Catherine Baba
Chartered Accountant & Business Analyst
Abuja
Summary
Highly collaborative Finance Officer with strong skills in statistical analysis and performance. Poised and sharp with skill to translate financial metrics into actionable details. Exceptional performance outlining strategic financial directions for business growth. Detail-oriented financial professional adept at coordinating fiscal plans, AP and AR operations as well as inventory management. Good mathematical, communication and problem-solving abilities. Advanced skills in Microsoft packages. Detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills. Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Assistant Finance Officer
UNDP
FCT
12.2014 - Current
- Country office cash management
- Full compliance of financial processes and financial records with UN/UNDP rules, regulations, policies and strategies
- Proper control of supporting documents for payments and financial reports for NIM project, CO management projects and all agencies
- Project Budget management
- Ensure that customer compliant related to disbursement are resolved in a proactive manner
- Implementation of operational and financial management strategies
- Account Payable and Receivable.
- Collaborated with team leaders to define standards, policies and procedures to meet company revenue goals.
- Established and enforced controls on revenue and expenses to protect company assets.
- Verified compliance of financial policies and accounting procedures against federal regulations.
- Reduced process discrepancies through measured implementation of performance reporting and data systems.
- Analyzed financial statements against forecasts to prepare high-level variance analysis.
- Forecasted trends and recommended improvements based on financial risk analyses.
- Analyzed financial data regarding product performance and customer performance and developed reports for key stakeholders.
- Improved resource utilization with data management systems, reducing costs through strategic coordination and contract analysis.
Finance Associate
UNICEF
FCT
11.2011 - 12.2014
- Preparing the monthly bank reconciliation for the country office and all Field offices in Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna and Bauchi
- Closing of the month end accounts and compiling the year end package to New York
- Following-up on audit queries and provided recommendation on closing the finance related issues
- Carrying out funds’ management of our bank accounts
- Compiling and verified budget and accounting data
- Provided support in budget preparation and contract development.
- Organized budget documentation and tracked expenses to maintain tight business controls.
- Organized and reported on financial information to document payment histories and assist with sound financial accounting.
- Streamlined bookkeeping procedures to increase efficiency and productivity.
- Inspected account books and recorded transactions.
- Gathered, evaluated and summarized account data in detailed financial reports.
- Presented audit findings to accounting manager after reviewing results and paperwork.
- Compiled budget figures by reviewing past budgets, evaluating estimated income, and assessing expenses.
Account Manager
Kaldan Investments & SME Services Ltd
FCT
07.2006 - 11.2011
- Setup accounting procedures for clients
- Carried out audit and tax services
- Developed customized accounting packages
- Prepared business plan for clients
- Prepared and reconciled the quarterly expenses report
- Computation of pension entitlement for clients
- Built and strengthened long-lasting client relationships based on accurate price quotes and customer-centric terms.
- Addressed problems with accounting, billing, and service delivery to maintain and enhance client satisfaction.
- Fostered lasting relationships with customers through effective communication and quick response, resulting in long-term loyalty and expanded client base.
- Met existing customers to review current services and expand sales opportunities.
- Selected correct products based on customer needs, product specifications and applicable regulations.
Branch Accountant/Admin Officer
Weco Systems International
FCT
04.2002 - 05.2005
- Support the Finance Manager by inputting into sales and purchase ledgers from source documents
- Matching invoices to statements and purchase orders to invoices
- Input accounting data into the accounting system with speed and accuracy
- Assist in the production of financial statements and applications, preparation of spreadsheets, reports and correspondence as required
- Plan, organize and manage workload to ensure contribution to the company’s monthly financial reporting process is achieved in a timely and accurate manner
- Ensure swift payment of invoices
- Reconciled accounts and reviewed expense data, net worth, and assets.
- Documented cash, credit, fixed assets, accrued expenses, and line of credit transactions.
- Completed daily cash functions like account tracking, payroll and wage allocations, budgeting, donating, and cash, and banking reconciliations.
- Researched technical tax issues to define tax effect or impact of certain tax positions.
- Modified comprehensive reporting to reflect changing financial structure.
- Handled day-to-day accounting processes to drive financial accuracy.
Product Manager
DN Meyer Plc
FCT
01.2001 - 10.2002
- Updating all accounting transaction
- Prioritized roadmap in order to achieve product goals and metrics.
- Documented user stories, specifications, and product features into detailed work order to communicate across teams and build mandatory requirements.
- Reviewed sales, customer concerns, and new opportunities to drive business strategy at weekly planning sessions.
- Maintained positive vendor relations to build strong partnerships.
- Boosted customer base penetration using creative promotional approaches.
- Developed product documentation to communicate upcoming features and products to internal teams.
Education
MBA - Project Management
Walden University
USA 01.2015 - 01.2017
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Ahmadu Bello University
NG 09.1992 - 04.1998
Finance Assistant, Chartered Accountant, Project Manager - undefined
Skills
GAAP
Financial administration
Internal auditing
Account Reconciliation
Financial Management
Internal control management
Financial planning
Processing payments
Budget development
Timeline
MBA - Project Management
Walden University
01.2015 - 01.2017
Assistant Finance Officer
UNDP
12.2014 - Current
Finance Associate
UNICEF
11.2011 - 12.2014
Account Manager
Kaldan Investments & SME Services Ltd
07.2006 - 11.2011
Branch Accountant/Admin Officer
Weco Systems International
04.2002 - 05.2005
Product Manager
DN Meyer Plc
01.2001 - 10.2002
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
Ahmadu Bello University
09.1992 - 04.1998