Zohya Parmar
Los Angeles,USA
Summary
Dynamic Senior Program Manager at Chemonics International, adept at mobilizing $2.5 billion in climate investments and managing a $9 billion dollar USAID Global Health Supply Chain - Procurement Supply Management program. Expert in program management, budget planning, grants management, workforce development, stakeholder management, with a proven track record in capacity building, humanitarian emergency response and crisis management. Successfully led diverse teams across 35 countries in Africa and Asia, driving impactful climate finance and adaptation and emergency health supply chain initiatives and fostering cross-cultural communication. Recipient of 7 Impact Awards from Chemonics International.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Sr. Program Manager USAID Climate Finance Development Accelerator
Chemonics International Inc.
Los Angeles, USA
10.2024 - Current
- Company Overview: Chemonics is a leading global sustainable development firm with international development solutions – global and local, human and technological – that allow learnings to efficiently flow and adapt between experts, projects, and countries.
- Project Overview: $250 million, 25 countries across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Islands. The USAID Climate Finance for Development Accelerator (CFDA), also known as 'the Accelerator,' is a $250 million initiative designed to mobilize $2.5 billion in public and private climate investments by 2030. These investments will fund a range of climate change mitigation and adaptation activities, focused on scaling up the transition to an equitable and resilient net-zero economy.
- Managed 12 grantees from launching APS, due diligence, implementation, and partnership management.
- Led and managed a $27 million USD budget for the Caribbean Investment Program.
- Managed 15 subcontractors and vendors for process improvement, technical implementation, and scope.
- Provided research, compliance, operations, and project management support to the Caribbean Investment Program, while supervising and training 5 to 6 employees.
- Coordinated with stakeholders to identify objectives and deliverables for projects.
Specialist - Health Supply Chain Division, Office of Finance and Compliance
Chemonics International Inc.
Washington, USA
10.2021 - 09.2024
- Contracts Specialist for GHSC-PSM and compliance expert
- Initiated workforce development proposal project for Rwanda, Ethiopia, Guinea, and US.
- Researched workforce development in health systems
- Provide compliance, warehousing, and distribution technical risk analysis support to over 15 countries.
- Completed W&D risk assessments for PSM in Ghana, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
- Led the division in compliance and audit support for donor-funded projects, such as USAID and the Global Fund.
- Led Technical Working Group for USAID's Global Reading Network, Education and Youth Specialist for countries in Asia and East Africa.
- Led Technical Working Group member for GESI's Indigenous Peoples Group, specialist for countries having issues with land rights, migration, and preserving indigenous culture.
- Serves as a closeout and transition advisor for in-country project closeout for all USAID GHSC-PSM countries.
- Provided in-country support and assignments in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Indonesia
Acting Operations Director, USAID GHSC-PSM Health Systems Strengthening
Chemonics International Inc.
Washington, USA
08.2023 - 01.2024
- Supported 35 senior technical advisors in operations, project programming, and stakeholder management with diverse clients.
- Led operationally in warehousing and distribution, MIS, and forecasting, workforce development, and supply planning client management.
- I trained and built capacity for two supervisees, and managed day-to-day project and technical strategy.
- Led workforce development pilot programs for USAID staff in Washington, DC, and in South Africa.
Sr. Operations Associate - Health Supply Chain Division
Chemonics International Inc.
Washington, USA
01.2020 - 10.2021
- Supported all teams, including GHSC-PSM for MIS, Leadership & Governance, Workforce Development, Data Analytics, GS1, Lab Networks, and FASP teams, while working closely with numerous HQ divisions.
- Provided 8-month surge support to the Program Management Ops team, supporting IDIQ director Rene Berger, with recruitment, PSM All-Staff, invoicing, and staff engagement.
- Coordinate and edit quarterly and annual reports, and narratives for USAID.
- Liaised with USAID Missions, other donors, and subcontractors regarding administrative and contractual obligations.
- Managed a $5M budget for the technical assistance team.
- Coordinated and led the HSS Central Asia TO1 HIV/AIDS activity for Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, creating a scope of work and a $1M budget.
- Track and create PSM cost budgets for Laboratory Networks and Central Asia activities: Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.
Program Assistant - East and Southern Africa Division
Chemonics International Inc.
Washington, USA
08.2019 - 01.2020
- Provided close-out support for projects ending in the ESAF division; archiving and audit support.
Business Development Officer
Latham & Watkins
New York City, USA
04.2019 - 08.2019
- Assisted with pro bono inquiries and worked with local NGOs dealing with immigration, naturalization, homelessness, and human rights.
- Organizing and coordinating attorney CLE state trainings for 50+ participants.
- Transferred data on Micron, Oracle, and iManage.
- Proofread court documents.
- Submitted invoices and provided attorney support.
- Prepared data entry and analyzed data.
Intern
Aga Khan Development Network
Washington, USA
06.2019 - 07.2019
- Reviewed scholarship applications of prospective graduate and PhD students from 21 different countries, prepared applicant portfolios, and developed high-level reports for the scholarship award/selection committee.
Adult & Youth Refugee Literacy Vocational Educator
Intergenerational Literacy Program
Boston, USA
09.2015 - 04.2019
- Designed and led vocational services for refugees and immigrants assimilated in the United States.
- Provided pathways and workforce development for refugees in California and Massachusetts.
- Taught English and family literacy to refugees from Latin America/ Africa, ESL
- Designed and implemented job skills sessions, adult education curriculum, workforce development, and innovative learning techniques.
Development and Policy Research Intern
International Road Federation
Geneva, Switzerland
06.2017 - 12.2017
- Researched road infrastructure and healthcare policy in Southern African states and prepared briefings for Road Ministers and Transportation Ministers
- Organized speakers for the World Road Meeting 2017, New Delhi and designed new publishing and marketing equipment World Road Statistics Book
- Conducted phone sales for the World Road Statistics Book, and researched current and potential clients in the private, public, business, and government spheres.
Events And Marketing Intern
Bizdojo Think Tank
Auckland, New Zealand
01.2017 - 06.2017
- Planned and implemented sustainable agricultural tech events for New Zealand start-ups, including branding and marketing, while managing 7+ clients
Education
Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation Data in Development Certification - Data for International Development
Keough School of Global Affairs, UND
DC 01-2022
B.A. - International Relations, Sustainable Development
Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies
Boston, USA12-2018
B.A. - Ethnic Violence in Asia And European Politics
University of Geneva & University of Auckland
Geneva, SwitzerlandSkills
Skills:
- Anaplan, SharePoint, NVivo, PowerBi, Miro, Canva, Microsoft Flow, SaaS, Microsoft Office, Oracle, D365, CRM
- Budget planning: $5 to $50 million budgets
- Stakeholder management: USAID, UNFPA, FCDO, The Global Fund, Bill Gates Foundation, Clinton Health Initiative, MCC, Canada AID
- Language proficiency: Swahili, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic (intermediate)
- Cross-cultural communication in country assignments: Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Indonesia, Geneva, and New Zealand
- Proposal writing, business intelligence, partnership management
- Budget forecasting
- Workforce Development
- Analytical problem solver
- Crisis management
- Health Supply Chain expertise
- Climate sustainability expertise
- Humanitarian law knowledge
- Capacity building and resource mobilization
- Water sanitation and hygiene
- Climate change adaptation
- Refugee assistance & vocational learning design
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Food security expertise
Accomplishments
- 7 Impact Award Recipient for in-country assignments in Asia and East Africa
- Specialized in country field work for over 5 countries in East Africa and Asia
- Trained 250 staff in health supply chain health systems strengthening
- Conducted risk assessments for 13 countries in Africa and Asia
- Subcontract and grant specialist
- Specialized in startup and closeout operations
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
Hindi
Native/ Bilingual
Urdu
Native/ Bilingual
Swahili
Limited
Arabic
Limited
Timeline
Sr. Program Manager USAID Climate Finance Development Accelerator
Chemonics International Inc.
10.2024 - Current
Acting Operations Director, USAID GHSC-PSM Health Systems Strengthening
Chemonics International Inc.
08.2023 - 01.2024
Specialist - Health Supply Chain Division, Office of Finance and Compliance
Chemonics International Inc.
10.2021 - 09.2024
Sr. Operations Associate - Health Supply Chain Division
Chemonics International Inc.
01.2020 - 10.2021
Program Assistant - East and Southern Africa Division
Chemonics International Inc.
08.2019 - 01.2020
Intern
Aga Khan Development Network
06.2019 - 07.2019
Business Development Officer
Latham & Watkins
04.2019 - 08.2019
Development and Policy Research Intern
International Road Federation
06.2017 - 12.2017
Events And Marketing Intern
Bizdojo Think Tank
01.2017 - 06.2017
Adult & Youth Refugee Literacy Vocational Educator
Intergenerational Literacy Program
09.2015 - 04.2019
Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation Data in Development Certification - Data for International Development
Keough School of Global Affairs, UND
B.A. - International Relations, Sustainable Development
Boston University Pardee School of Global Studies
B.A. - Ethnic Violence in Asia And European Politics
University of Geneva & University of Auckland
Personal Information
Nationality: American
Donor Experience
- USAID
- The Global Fund
- FCDO (DfiD)
- UNFPA/UNCIEF
- MCC
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Clinton Health Access Initiative
- Canada AID
References
References available upon request.
Conferences
- World Water Week, Stockholm, Sweden
- Health & Humanitarian Logistics, Nairobi, Kenya
Personal Information
Nationality: American
Donor Experience
- USAID
- The Global Fund
- FCDO (DfiD)
- UNFPA/UNCIEF
- MCC
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Clinton Health Access Initiative
- CanadaAID
- PEPFAR
References
References available upon request.
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