Selemani Ponda

Results-driven financial professional with over 10 years of experience in financial strategy, capital planning, and client advisory services. Adept at optimizing cash flows, managing client relationships, and structuring financial solutions for SMEs. Skilled in identifying client funding needs, negotiating financing terms, and supporting long-term business growth.

I recently completed a Master of Science in Accountancy (GPA: 3.6) from the University of Illinois, with strong interest in financial sales and funding advisory roles. Proficient in QuickBooks, TurboTax, Oracle ERP, Excel, and foundational tools like Python and Tableau.

Tax Expert – Individual Taxation - Intuit Inc. (TurboTax) - Illinois, U.S

(2026-01 - 2026-04)

• Delivered service excellence by providing high-quality, accurate tax support to clients using Assisted TurboTax products, consistently earning customer satisfaction and retention – 90% and above.
• Proactively generated self-sourced returns through targeted marketing, referrals, and community outreach, successfully onboarding 25 new-to-Assisted clients during the TY25 tax season.
• Maintained continuous employment through all bonus eligibility periods, securing full incentive compensation by meeting retention requirements.

Accountant & Financial Expert - EBM Scholars LLC - Illinois, U.S

(2025-10)

• Book-keeping: Maintain accurate financial records and supporting documentation for client accounts, including tracking income, expenses, and commission-related transactions to ensure organized and audit-ready bookkeeping.
• Financial Reporting: Assist with internal financial reporting by monitoring expense reports, tracking commission structures, and preparing periodic financial summaries to support management decision-making and ensure compliance with company policies.
• Compliance: Ensure accuracy in financial projections, record-keeping, and compliance with industry standards, while assisting with internal financial reporting and expense monitoring.
• Financial Analysis & Client Advisory: Conduct client financial statement analysis and cash flow assessments to develop tailored solutions in life insurance, retirement planning, and wealth-building strategies.

Course Facilitator – iMBA courses - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Gies College of Business - Illinois, U.S

(2025-01)

• Assist the course instructor in enhancing knowledge delivery to online MBA courses.
• Evaluate and grade assignments, projects, and exams, ensuring consistency and fairness.
• Participate actively in Q&A sessions to address and clarify student queries regarding course content and projects.
• Contribute to enhancing student understanding and engagement through clear and effective communication.

Head of Finance - Exim Bank (Tanzania) Ltd - Dar es Salaam/Tanzania

(2015-06 - 2019-09)

• Oversaw a team of finance professionals in coordinating and handling all aspects of accounting processes, management reporting, compliance and implementation of financial controls and governance procedures.
• Reduced accounts payable processing time by 20% through automatic approval and processing using in-built workflow in the Oracle ERP.
• Managed fixed asset accounting, ensuring accurate depreciation, additions/disposals tracking, and reconciliations using Oracle ERP.
• Rationalized the forecast of loss impairment of loans and advances (Receivable accounts) portfolio through BI tool and enhance monitoring and recovery efforts led to reduction of impairment charges by 20%.
• Developed a comprehensive reporting tool to provide a 360-degree view of customer and product profitability, supporting data-driven pricing strategies and strategic decision-making.
• Spearheaded automation Assets and Liability Management (ALM) reports, customer and product profitability reports, products usage, and variance analysis resulted in 15% revenue growth.

Internal Audit Manager - Akiba Commercial Bank Plc - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

(2014-06 - 2015-05)

• Reviewed daily system exception and audit trail reports that reduced potential fraud exposure and reduced high-risk findings by 15%.
• Reviewed financing structures and risk controls, identifying gaps that enhanced credit quality and improved regulatory ratings.
• Reduced customer and institutional risk by analyzing loan documentation and identifying high-risk transactions, hence reducing the loan impairment by 10%.

Head of Finance - Exim Bank (Tanzania) Ltd - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

(2012-11 - 2014-05)

• Managed a finance team, optimizing end-of-month closing processes to reduce completion time from 8 days to 3 days, that allowed more time to review and enhanced succinct of reported information.
• Managed the reconciliation of accounts payable, ensuring timely payments and eliminated expenses accrual errors – improved accuracy of financial reports.
• Tracked fixed assets / PPE for multiple branches and corporate office, eliminated depreciation computation and asset recording.
• Collaborated with the Treasury and Risk team to develop a transfer pricing model which enhanced pricing strategy for deposit products and contributed to 8% margin annual improvement.
• Assist with instruction and evaluation in core accounting principles, including lease accounting concepts for leasehold offices and motor vehicles.
• Led relationship management with vendors, clients, and auditors, ensuring alignment on financial terms and timely resolution of queries.

Head of Finance - KCB Bank (Tanzania) Ltd - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

(2010-05 - 2012-10)

• Led a team of 5 staff members, including 2 direct reports, to enhance customer experience through automation of reconciliation of bank accounts, reducing customer complaints by 15%.
• Strengthened general ledger operations, journal entries and monthly closings and compile monthly management reports by enhanced daily reconciliation of ledgers and analytical review of revenue and expenses.
• Designed a forecast module for monthly financial results at beginning of the month using Excel modelling through incorporating with non-financial data (drivers) such as leads, number of transactions, number of new accounts opened, and cost control initiatives.
• Enhanced review of processed invoices and vendor payments by automation through Oracle ERP, ensuring proper cost center allocation and approval compliance – more ownership and reliability of business units profitability reports.

Head of Finance - Bank of Africa (Tanzania) Ltd - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

(2005-12 - 2010-04)

• Managed a finance department comprising four team members, including two direct reports, to enhance operational efficiency and accountability.
• Initiated a post-implementation audit of capital expenditures, resulting in an increase in average return on investment from 15% to 22% over two years.
• Accelerated management report submission (including business units and customer profitability) with commentary by 3 business days, through automation using Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP and Pivot Tables functions).

Internal Auditor Grade II - CRDB Bank Plc - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

(2001-02 - 2005-11)

• Identified a $200K in fraudulent activities by analyzing data to detect unusual transactions in dormant suspense general ledger accounts.
• Optimized the use of inbuilt data mining tools, resulting in a reduction of travel costs by $15K for branch audits.
• Implemented data analytics techniques that increased sample size for audit review and improved investigation efficiency and reducing potential fraud exposure.

Credit Analyst - CRDB Bank Plc - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

(1999-11 - 2001-01)

• Evaluated credit eligibility for small and medium-sized borrowers by analyzing bank account performance and financial statements.
• Performed portfolio review using age analysis, revised economy conditions and revised security value to recommend impairment losses.
• Advised SME clients on credit terms, collateral requirements, and payment planning while coordinating with loan officers.
• Conducted recovery visits to defaulting customers to identify reasons for non-payment and negotiate repayment plans.

Master of Science in Accountancy - Accountancy - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Gies College of Business (2024-06 - 2025-05)

Master of Business Administration - Business Administration - University of the People Pasadena, California (2021-08 - 2023-04)

Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting - Accounting - University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1996-09 - 1999-07)