specifications for data analysis
  • Optimized team performance by developing clear objectives, assigning tasks according to individual strengths, and monitoring progress towards goals

Legal Secretary

LAW OFFICE OF TED J. WILLIAMS
04.1993 - 10.1997
  • Duties also included filing legal documents with the District of Columbia judicial system in a timely manner
  • Consistent maintanence of accounting database for all billing invoices, accounts payable, and escrow accounts
  • Maintained strict confidentiality of sensitive information to protect client privacy and uphold professional ethics
  • Provided executive support to several other attorneys, scheduled all meetings, hotel and travel arrangements, and arranged press conferences
  • Prepared and typed legal documents
  • Organized files for court proceedings

Secretary

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
09.1989 - 08.1991
  • Provided administrative and support services to the Director, project scientist, as well as other key staff
  • Scheduled and briefed the Director daily on all meetings and conferences
  • Clerical duties included, drafting and reviewing memos, email correspondences, and federal registry request
  • Maintained a daily log of all incoming inquiries pertaining to scheduled meetings and conferences, and finalized hotel and travel arrangements for attendees
  • Prepared all employee reimbursement and travel vouchers

Education

Master of Science - Organizational Management

Trinity University
Washington, DC
05-2007

Skills

  • Fluent in Excel, ASCII, ACCESS, Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, SAS, SQL, WebEx, and web conferencing
  • Proficient in oral and written interpersonal communication
  • Extensive Training Experience
  • Valuation techniques
  • Data interpretation
  • Collaborative Team Engagement
  • Meticulous Quality Control
  • Team leadership
  • Operations management

Accomplishments

    Member of Westat Emergency Evacuation Team (2005- Current)

    Business Writing Certificate (2003)

    Certified Adult/Infant CPR and First Aid with American Red Cross (2003- Current)

Timeline

Acquisitions Manager

WESTAT
01.2009 - Current

Research Assistant

WESTAT
01.2006 - 01.2009

Operations Supervisor

WESTAT
01.2003 - 01.2006

Legal Secretary

LAW OFFICE OF TED J. WILLIAMS
04.1993 - 10.1997

Secretary

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
09.1989 - 08.1991

Master of Science - Organizational Management

Trinity University
Sarita Hicks