VIVIAN B SARMIENTO

Company Overview (www.equans.com): Established in 2015 operates in multi-technical building services, across 25 locations in Australia and New Zealand. EQUANS ANZ improves the performance and develops and implements cost saving smart energy and environmental efficiency services and solutions for precincts across 5 divisions: Audio Visual, Electrical & Communications, Fire and Mechanical, New Zealand, Asset Services. Employs around 800 people with revenue of $A300million and EBITDA of $A10 million

• The role is responsible for the financial management and accountability of the New Zealand business and is involved in a range of end-to-end accounting tasks including but not limited to month-end and year-end close process, management reporting, planning and analysis
• Plays a pivotal role in supporting management across all branches within New Zealand, helping them to understand their financials by providing insights and foresight
• Perform the end-to-end accounting and finance process for New Zealand, including but not limited to ensuring income and expense items are allocated correctly, accruals and provisions are accounted for, executing month-end and year-end financial close, processing period close journals, reporting and analysis of financial results, as well as supporting the wider Finance function
• Financial management and accounting for New Zealand, providing insights to stakeholders on financial position and performance, including review, analysis, reporting and interpretation of financials
• Contribute to management reporting process, providing analysis on financial performance and position, comparison of actuals to plan as well as drivers of performance, accompanied by business focused performance commentary
• Responsible for developing NZ Budget and Forecast reporting
• Provide finance partnering advice to support Branch Managers, helping them understand their financials, providing insights (from trends to patterns) into their P&Ls
• Deliver management reporting requirements, both on a regular and ad-hoc basis
• Participate in the Strategic planning activities, from budgeting, forecast OPEX to CAPEX requirements for New Zealand
• Monitor and ensure related party transactions and balances reconcile and / or eliminate for financial reporting purposes
• Partner with Group Accounting Team in RFIs (Request for Information), information exchanges and knowledge sharing, aiding with Group Accounting where required to facilitate timely interim and year-end audit deliverables
• Assist in the provision of relevant data to meet reporting requirements for EQUANS Group
• Assist in implementation of accounting policies for the EQUANS Group, ensuring accounting and financial reporting policies for the EQUANS Global and ANZ Group are adhered to
• Develop positive working relationship with Global Finance Leadership and New Zealand management team
• Identify and drive improvements in processes, procedures and systems, with a view to optimizing reporting quality, effectiveness and efficiency
• Approves NZ related invoices and payments

Company Overview (www.spotless.com): The Asset and Development Services sector delivers technical and engineering service solutions all over Australia. Our offer includes mechanical, electrical, energy, fire, hydraulics, plumbing, refrigeration, construction, maintenance, building controls and electronic security

• Liaise with the Downer management team across all areas of the A&DS business and has a hard-line report to GM Finance
• Acts as critical business partner to the Regional EGM - Operations and working in high paced environments, often under pressure with challenging deadlines
• Oversee and consolidate the financial components of the regional business working closely with the regional management team and project managers to ensure that service delivery at all projects is performed with a systemic approach and standardization of reporting with development of a sound understanding of the business, depicting trends from financial data, providing solutions and meeting KPI's is a key requirement of the role
• Motivate and support staff to deliver the services in a professional, efficient and economic daily fashion which requires a positive, proactive and enthusiastic attitude and approach to work
• Building the relevant Region's Budget and Forecasts, in conjunction with operations
• Ensuring accurate monthly and ad-hoc reporting against Budget / Forecast
• Early identification and resolution of potential issues or underperformance
• Month to month management and analysis of working capital balances
• Month to month analysis and forecasting of Revenue (WIH, Recurring, Weighted Pipeline);
• Timely month end reporting and analysis of regional results
• Attend month end review meetings and effectively provide feedback on the regional financial performance and provide insight into performance against individual budgets/ forecasts
• Overall financial reporting for the respective regions incorporating profit & loss, balance sheet and cashflow
• This includes ensuring all reports are fully reconciled back to the respective ERP each month
• Working with the EGM and Operational Management to ensure contract / project reporting is accurate and that Project Valuations are understood
• Working with the EGM to ensure visibility of results, forecasts and project / contract positions
• Working with the EGM to develop financial (and other) reporting to assist the business in managing key drivers to achieve financial and business objectives
• Working with the Region to co-ordinate the management and reporting of Business Improvement Initiatives
• Ensuring the GM Finance is kept fully up to date with any actual or potential issues that may impact the Regions financial results
• Assisting the EGM with any financial inputs into tenders / bids
• Providing accounting assistance with Operations such as raising ad-hoc purchase orders, invoice receipting, journal entries and docket management
• Co-ordinate the completion and compliance of the monthly balance sheet reconciliation process
• Any abnormal items are to be flagged by the GM Finance
• Providing guidance, leadership and mentoring of Junior accountants if applicable to the Region
• The Asset and Development Services sector delivers technical and engineering service solutions all over Australia
• Our offer includes mechanical, electrical, energy, fire, hydraulics, plumbing, refrigeration, construction, maintenance, building controls and electronic security

Reason for Leaving: Company sold

Company Overview (www.downergroup.com): is a leading manufacturer and supplier of bitumen-based products, providing customers with asphalt, blended binders and emulsion products.

• Lead a state team of contracting finance accountants within the whole of Victoria and Tasmania region to establish and manage streamlined, standardized and transparent operational and contracting services for the Road Infrastructure Services (RIS) operation
• This includes Melbourne Asphalt, Tasmania Spray & Asphalt, Regional VIC Country (Wodonga & Shepparton) Spray & Asphalt, Victoria Stabilization and Civil Construction Services, VIC Pavement Rehabilitation and the Airports Major Projects
• Work together with Roads Business Partner to provide and implement policy, procedure & operational strategies of RIS to ensure credible, transparent and timely delivery of financial data
• This is to assist the Business Partner to support, monitor and analyze business conditions and business performances to develop and implement data-based business decisions focused on intervention, improvement and growth
• Implement procedures to ensure timely billing and assist credit team with cash collection to support RIS cash position
• Implement processes and procedures to ensure the BSC can process supplier/subcontractor transactions efficiently and effectively in a timely manner
• Manage the relationship and service delivery between the Roads Infrastructure Services business and the Group Business Service Centre (BSC)
• Maintain a trusted service relationship with the operational general manager and operations managers to ensure an up-to-date focus on contracting business requirements
• Work collaboratively to ensure the lines of communication are kept open so that operations support is prioritized
• Understand key business drivers and ensure contracting financial impacts of these drivers are communicated effectively
• Work collaboratively to drive improvements and waste reduction initiatives within the contracting business
• Drive End of the Month activities
• Act as a key interface for the Downer Roads Head Office finance team
• Is a leading manufacturer and supplier of bitumen-based products, providing customers with asphalt, blended binders and emulsion products

Reason for Leaving: Cost cutting due to COVID

Company Overview (www.seaswift.com): Australia's largest privately owned shipping company. The company provides freight and passenger services, and maritime logistical support, operating container ships in addition to barges, tugs and landing craft. Sea Swift is ideally positioned to support, assist and deliver to customers, from individuals to large national and international corporations.

• Manage Queensland Finance team ensure effective systems and processes are implemented to support Sea Swift operations and corporate requirements
• Reporting of the monthly financial results within strict month end deadlines
• Partner with 'nonfinance' stakeholders to evaluate projects and provide insights into current performance and output
• Undertake periodic business operational reviews and recommend strategies to address non-performing business operations
• Coordinate/liaise/assist external auditors during the financial year audit
• Assist CFO and GM-QLD in preparation of CAPEX Business Case by providing analysis of financial and operational issues impacting the business
• Construct performance development plans in conjunction with subordinates to set performance direction and highlight training and development needs
• Regularly monitor and assess performance of subordinate staff to provide constructive feedback and highlight development needs
• Promote an environment of co-operation for continual improvement of team performance
• Facilitate and ensure regular interaction between operations, engineering, marketing/sales and marine staff
• Resolve or refer employee grievances and complaints in line with Company grievances and complaints handling procedures to minimize negative effects
• Management of financial reporting and improving the systems, controls and processes underpinning these activities
• Co-ordinate and prepare the Queensland budgeting/forecasting process
• Ensure cash flow adequately supports activities and detailed cash flow projections are accurate
• Provide financial/investment analysis on feasibilities and business cases to support decision making
• Build highly informative financial/performance reporting for the GM using appropriate technology to maximise efficiency

Reason for leaving - relocated to Victoria

Company Overview (www.seaswift.com): Australia's largest privately owned shipping company. The company provides freight and passenger services, and maritime logistical support, operating container ships in addition to barges, tugs and landing craft. Sea Swift is ideally positioned to support, assist and deliver to customers, from individuals to large national and international corporations.

• As a Business Improvement Manager, I provide support to the organization in identifying and implementing process improvement opportunities with emphasis on the Finance function processes to enable optimal services to be delivered to both internal and external customers
• I am required to champion and deploy business and process improvement methodologies across the Business Units of Sea Swift and build capability through knowledge sharing and coaching; engaging effectively with stakeholders, deploying appropriate methodologies and toolsets and creating and maintain a reputation as the internal consultant of choice by Senior Management for any finance related controls process issues or finance related designed initiatives
• Key areas of accountability include developing accounting policies and procedures; initiating, scoping, and managing the delivery of projects for identified process improvements; preparing business cases for opportunities to improve processes in conjunction with process owners/managers

Reason for Leaving: Project has finished, and I was offered a new role of Finance Manager

Company Overview (www.interoil.com): Prior to its acquisition by Exxon, InterOil Corporation was a fossil fuel company with a primary focus on Papua New Guinea. InterOil's assets included one of Asia's largest undeveloped gas fields, Elk-Antelope, in the Gulf Province. The company employed more than 2000 staff and contractors. Its main offices were in Singapore and Port Moresby. InterOil was formed in 1997 and was incorporated in Canada. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Port Moresby Stock Exchange. It had a market capitalization of $2.8 billion

• Plan, communicate and lead the annual Work Program and Budget (WP&B) and quarterly reforecast process across Singapore and PNG for both operational and capital expenditures
• Challenge budget holder assumptions and expenditure estimates to ensure the company utilizes its' cash resources in the most effective manner
• Draft analysis and reporting of actuals vs
• WP&B on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis for presentation to the Executive Leadership Team and the Board
• Assist operational budget holders in PNG and assist with the operating and capital spend budgets needed for other areas as delegated by Financial Planning & Strategy team in Singapore
• Support input into and provide expert budget and financial advice and analysis to the departmental executive, budget holders and other key stakeholders in the development of the department's/business unit's budget
• Assist FP&A team in Budget Consolidation
• Liaise with other departments in relation to managing their budget and assisting them in identifying issues within their budget
• Carry out efficiency/efficiency/improvement trainings to rig sites

Reason for leaving - Expats made redundant

• Month End Closing
• Multi-Currency Accounting
• Stream Consolidations of 25 entities
• Financial Statements restatements

Reason for leaving - Head Office was moved to Papua New Guinea