Sara Paredes

Sara Jade Paredes New Hampshire, United States Mobile: +(001)--Work Experience: Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Human Resources Management, Strategic Project Management Office Washington, D.C. October 2017 to Present Management and Program Analyst FV-I ● Facilitate the initiation, planning, execution, control, and closing of projects to achieve specific goals and meet success criteria. ● Leverage expertise in Human Resource Management to support the Administrators Strategic Initiatives. Utilize project management skills to execute strategic initiatives and projects. ● Develop coordinated and strategic communication strategies to achieve message cohesion and measurable results. Facilitate initiatives to ensure relationships are built and maintained with external and internal stakeholders. ● Develop communication policies and guidance consistent with mission, vision, values, and business goals. Facilitate systematic management and integration of information flow, content development, and branding. ● Assist offices and divisions to identify process improvements and best practices to address particular problems. Review existing products to improve user experience. Develop/Implement maintenance SOPs, and Marketing Plan for existing products to increase AHR sites visibility and traffic. ● Streamline and organize technology platforms in a way that adds value and improves communication. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Wind Energy and Water Power Technology Offices Washington, D.C. May 2016 to October 2017 Operations Manager GS-13 ● Served as the principal advisor for the operations supervisor on human capital, budget, contracting, strategic and operational planning, and program evaluation activities. ● Supported the reorganization of one office with 63 contractor staff and civil servants into two distinct offices, ensuring the continuity of operations across both offices, ● Mediated collaboration among internal senior and junior program staff in order to successfully attain project milestones. ● Identified and implemented operational process improvements. ● Wrote and edited strategic plans and goals for alignment to Departmental strategies. ● Designed an information memorandum tracking system in SharePoint to alleviate the inefficient use of email for collaboration. ● Managed a team of contractors and federal staff in the planning and execution of a mandated peer review and program evaluation event consisting of over 300 attendees. Compiled hundreds of project specifications across the Office, quality control multiple documents with various authors, drafted correspondence and communications plan, secure venue and manage logistics contract. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of the Comptroller Washington, D.C. August 2012 to May 2016 Management Analyst GS-13 ● Assessed complex management and program processes and systems through the implementation of operational planning and developing strategies that focus on achieving results. Collaborated with nine offices in the Bureau on development of objectives for new and existing programs. ● Monitored operating programs and activities, and recommend solutions to principals on critical policy issues essential to the agency that had major programmatic impact. ● Directed, implemented and managed the operational planning program ​that forecasted the needs of the Bureau.​ Regularly engaged on issues of both sensitive or of a high-profile nature while advising leadership. Recommended long-range plans, goals, objectives and milestones, and management controls. ​Developed measures for the first Bureau-wide operational plans linking all programs to strategic goals and budget. ● Managed the evaluation of a crosscutting program on passport fraud for effectiveness and efficiency, resulting in policy recommendations for coordinated program improvement. ● Collaborated with multiple offices and budget analysts to review the annual budget request. Ensured that budget requests were well justified, prioritized, aligned and meet the strategic needs of the offices and Bureau. ● Liaised in developing and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders in the federal government and private industry. Planed and directed liaison operations for the Cross Agency Priority Goals, Agency Priority Goals, and Functional Bureau Strategy, which had mission critical implications. ● Participated in policy formation surrounding strategic planning that involved management controls, risk mitigation and long-range planning. Provided guidance to managers and analysts in the resolution of complex problems affecting the Bureau’s mission. ● Led a diverse group of federal agency members and established criteria to measure the success and effectiveness of government-wide customer service principles and standards. Researched customer service practices, evaluated performance in meeting customer service standards, and made recommendations for improving service delivery. Recommended initiatives to increase customer satisfaction. ● Assisted embassies and consulates in resolving issues surrounding the processing of U.S. citizen documents, and visas. ● Managed the development of Bureau-wide financial and strategic planning training including a Bureau-wide training strategy. Successfully navigated the procurement process for technology and contract support. ● Spearheaded the design of the contracting oversight system. Analyzed management information requirements and researched existing systems for the integration of all contracting data. ● Built and managed multiple SharePoint sites that organized, shared and allowed permission based access to reports on contracting and operational planning. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Washington, D.C. Temporary Detail: January 2014 to June 2014 Foreign Affairs Specialist GS-13 ● Advanced U. S. anti-trafficking policy in EUR countries and provided oral and written briefings on trafficking in EUR countries. ● Researched and analyzed developments and trends relating to human trafficking issues and governmental efforts to confront these phenomena in EUR countries. Regularly provided analysis to peers and senior officials in support of the Office’s strategic goals. ● Engaged on human trafficking issues with a diverse set of stakeholders, including Department principals, foreign officials, Non-governmental Organizations and International Organizations. ● Drafted written assessments of foreign governments’ anti-trafficking efforts and corresponding trafficking problems in the EUR for use in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report, other public reports, and in talking points, briefing checklists, memoranda and cables. ● Reviewed and analyzed policy documents, participated in working groups, coordinated findings and summarized information, and made recommendations to senior level officers on appropriate course to follow. ● Performed in-depth research on human trafficking issues. Analyzed and evaluated data to validate existing policy or to recommend implementing changes or new policies or guidance with respect to assigned geographic region. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Services-Special Projects and Data Sharing Washington, D.C. June 2010 – August 2012 Program Analyst GS-13 ● Identified, developed and implemented programs that facilitate improvement in Passport Services operations. ● Liaised with external and internal stakeholders to establish mutually agreeable terms for programs. ● Prepared and finalized memos of understanding for the implementation of programs. ● Coordinated policy formation and program deployment of various terrorist screening data for inclusion into Consular Lookout and Support System. ● Liaison for state and federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations for programs imperative to issuance of passports. ● Regularly engaged with senior officials representing organizations within and outside the Department of State. ● Identified and resolved a loophole in Social Security Administration death index file, a significant data piece used in Passport Services. ● Negotiated and prepared agreements with internal and external Agencies. ● Coordinate projects and assignments directed towards improving the security of passport issuance. ● Selected to represent the organization at the state registrar’s national conference. Presented data sharing initiatives to state officials, emphasizing the shared mission across organizations. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Services - Office of the Senior Regional Director Washington, D.C. September 2009 – June 2010 Program Analyst GS-12 ● Managed the program designed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of all domestic Passport Agency senior management during a time of program transition. ● Coordinated and lead a diverse team of management to conduct site visits. Complied final report and recommendations for agency improvement. ● Evaluated and revised the Management Assessment Program. Redefined program components and analyzed systematic approaches to program requirements. ● Coordinated, conducted, and directed the Management Assessment program. Served as the expert on the assessment process prior to and during site visits. Assisted management being reviewed and management on the review team in the entire process. ● Evaluated and analyzed program recommendations to assist agency management on mechanisms for compliance. Managed and oversaw the implementation of program recommendations. ● Collaborated with senior management. Conducted research, prepared and analyzed reports and drafted memoranda. Provided analysis and recommendations for the redistribution of Agency and Center regions relative to workload management and Acceptance Facilities liaison responsibility. ● Managed implementation and responses to the Office of Inspector General’s formal and informal recommendations to Passport Services. Department of State, Consular Affairs, Passport Services, National Passport Center Portsmouth, NH November 2006 – September 2009 Passport Specialist GS-11 ● Adjudicated the evidence of citizenship submitted with a passport application to determine its authenticity and adequacy in relation to the requirements of law and the facts set forth in the application. ● Selected to assist multiple domestic passport agencies with backlogs during Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and call centers inundated with customer service requests. Received extra mile award. ● Examined and analyzed passport applications and assessed in accordance to citizenship law, passport regulations, and procedural guidelines in order to issue a passport, request additional information, or deny the application. ● Researched, interpreted, and applied law and regulations for derivative citizenship claims. Determined sufficiency of citizenship and identity evidence and resolved cases where either was insufficient. ● Identified fraud indicators and inconsistencies on applications in order to make fraud referrals and detect alien impostors, identity theft, and child substitution cases. ● Cleared and researched all matches with the internal databases. Checked for children who have been entered into the database to protect them from being abducted to foreign countries, in addition to individuals with warrants for arrest, and individuals owing child support. ● Developed appropriate correspondence when additional documentation was necessary for passport issuance, including drafting supplemental language if needed. ● Provided accurate information and interacted professionally, courteously, and tactfully with applicants through written correspondence, teleconference, and in person. Stanley Associates for Passport Services Portsmouth, NH December 2004 – November 2006 Support Associate ● Supported the issuance of passports by rotating through multiple positions ranging from opening mail to mailing out issued passports. ● Served in the mail room as a mail opener, assembling passport applications and documents according to guidelines. Scanned assembled applications, reviewed and edited scanned photos of applications. ● Printed passport books, ensuring that data and photo printed on the book matched the information on the application. ● Reviewed printed book and mailing address at quality control to determine accuracy for mail out to customer. ● Scanned completed application for archiving. Education: George Washington University ​Washington, D.C. Masters of Arts: Expected Graduation June 2018 Major: Organizational Management University of New Hampshire​ Durham, NH Bachelor of Arts: December 2004 Major: Psychology Honors: Cum Laude International Coaching Academy Advanced Certified Coach (2015) Job Related Training: ● Next Generation Government Leader Conference (July 2015) ● Strategic Planning for Government Organizations (May 2015) ● Evaluation Methods and Design (May 2015) ● Contracting Officer’s Representative Training (November 2014) ● Managing Evaluations (December 2013) ● National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems Conference (June 2010) ● International Negotiation (December 2010) ● Consular Leadership and Development Conference (September 2010) ● Passport and Nationality Training (August 2008) Additional Information: ● Federal Acquisitions Certification-Contracting Officer’s Representative Certified Level II (2015) ● Meritorious Honor Award (2015) ● Franklin Award (2015) ● Meritorious Honor Award (2010) ● Extra Mile Awards (2007, 2008 and 2009, 2013)