Thomas Vande Zande

About Thomas Vande Zande

As a Financial Specialist with over a decade of experience across public, private, and government sectors, I have honed my ability to forecast, budget, and identify trends and opportunities that drive strategic decisions. I have developed robust financial modeling, budgeting, forecasting, and strategic analysis expertise. I excel in creating and managing complex Excel models, which serve as a cornerstone for the financial planning process. My analytical skills are complemented by a strong understanding of the operational drivers that impact financial outcomes. I am adept at translating data into actionable insights, helping stakeholders understand the financial implications of their decisions and future changes in the external environment. In my current role, I have played a pivotal part in bolstering relationships with geographically dispersed leaders, experts, and operations. I have optimized budget allocation and improved transparency and tracking across annual spending. My commitment to accuracy and attention to detail ensure that financial reports are precise and meaningful. For me, the ideal workplace is both supportive and diverse. I seek personal and professional growth support via leadership and opportunities to expand my experience. Additionally, a diverse workforce not only offers unique worldviews unavailable elsewhere but also creates a collaborative environment that ignites innovation and creativity.

Experience

1. Section Chief, Budget Officer, and Financial Analyst

   U.S. Coast Guard

   Dec 2015 — Present · Alameda, CA, US

   Built strong partnerships with geographically separated product owners, senior leaders, and operational experts to gather input/feedback for financial forecasting and planning.Managed a $125M annual government-appropriated budget and spending plan across 53 contracts and annual purchases to deliver critical IT infrastructure to end users.Developed models to size financial opportunities and risks related to strategic initiatives as a key input to enterprise annual budgeting process and ongoing project management.Managed and tracked key performance indicators (KPIs) for financial performance and execution against expectations.Worked with cross-functional partners to identify variances, analyze causes, and overcome challenges, providing insight into areas of risk and opportunity to achieve goals and aid decision-making. Prepared and presented monthly and annual reviews/reports that recapped forecast versus actual and year-over-year results.Developed new data integration and tracking to enhance existing reporting and transparency to improve business processes. Used Visual Basic and complex Excel macros to streamline accounting procedures and consolidate data and reports generated via MS Power BI. Used a customized Oracle NetSuite ERP for accounting and purchasing and tied data to reporting and performance indicators. Expert in forecasting, budgeting, and financial analysis, including understanding and implementing sophisticated financial models.Led a 70-person team across multiple projects to maintain scope, cost, and schedule for developing military enterprise IT solutions and projects. Detail-oriented with a focus on quality and accuracy and strong problem-solving and analytical skills for audit and investigation.Managed a 12-member team to develop a new budgeting and financial reporting tool for tracking investments and reporting on $2B fleet-wide IT assets.

Education

• Stratford University

  Bachelor of Science, Computer Science

  2012 — 2014

• Stratford University

  Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Strategic Foresight

  2015 — 2018

• Stratford University

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

  2014 — 2015

Skills

• Angularjs
• Jsp
• Selenium Testing
• Node.js
• Information Security
• Access
• Enterprise Architecture
• Test Automation
• Sql
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Selenium
• Software Development Life Cycle (Sdlc)
• Enterprise Software
• Amazon Web Services (Aws)
• Photoshop
• Agile Methodologies
• Css
• Software Development
• Leadership
• Program Management
• Junit
• Microsoft Word
• Fuel Management
• Maven
• Intellij Idea
• Scala
• Cloud Computing
• Powerpoint
• Information Security Management
• Jenkins
• Javascript
• Java
• Eclipse
• Management
• Requirements Analysis
• Fitnesse
• Military Logistics
• Jboss Application Server
• Android
• Sdlc