Tamara Gonzales

Accepted challenge to pivot leadership roles across various departments, including but not limited to facilities management, human resources, card services, communications, IT, and collections. Introduced deeper alignment with leadership to bring cohesiveness and scalable structure to multiple internal processes.

ACTION ITEMS:

• Addressed building emergencies with high-level urgency and developed timely and effective solutions.
• Oversaw building improvements to update facilities and meet tenant requirements.
• Coordinated preventive maintenance and safety training with onsite managers from regulatory agencies.
• Maintained records of payments, vendor pricing, energy usage, and activity reports.
• Planned maintenance activities per budget limitations, building use needs, and operational requirements.
• Approved and backed up bi-weekly payroll process.
• Strengthened all communications and classified data.
• Confirmed personnel credentials and monitored training for regulatory compliance.
• Safeguarded equipment and material, including configuration, custody, safekeeping, and destruction of material.
• Supported operational improvements and resolution of problems to deliver top-notch customer service.
• Infused excellent communication skills resolving product and consumer complaints.
• Exercised professional demeanor during stressful situations when dealing with unhappy customers.
• Clarified information and enforced procedures for smoother operations.
• Handled budgets for projects, tracked expenses, timelines, and communications milestones with key stakeholders.
• Conducted evaluations of hardware and software solutions to develop estimates, negotiate contracts and make effective selections.
• Drafted improved procedures for collection of past due amounts; researched, evaluated, and resolved discrepancies. Conducted month-end balance sheet reviews and reconciled variances.
• Mentored collection team on successful tactics to increase workflow and productivity.

RESULTS:

• Championed financial responsibility by renegotiating most of our contracts to align monthly maintenance, which lowered our monthly bills.
• Led charge for updated training program for our call center personal to strengthen staff’s education to foster and maintain more effective relationships with our members.
• Accepted challenge to revisit annual review of employee handbook. Introduced changes to document to keep credit union aligned with current HR regulations and deployed additional changes due to COVID.
• Came to table with department managers to handle workflow of 50 + employees. Optimized day-to-day activities, analyzed, and improved business operations, and better targeted our member’s needs.

Brought on board to create symmetry between accounting, payroll, and financial reporting activities. Accountable for reviewing account reconciliations, journal entries and resolve discrepancies to preserve record and account accuracy.

ACTION ITEMS:

• Championed alignment of month-end closing process, prepared financial statements, and managed advanced reconciliations.
• Spearheaded greater accuracy for financial reporting, accounts payable and receivable, asset coordination, account management, and budgets.
• Formed internal controls and corrective actions to reduce risk or deficiencies. Prepared for CPA audits and NCUA & IDFPR exams.
• Supervised all personnel within department, including new hire training, introduction of cross-training of key reconciliations, and troubleshooting internal software systems.
• Implemented new procedures to comply with regulation changes along with filing CUNA insurance claims.

RESULTS:

• Drafted policies and procedures focusing on internal controls and accuracy of audit results.
• Introduced customized spreadsheet to manage and automate daily journal entries to Excel, which resulted in more efficient month-end reporting.

Appointed to bring about substantial operational improvements by reworking policies and enhancing enforcement. Led charge to cultivate and maintain positive working relationships with employees, executives, and other stakeholders. Communicated regularly. Delivered continuous, detailed communications with executive team related to progress status and direction for projects.

ACTION ITEMS:

• Joined forces with various departments to identify operational challenges and plan corrective actions.
• Relayed clear goals for area managers; applied systems for measuring results in support of optimal decision making.
• Supervised daily operations of multi-million-dollar financial institution.
• Key influencer for company interests before all relevant parties, including federal agencies, city, and state representatives, and regulatory entities.
• Managed workforce development by evaluating, interpreting, and enforcing human resource policies.
• Pivoted direction to strengthen regulations and to develop industry training programs and conferences.