How did you find NMR?

I was searching for financial analyst opportunities in Huntsville and I applied to the position online.

What is your job title at NMR? Describe what you do.

I am a Financial Analyst. I track all financial data for the contract supporting our customer to include labor hours and costs, travel, Other Direct Costs (ODC), funding, and contract value. I develop the budget for each contract year and analyze the monthly performance to report to the government. I am the direct report for the Financial Analyst and Procurement Analyst where I guide/mentor in their duties. This includes travel expense report audit and processing, shipping and vendor invoice processing, and procurement from cradle to grave. Additionally, I assist in the proposal development process by creating the Basis of Estimate (BOE) to price the effort, inserting the narrative justification in the proposal, and reviewing the Procurement Summary submitted by the Procurement Analyst.

How long have you been with NMR?

I have been with NMR for 7.5 years…since July 2016.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is my team from the Program Manager to my co-workers, as well as Corporate. Next would be that I get to work with numbers and utilize my strength of having an attention to detail. As weird as it sounds, I do like being “in the weeds” or “behind the scenes” with the work I do. I think it suits me well.

What made you choose to work at NMR?

I interviewed twice. The first time with the Program Manager and the second time with the financial support at that time. I liked both. They represented the company well and the contract sounded interesting. I had 3 other offers at that time and I accepted NMR’s.

What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your job?

I get to work with amazing people. This contract has project managers, developers, service line managers, site administrators, technicians, engineers…and everyone is courteous, respectful, and responsive. Management from the program manager and deputy program managers to NMR corporate are supportive of my role and information I need to do my job. That makes a huge difference in how I am able to execute.

My direct Deputy Program Manager and contract Program Manager encourage my growth and are confident in the information I provide. That means a great deal to me and you don’t find that in every company. I have also been empowered to develop this role since I started in 2016. I came into this position with experience, and I’ve been able to apply what I knew to develop more detailed cost tracking and forecast possible data points that would eventually be required or requested from me. That freedom combined with learning new aspects of the contract through the years has resulted in a very fulfilling role. I am grateful to support this contract, NMR, and the customer.

What are some job challenges that you face?

I respect the sensitivity of the data and records with which I work. I stay very aware of my audience and am careful not to discuss data points outside of my Program Manager or direct Deputy Program Manager. I struggle with disconnecting sometimes and taking breaks. I need to do a better job of making myself move and step away from the computer. I suppose it’s a challenge of working from home.

What makes NMR different from your past workplaces?

I have worked in many small, mid-size, and large government contractors since 1999 and NMR has been the best hands down. The pay and benefits are great. But another aspect that is different is that NMR is beyond generous and invests so much in each and every employee. They operate from a genuine spirit of kindness and that is rare. The random drawings, opportunities to give back to the community, cookies at corporate when we have to pick something up, the annual gala…..just to name a few…..are efforts to maintain employee morale and reinforce to the employee that he/she is appreciated. It’s pretty phenomenal.

What is your favorite thing to do outside of work?

I am boring. I like to walk my dog, or walk by myself when I really want to get some exercise. She stops too much to sniff everything. I like to read and cook…not bake. I am a clean freak with a routine that if I don’t get to do it weekly, I’m all out of sorts. 

Where is somewhere that you’ve never been but would love to go to?

New England. I’ve only been to Boston, but nowhere else in that region.

Is there a hobby that you would like to try?

I’d like to learn how to knit to give me something to do, but I’m awful at learning crafts. I tried crocheting once but only made one long row of stitches. I could never figure out how to do more than one row. LOL. I seriously think I may revisit a hobby from my youth…wait for it…roller skating. I think I’ve still got it. We’ll see. I’ll let you know how it goes J

What song is currently on repeat?

Ok, never just one song. My playlist is a careful selection of songs that speak to me. My music ranges from pop, country, Christian contemporary, easy listening, old gospel hymns, R&B, rock, rap…I’m all over the place. But there are a few that have stuck with me over the years and never get old:

“Red Letters” by Crowder
“Hold On (Change is Comin’)” by Sounds of Blackness
“Time for Me to Fly” by REO Speedwagon
“Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake
“Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” by Toby Keith
“He Still Loves Me” by Beyoncé

Desert island, no internet. What 3 movies do you want downloaded to your phone?

“Friends” series – My husband says they are the only friends I have!
“The Heat” – Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock are great in this, but Melissa is hilarious.
“Blue Bloods” series – I love Tom Selleck.