Tawanda Buford
Merdianville,AL
Summary
Veteran Program Analyst with 20+ years experience, well-versed in ongoing program evaluations and eager for new professional challenges. Highly effective at reviewing and validating data, conducting complex reviews and assessing program operations within Department of Defense.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Program Analyst
Missile Defense Agency
06.2018 - Current
- Served as Team Lead to Defense Agencies Initiatives (DAI) Help Desk contractors to help resolve systemic issues, provide guidance on appropriate subject matter experts for reported problems, and perform track and trend analysis
- Develop, review and approve DAI Help Desk process control documentation; ensure documentation is clear, concise and meets requirements, which protects the integrity of MDA financial operations and audit readiness initiatives
- Manage DAI Access Controls controls and processes for ~2800 DAI User Accounts on the issuance of new accounts and modifications to user’s access, while ensuring technical and business processes are properly executed to support the agency’s Audit Readiness program
- Support internal audit examinations by verifying and providing key supporting documentation (KSD) to internal/external auditors, resulting in a clean audit of DAI access controls and bolstering the agency’s audit readiness program
- Manage weekly System Working Group meetings; collect and compile pertinent systems-related topics from team members and stakeholders, ensure vital systems-related information is disseminated across the financial management community for proper execution of financial systems and resources
- Perform as an independent tester for Governance, Risk, and Compliance processes to ensure access controls are functioning as intended which strengthens the audit position for MDA and DAI Agencies with access to MDA set of books
- Collaborate with Human Resources Payroll Office to troubleshoot systemic timecard issues; run ad-hoc reports for timely processing of MDA Civilian timecards, and ensure employees are using accurate charge codes to minimize potential payroll issues
- Develop and update training documentation for DAI Oracle Time and Labor (OTL) that impacts MDA Civilian Employees, timekeepers and supervisors, and ensure relevant information is disseminated to stakeholders that involves facilitation of civilian pay processes
- Perform User Access Testing (UAT), Systems Integration Testing (SIT), and Regression Testing for DAI User Access Management and DAI OTL and UMX Process Areas, by executing test plans and test scripts to verify DAI software conformance functioned properly during system upgrade or major releases
Program Analyst
Missile Defense Agency
06.2017 - 06.2018
- Maintain THAAD’s accounting log collaborating with Business Financial Manager and Senior Level Analysts providing current financial execution data, to properly execute funds relying on accurate information and compliance with Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) obligation and expenditure goals
- Analyze and reconcile monthly reports from reflection of budget execution commitments, obligations, accruals, and expenditures ensuring all THAAD reports balance for proper execution
- Ensured budget execution commitments, obligations, accruals, and expenditures were accurately reported thru analysis and review of various financial reports for proper execution
- Coordinated monthly Budget Control Board documentation for THAAD Directorates by developing and compiling briefings that depicted program funding requirements of each ORG in THAAD, to assist management in making logical and sound financial decisions
- Utilize the Defense Agencies Initiative (DAI) application to retrieve reporting statuses on commitments, obligations, and expenditures, and to create funding documents to include Purchase Requests (PR) and Military Interdepartmental Purchase Requests (MIPR)
- Reviews, research and reconcile contract action items, obligations, expenditures, open commitments, un-liquidated obligations and negative obligated funds interfacing with various financial databases to execute program funding requirements within fiscal statutory guidelines
Program Analyst
Missile Defense Agency
05.2013 - 06.2017
- Trained employees on Procure to Pay system functionality, improving overall productivity and efficiency
- Performed requisitions and obligations data staging to create classroom training exercises for students to complete
- Evaluated metrics from training surveys to identify necessary improvements to training curriculum and instruction
- Provided ongoing customer support in analyzing and evaluating financial data while resolving customer questions and/or request for support with Missile Defense Agency business policies relative to DAI system application software
- Secured training rooms and IT assessments for an effective training experience; Handles logistics for training activities including venues and equipment. Facilitates learning through a variety of delivery methods including classroom instruction and virtual training
- Established and updated complex business procedures and guidelines and provide recommendations on improvements, lessons learned, on a variety of issues amongst diverse organizational entities, including requirements, contracting, and finance
Agency Program Coordinator
Alabama National Guard
06.2006 - 05.2013
- Administered the government travel card program by ensuring the Travel Card Program follows Department of Defense, Department of the Army, and National Guard Bureau regulatory and statutory guidance, policy, and procedures
- Drafted internal policies and procedures regarding operation of the travel card program card program within the state. Conducted briefings and provided training to soldiers and civilians throughout National Guard Units on the Travel Charge Card Program; Provided technical supervision to subordinate MACOM Program Administrators by ensuring they train cardholders within their unit on the appropriate use of the government travel card
- Audited travel records to ensure double obligations, over payments, and outstanding documents were corrected accordingly; Developed comprehensive reports and briefed senior leaders indicating delinquency and abuse trends; Requested and analyzed reports provided by government charge card vendor to identify potential abuse and/or non-official use.
- Developed policy and adverse action letters for commanders and leadership to reprimand soldiers on charge card abuse. Audited reports to identify findings of fraud and/or abuse of the travel card. Identified major units that was non-compliant with travel card regulations and provided recommendations to commander.
Human Resources Assistant
Alabama National Guard
09.2004 - 06.2006
- Reviewed and processed a full range of human resources actions into an automated personnel system such as Notification of Personnel Actions (SF50) and Request for Personnel Actions (SF52);
- Followed all policies and procedures as outline in the Technician Personnel Manual and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) governing National Guard Bureau and Office of Personnel Management Statutory guidance, policies, and procedures
- Conducted new hire orientation to verify completion of appropriate paperwork, recording information on human resources database.
- Improved employee satisfaction by developing and implementing new HR policies and procedures.
- Managed benefits administration, ensuring accurate enrollment and timely resolution of issues.
- Efficiently managed personnel files, maintaining confidentiality while keeping records up-to-date and organized.
- Participated in ongoing research projects related to best practices in human resources management for continuous improvement purposes.
Education
Master of Science - Human Resource Management
Troy University
01.2002
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Troy University
01.2000
Associate of Science - General Business
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
01.1998
Skills
- Compliance and Risk Management
- Systems Administration
- Internal Access Controls
- Financial Management
- Team Leadership
- Program Operations/Analysis
- Auditing
- Systems Integration Testing/User Acceptance Testing
- Data Analysis
- Budget Analysis
- Operations Management
- Technical Documentation
- Trend Analysis
- Strategic Planning
Certification
DoD Financial Management Certification, Level 2
Timeline
Program Analyst
Missile Defense Agency
06.2018 - Current
Program Analyst
Missile Defense Agency
06.2017 - 06.2018
Program Analyst
Missile Defense Agency
05.2013 - 06.2017
Agency Program Coordinator
Alabama National Guard
06.2006 - 05.2013
Human Resources Assistant
Alabama National Guard
09.2004 - 06.2006
Master of Science - Human Resource Management
Troy University
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Troy University
Associate of Science - General Business
Chattahoochee Valley Community College