Lydia Kiarie

Expert flexible CPA who adopts seamlessly to constantly evolving accounting processes and technology. Proven and successful Finance Business partner & Development Finance Expert. Over 15 years diversely experienced Finance professional with an impressive background of managing multimillion-dollar budgets, providing financial analysis and accounting support to multiple departments across United Nations Headquarters in Nairobi for Africa. At United Nations relished a 360 degrees experience profile by working individually in each of the accounting and finance departments i.e., Financial Reporting, accounts receivables & payables, treasury management, payroll administration, internal audit, budgets/planning, fund accounting and financial reporting. Hence mastered deep expertise of accounting facets within those departments.  Outside United Nations, skilled projects auditor adept at increasing workflow efficiency and profitability through functional and technical analysis. Successful at advising from multimillion-dollar corporations to SMEs on asset allocations, tax planning/accounting, investment strategies and risk management. 

Profoundly vast in business systems and deeply involved in SAP ERP & IPSAS transition and deployments in the finance department. Proven ability to manage multiple assignments under minimum supervision while meeting tight deadline schedules. Senior position on final responsibility on profit & loss, budget making/control and tax compliance. Excellent problem solving, communication, analytical and communication skills. Frequently rewarded and promoted due to superior performance. Business Processes transformation specialist practiced Lean management, Six-Sigma Black-belt & Kaizen skilled practitioner. 

• Extensive experience of fund and liability management, operations & financial analysis, budget creations & management. Proficient in treasury management, financial reporting, accounts payable and accounts receivables management.

Significant experience in implementing an ERP Project, direct experience working with and / or implementing Umoja ERP solutions. Experienced ERP Finance Lead with a proven track record of success in ERP projects. A subject matter expert of ERP software implementations.

• Strong Financial background with an affinity for ICT systems and projects, high level   business processing and analysis skills, collaborative style with strong interpersonal and stakeholder communication management skills. Thorough knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). 
• Impeccable cross functional understanding, collaborative approach to leadership, powerful and articulate communicator, effective client relationship  management, partnership building, successful banking and investor relations. 
• Thorough knowledge of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)        and     transition from non-compliance to fully integrated financial statements. 
• Effective onboarding of new staff and create an inclusive environment i.e. ability to build and recruit team members from scratch and train them of project objectives. Ardent team player i.e. establishes rock-solid working relationship with other company senior management/department heads, inter-departmental staff, key clients and other key stake holders.
• Technological aptitude, business Process re-engineering expert & participated in Systems development/enhancements workgroups. Robust IT savvy with huge understanding of database systems, ERP systems. Experienced change Management agent during process improvement activities. Business process mapping & business model strategy. Hand-on financial strategic planning, shared services.
• Project management expertise: project appraisals/evaluation, scenario planning, capital budgeting and profitability analysis to decision making. Adept in conducting scenario analysis, horizontal scanning, risk assessments, audit,  economic/ financial modelling, surge capacity analysis,  and working capital optimization.
• Proven ability to provide practical solutions to complex problems, conflict management and resolution. Driving thought leadership, harvesting knowledge and developing tools within a specified solution area.
• Demonstrable experience in key donors’ rules and regulations, for cooperative agreement, contracts, procurement, and sub awards management and project administration. 
• Ability to work in multi-cultural and diverse organizations. Participate in inter-agency activities by representing UNON in inter-agency meetings and working groups on operations issues to ensure UNON’s interests are reflected in common system activities related to common services and premises, cost recovery and cost sharing arrangements, privileges and immunities, entitlements and salary surveys, security etc.
• Proven Business Acumen, Knowledge Management & Business Intelligence: Ability    to give      fastidious attention to industry best practices and continuously benchmark       on the same.   Provide feedback and adoption of lessons learnt, facilitate           knowledge flows from field activities to infiltrate organization wide. Drive thought leadership, harvesting knowledge and developing tools within a specified solution area. In-depth understanding of Big Data and analytics – instrumental in        strategic Financial Planning and Business Analytics/Analysis, leveraging 

      organizations-wide data to deliver definite business benefits. 

• Examine operational performance through different lenses to bring new perspectives, using tools such as shareholder value analysis, return on capital,

           customer profitability, channel profitability and zero or activity-based costing

BA Economics

MBA, Finance

MSC Development Finance

CPA - K

Currently pursuing PHD in project management.