SUZAN BARBOUR

Email: suzybarbour@gmail.com

Phone Number: +962775101110

Education & Qualifications

• DBA Candidate – Business Intelligent and Data Analytics – University of Westcliff, California U.S.A
• PMD Pro – Project Management for Development Professionals – PM4NGOs, February, 2025
• MBA – Strategic and Innovative Leadership– University of Westcliff, California U.S.A. October 2024
• International Commercial Arbitration Diploma – Equity College – Special Arbitration Unit University, England April 2023.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate – University of South Florida May 2021
• BSc. – Business Administration- Al-Ahlyya Amman University June 2003- Feb 2008
• Diploma – Office Management & Executive Secretarial Diploma – Young Women’s Christian Association – 1999-2000
• Trainings: VIP Event Planning, Travel Policy & Procedures, Monitoring Grants & Cooperative Agreements, Administrating Grants & Cooperative Agreements, Managing customer Service, Customer Focused Management, MS Outlook, MS Excel, Supervisory & Management Skills (basic and beyond basic), Public Speaking, Training of Trainers
  

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Strategic Business Consultant: Freelancer, CEO, and founder BMMGSC │Amman│ October 2023 – Present
  – Partner, Business Development Consultant – Jordan and Middle East for DRUVEN business (California)
  – International Education and Business Development Consultant for Talal Abu Ghazaleh Global Company.
  – General Manager and Vice Chairwoman of Fiker Think Tank Institute, leads strategic initiatives and project management to drive organizational growth.
  – SME’s and entrepreneurs Mentoring through the MicroMintor program by Mercy Corps.
  – Entrepreneurship Mentor Consultant, with The Youth Grow Activity (YGA), USAID project by Q2 impact, designed andprovided a Comprehensive mentorship program to contribute to the sustainable growth and success of women-ledenterprises in Jordan.
  – Business Development Specialist, World Trade Center (Kentucky).
  – Certified Arbitration Consultant committed to resolving business disputes effectively.
  – Market Matchmaker, leveraging market research and network to identify lucrative business opportunities for U.S.companies in Jordan and Jordanian companies in the U.S. in sectors like Defense and Security, Aerospace, Healthcare,Agriculture, ICT and Education.
  – Acting as a trusted liaison, connecting American businesses with key stakeholders and decision-makers in the Jordanian market, facilitating successful collaborations.
  – Grant consulting by matching businesses with suitable grants, guiding them through an application process to maximize success chances.
  – Developing clear communication plans and strategies tailored to diverse clients across various sectors.
  – Demonstrating leadership skills by facilitating group discussions, building consensus, and fostering effectivecollaboration with clients and stakeholders.
• COMMERCIAL SPECIALIST: Foreign Commercial Service U.S. Embassy – Amman│ Aug 2019 – Oct 2023
  – Spearheaded initiatives in the Defense, Safety & Security, Aerospace, Travel & Tourism, Environment/Water, Agriculture,ICT, Healthcare, Education, Design & Construction, Apparel Industry, and Education sectors.
  – Designed, organized, and managed projects aimed at promoting American products and services, playing a pivotal role inenhancing bilateral trade relations.
  – Served as the key liaison between American companies and local counterparts, fostering strong business partnerships.
  – Proactively monitored Jordanian government acquisitions requests and tenders, by conducting in-depth market researchto identify potential opportunities for American companies.
  – Collaborated closely with the Jordanian government to define asset requirements and relayed critical market insights toU.S. Exporting companies for informed decision-making.
  – Solicited input for project design from the US Department of Commerce and the Jordanian government stakeholders toensure compliance with USG goals in Jordan.
  – Created opportunities for U.S. Businesses through business matchmaking, and coached Jordanian well-established, andstart-up businesses for a smooth landing in the U.S. market.
  – Demonstrated exceptional identification skills by selecting two top-performing Jordanian businesses as grantees throughthe U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) program. These grantees achieved record-breaking approval times foroverseas companies.
  – Designed and executed two virtual educational fair for American Universities to connect with Jordanian schools andrecruiters.
• FINANCIAL ANALYST: Financial Management Center│U.S. Embassy- Amman│ Jan 2016 – Aug 2019
  – Expertly managed budget formulation and execution for a diverse portfolio of agency accounts, including none servicedagencies, ensuring efficient allocation of financial resources.
  – Conducted comprehensive financial analysis, meticulously tracking, analyzing, and recommending adjustments tofinancial plans in response to major variances.
  – Spearheaded internal auditing operations, producing insightful financial reports for Washington’s Financial ComptrollerManagement, outlining key concerns while providing recommendations to enhance control systems and procedures.
  – Maintained vigilant oversight of allotment statutes, producing reports for the Financial Management Officer and theAdministrative Officer to resolve discrepancies and improve financial accountability.
• SUPERVISORY VOUCHER EXAMINER: Financial Mgmt Center│U.S. Embassy –Amman│Jan 2013 – Jan 2016
  – Pioneered the development of in-house training programs for my team, implementing innovative concepts thatsignificantly streamlined processes and enhanced efficiency, resulting in substantial time and resource savings.
  – Expertly interpreted and applied regulations issued by the paying USG agencies, meticulously reviewing and validatingcomputations on invoices and supporting documents for accuracy and propriety.
  – Played a pivotal role in drafting cables and emails to Charleston and Bangkok Financial Service Centers, collaboratingwith Resource Management and the NEA Bureau on reconciliations and expenditure reports.
  – Initiated and facilitated productive cross-functional collaborations with other sections to leverage new databases andtechnologies, ultimately improving service quality and accuracy.
  
  

Core Competencies

• Stakeholder Engagement
• Project Design
• Contract Negotiation
• Event Management
• Event Planning
• Team Leadership
• Budget Management
• Marketing and Promotion
• Logistics and Operations
• Fundraising
• Entrepreneur mentor
• Business Matchmaking
• Logistics and Operations Event Collateral
• Market Research
• Strategic Planning
• Financial Analysis
• Internal Audit
• Database Management
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Training and Development
• Regulatory Compliance
• VVIP visits arrangements
  

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Provided comprehensive logistical, press support, budget management, and staffing coordination for high-profile visits toJordan by several U.S. Presidents, Vice Presidents, Secretaries of State, and other dignitaries. Collaborated closely withadvance teams to ensure seamless execution of visits, including those of Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, VicePresident Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
• Over four years, I spearheaded the design and execution of over 20 nationally and internationally recognized tradeshows. My expertise transformed conceptual ideas into immersive experiences, consistently exceeding expectations.Proven success includes both hosting events and leading delegations, fostering impactful engagements and generatingsignificant opportunities.
• Recognized with an appreciation certificate for Diligence, Creativity and Meticulous Planning in organizing the 2009 U.S.Election night.
• Awarded Employee of the Month for orchestrating the training of 50 employees in the Department of State’sAppropriation Law for the first time ever at the U.S. Embassy in Amman.
• Reduced U.S. Embassy telecom costs by $7,000/month through collaborative effort on billing system improvements.
• Served as the main contact for American businesses promoting American goods and services in the sectors of healthcare,defense, aerospace & aviation, safety & security, construction, and education, as well as their local representative.
• Led over $50M budget formulation and execution for various U.S. government agencies accounts, providing criticalfinancial analysis and recommendations for major variances.
• Implemented innovative concepts and in-house training to enhance efficiency and accuracy, resulting in significant timeand effort savings for a team of voucher examiners.
• Managed Iraqi exchange grants, ensuring seamless coordination and compliance for programs and grants.
• Orchestrated successful fundraising events and community projects “Dinner in the Dark”, raising significant funds andmaking a positive impact on the visually impaired community, additionally, executed a community project improving ashelter for 120 Iraqi refugees, providing essential facilities.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

• VOUCHER EXAMINER: Financial Management Center│U.S. Embassy – Amman│ Oct 2009–Jan 2013
• PROGRAM MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT- Public Affairs Section│U.S. Embassy – Amman│ Mar 2005–Oct 2009
• Development Coordination Unit│World Bank “Educational Reform for Knowledge Economy” Project – Ministry of Education│ Jun 2003– Mar 2005
• United Nations Development Program│Enhancing Technical Training and Employment Opportunities for Jordanian Women Project│ Jun 2000– June 2003
  

WORKPLACE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

• Core Team Member, Disability Awareness Month Committee (2023): Played a vital role in the Disability AwarenessMonth Committee, championing the rights and recognition of individuals with disabilities in Jordan. Supported theplanning and execution of initiatives celebrating diversity and inclusion.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council Member (2020-2023): Contributed to the embassy’s commitment todiversity, equity, and inclusion as a valued member of the DEI Council. Collaborated on initiatives to promote a moreinclusive work environment and enhance awareness of DEI principles.
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Liaison (More than 10 years): Demonstrated an enduring dedication topromoting equal employment opportunities by serving as an EEO liaison, collaborating with the Office of Civil Rights.Advocated for fair and equitable practices within the organization.
  

VOLUNTEER &LEADERSHIP

• PRESIDENT OF ROTARY CLUB: Amman Amoun│Rotary International Organization
  – District (9 countries) Conference Fundraiser Committee Chair 2023/2024
  – District (9 countries) Public Private Partnership Committee Chair –2023/2024
  – Country Committee Chair for the New Generation Service Exchange 2022/2023
  – Club President, July 2015 – July 2016 through the year of my presidency the club received six district awards.
  – Led a volunteer team that raised and donated approximately $250,000 to rehabilitate water systems in 16 UNRWAschools, ensuring clean water access for students in Jordan. Additionally, executed a community project improving ashelter for 120 Iraqi refugees, providing essential facilities.