About Me

If you’re looking for someone who can bring order to chaos, create a system where there used to be only a pile of files and emails – you’re in the right place.

For years I’ve been managing organizational finances – comprehensively, strategically, and with intuition.
Budget planning, cost analysis, risk management, financial flow, and data structure – that’s my everyday world.
At the same time, I handle national and international project finances – from budgeting and monitoring, through reporting, to settlements and audit support.

I have an analytical mind and imagination that can see the structure before it even exists.
I can connect what’s technical with what requires intuition.
In my work, logic and intuition both matter.
I don’t stop at problems – I look for solutions. And I always find them.

The only mission impossible for me is… letting go of completing a mission impossible.

Since 2019, I have been managing organizational finances, both operationally and strategically.
I plan budgets, analyze profitability, manage risk and financial liquidity.
I create financial policies, streamline processes, and implement tools that ensure transparency and efficiency, regardless of funding sources.

💬 I combine analytics with advisory and leadership.
In a single role, I manage finance, strategy, advisory, and cooperation with auditors, banks, and project partners.
I prepare financial reports, develop financial strategies, create comparisons for control institutions, and provide decision-making recommendations.

🌍 I know the realities of NGOs, SMEs and public institutions.
I move freely between sectors: education, culture, administration and business.
I run my own practice and have collaborated with many organizations, so I understand how to bridge formal requirements with real-life project constraints and team capacities.

⚖️ I balance compliance with pragmatism.
My experience helps me maintain the right balance between regulations, financial security, and operational flexibility.
I know that sound financial management isn’t just about control. It’s a tool for sustainable growth.

🤝 I work daily with NGOs and SMEs, where not only financial accuracy but also strategic insight is crucial.
I also cooperate with public institutions and academia, in roles requiring systemic thinking and the ability to translate numbers into decisions.

🧩 Key Competencies

  • Planning and control of organizational and project budgets

  • Managing liquidity and cash flow

  • Profitability analysis and financial risk management

  • Developing financial strategies and policies

  • Cost optimization and financial efficiency analysis

  • Oversight of compliance with donor and grant rules

  • Cooperation with auditors, banks, and control institutions

  • Understanding the specifics of NGO and SME finances

  • Preparing financial reports and data visualizations

  • Financial staff development and mentoring

For over 13 years, I have been involved in implementing projects financed from national and international sources – mainly from the financial side.
I develop budgets (both at the proposal and implementation stages), ensure compliance with program requirements, while at the same time truly supporting organizations in building financial capacity in key areas.

💡 I combine formal compliance with practical thinking.
I monitor budget execution, manage settlements, prepare audit-ready documentation, and – when needed – rescue endangered projects, finding safe and compliant solutions for costs considered risky.

🤝 I work closely with content and expert teams.
I don’t just prepare financial reports – I advise on how to formulate activity descriptions to align with cost eligibility principles.
I know where it’s safe to shift the balance, how to justify expenses and describe actions so they make both substantive and financial sense.

⚙️ I work not only with documents, but with reality.
I understand how grant programs operate – their logic, interpretation frameworks, and limits of flexibility.
I also know which actions – although formally possible – can expose a project to correction risks.
My experience with multiple funding systems helps me navigate their structures, hidden pitfalls, and unwritten rules.

🌍 I’m fluent in the systems and procedures of institutions such as:
the European Commission (Horizon Europe, LIFE, Interreg, Creative Europe, Erasmus+), EEA and Norway Grants, Visegrad Fund, USAID, GIZ/EUKI, European Climate Foundation, as well as national (Polish) institutions like NCBR, PARP, NIW, NFOŚiGW, and ministries managing EU funds.

🎯My project experience includes, among others:

  • Climate policy and energy transition

  • Economic and socio-economic development

  • Sustainable transport and urban mobility

  • Responsible finance

  • Education, prevention, and social inclusion

  • Research and development (R&D)

  • Civic engagement, social communication, and participation

  • Culture and the creative sector

  • Digitalization and business innovation

  • Aid for refugees and post-conflict regions

  • NGO development and organizational support

🧩 I remain open to projects in new fields – especially those where I can combine financial expertise with a practical approach to fund management and reporting.

💼 Key Competencies

  • Developing budgets in line with national and international program guidelines

  • Adapting activity descriptions and cost structures to eligibility requirements

  • Managing project finances throughout the entire lifecycle (from proposal to final reporting and audit)

  • Preparing audit documentation and providing support during inspections

  • Rescuing endangered projects, including those at final implementation stages

  • Monitoring project compliance with schedules, indicators, and eligibility criteria

  • Proficiency in systems and procedures of the EC, EEA/Norway Grants, USAID, NIW, NCBR, PARP, and others

  • Practical ability to interpret guidelines and avoid compliance errors

  • Operating donor reporting systems and grant management platforms

I have always combined creativity with the need for structure.
In my work, I notice patterns, repetitions, gaps, and redundant actions – and almost instantly know how to simplify, automate, or align them.
I bring clarity where chaos used to be – not for order’s sake, but to help teams work faster, easier, and more intuitively.

💡 I design solutions that truly work.
I create tools tailored to real organizational needs – from budget trackers and dashboards to information management systems, task automation, and process optimization.
I make sure they are designed with ease of future reporting in mind – both financially and operationally.
My solutions allow anyone to quickly extract the needed information without manually searching through documents.

🔐 Efficiency goes hand in hand with security.
I apply data protection principles and logical access management.
I design folder structures and permission levels that protect data and limit visibility according to user roles.

🧠 I treat technology as support, not the goal itself.
I’m fluent in Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, as well as modern tools for management, automation, and team collaboration – such as Trello, Asana, ClickUp, Slack, and Make (Integromat).
I treat technology as a means, not an end – I implement it to simplify work and boost team productivity.
I combine structure and creativity in practice – always to help people gain more time for what truly matters.

🧩 Key Competencies

  • Organizing file structures, information, and decision flows

  • Identifying inefficiencies and improving processes

  • Creating automated and semi-automated tools

  • Designing clear and visually appealing sheets, dashboards, and planners

  • Adapting solutions to organizational culture and team skillsets

  • Coordinating team work and system integration

  • Managing data access and security structures

  • Building reporting systems and rapid data retrieval tools

  • Introducing new technologies and workflows

  • Combining structure and creativity in everyday practice

By education, I am an English language translator – I graduated with a degree in philology with a specialization in translation studies.
Although I now work in a completely different field, that stage taught me attention to words, meaning, and context – skills that are extremely useful when working with documentation, reporting, and projects.

My teaching experience taught me something equally valuable – how to explain complex content clearly and adjust communication to the audience.
These are competencies I still use today, structuring financial and project-related complexity so that it becomes clear to everyone involved.

💡 Over time, I have expanded into finance, project management, and fundraising, completing courses and trainings that provided practical tools for everyday work.
I have completed, among others, accounting and payroll calculation courses, grant management training, and obtained the PRINCE2 certification.

I don’t collect certificates “for show.”
I learn fast and selectively – where I see real sense and practical application.

💎 Soft Skills

  • Problem-solving & calm under pressure – I quickly diagnose the source of a problem, connect seemingly unrelated data, and propose solutions before things get complicated. Even in crisis situations, I stay calm, focused, and fully concentrated.

  • Analytical & systemic thinking – I bring order to chaos and build logical, transparent structures. I spot dependencies that others often overlook.

  • Team management – I motivate, develop, and support. I create work environments based on trust, responsibility, and partnership-driven leadership.

  • Work ethic & accountability – I deliver on time, with precision and care for quality, always committed to both excellence and shared goals.

  • Flexibility & adaptability – I quickly find my place in new structures and conditions, while maintaining clarity and order.

  • Communication & translation of complex content – I can translate complex issues (finance, processes, systems) into clear and understandable language.

  • Operational composure – In crisis situations, I maintain composure and distance, focusing on solutions rather than emotions.

⚙️ Hard Skills

  • Finance & project management – budgeting, settlements, reporting, profitability analysis, audits, and compliance with donor guidelines.

  • Tools & automation – advanced use of Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, as well as platforms such as ClickUp, Asana, Trello, Make, Notion, Airtable, Miro, Canva, WordPress, etc.

  • Excel / Sheets – advanced formulas, dashboards, pivot tables, reports, and process automation.

  • AI & productivity – using artificial intelligence tools for analysis, content creation, and task automation.

  • Data security – managing permissions, creating secure file structures, and maintaining compliance within cloud environments.

  • Web development – functional, aesthetic websites and landing pages built in WordPress.

  • English proficiency – fluent in both spoken and written English (C1), including documentation, contracts, and grant reporting.

  • Driving license, category B – active, with experience in domestic and international travel.

🔧 Creating tools and systems
I love designing solutions that streamline everyday organization, automate repetitive tasks, and bring structure to chaos.

🧠 Psychology and psychiatry
I’m fascinated by how the human mind works – especially cognitive mechanisms, emotions, and the ways logic connects with intuition.

📱 Practical technologies
I follow the development of mobile apps, productivity tools, and information management systems with genuine curiosity.

🐠 Aquarium keeping
I take care of an aquarium with shrimp and crustaceans – my private micro-biosphere of calm.

🌱 Urban gardening
I grow herbs, vegetables, and houseplants, creating small green oases even in limited urban spaces.

🐕 Animals
I share my home with my dog Koffi (a rescued pseudo-breeding dog), fish, shrimp, and a giant African snail named George (Archachatina marginata ovum XXL) – a unique companion with a strong personality.

🏞️ Mazury
My favorite retreat and source of balance – silence, lakes, and starry skies. That’s where I recharge and find peace.

🎵 Art and creativity
I write texts and songs filled with emotion, words, and logic. I sing – sometimes for people, sometimes just for the soul.

🌅 Everyday simple things
I value nature, forests, sunsets reflected in the water, starry skies, long walks, and fast yet mindful bike trips.
I like life as it is – unhurried, but intentional.

In my work, I rely on analysis, not coincidence.
I care about understanding processes – financial, operational, and interpersonal – to make accurate decisions and build effective solutions.

The CliftonStrengths® (Gallup) test helped me define what I naturally excel at and how I apply it in practice:
strategic thinking, the ability to bring order to chaos, connecting logic and creativity, and translating complexity into actionable insights.
It also highlighted areas where I can grow further – helping me use my strengths even more effectively as a leader, partner in action, and specialist for complex challenges.

 

🧭 1. Strategic

I quickly recognize patterns, risks, and opportunities. I analyze scenarios, compare options, and choose the best path – especially when things seem complicated.
I think several steps ahead without losing sight of the goal. This helps me make sound decisions under pressure, while my strategic perspective allows me to lead projects and teams with flexibility and a clear sense of purpose.

⚙️ 2. Arranger

I see how separate elements fit into a cohesive whole. I love optimizing processes, structures, and resources.
I can manage multiple threads simultaneously and respond to change without creating chaos.
This talent translates into practice – I create systems and solutions that work not only in theory but, most importantly, in real life.

📚 3. Input

I’m driven by curiosity and a need to understand how things work – from grant logic to psychological mechanisms.
I gather knowledge and resources not for the sake of collecting them, but to use them at the right moment and share them with others.
Thanks to this, my solutions are well-grounded, thoughtful, and context-aware.

🤝 4. Individualization

I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all approaches.
I intuitively recognize individual talents, needs, and work styles, ensuring people complement one another.
This allows me to build teams based on understanding, not imposed procedures.
I value the uniqueness of each person and adapt communication to help unlock their potential.

💡 5. Ideation

I’m insatiably curious. I connect distant ideas, look for new perspectives, and ask challenging questions.
I believe that the best ideas emerge where flexibility meets courageous thinking.
I apply this talent in finance as well – even in the most complex budgets, I can discover potential for innovation.

If you’d like to better understand how I think, act, and make decisions, I can share my full TOP 34 CliftonStrengths® report upon request.

Gallup Test TOP5 - PDF

In my work, I value loyalty, reliability, and accountability – these are the same principles I bring to every collaboration.
I keep commitments, meet deadlines, and dedicate as much focus as needed to ensure every task is done thoroughly – regardless of whether I work independently or as part of a team.

I am open to various forms of cooperation – full-time or part-time employment, freelance contracts, short-term projects, or long-term partnerships.
I always adapt to the organization’s needs, including the form of collaboration and the role within a team.

I work most effectively in a remote or hybrid model – 3 days online, 2 days onsite – this setup allows for deep focus and thoughtful analysis.
With clearly defined responsibilities and stable conditions, I’m also open to full-time on-site work.

What matters most to me are transparent principles from the very beginning of cooperation – so that both sides feel secure and treated fairly.
I value collaborations built on trust, shared thinking, and real improvement – not just “task completion.”

If you see a space where my expertise could add value – let’s talk.

Beata Etmanowicz