Resume

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Holly A. Jordan is a dedicated and motivated professional with extensive experience in project management, communications, professional writing, and interdisciplinary higher education. She is a team player with demonstrated skills in writing and communications, government relations, and project oversight. Dr. Jordan holds subject matter expertise in the Middle East and North Africa, Religious Studies, and Political Science/Political Theory with proven success in teaching, advising, and research for small colleges and in R1 Doctoral university environments.

EXPERIENCE

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, AMERICAN NEAR EAST REFUGEE AID (ANERA), 01/2019 – PRESENT

As the New Business Development (NBD) Manager for Anera, I direct a team of DC-based NBD employees and field officers and staff from Anera’s Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan offices in researching new business opportunities and maintaining a pipeline of grant opportunities and proposal responses. Responsibilities include:

• Managing, writing, and editing winning proposal responses to the U.S. federal government, UN agencies, and family foundations in all three Anera offices.
• Modifying current programs for new proposals based on Lessons Learned and Monitoring and Evaluation reports, and designing new programs for expansion of programming in the region.
• Streamlining internal NBD processes, including designing of templates, creation of proposal calendars, implementation of kickoff and closeout processes.
• Attending networking events and facilitating teaming conversations with new partners for future proposal projects.

PROPOSAL MANAGER, VARIQ CORPORATION, 06/2017 – 01/2019

As Associate Proposal Manager for VariQ Corporation, a 330+ person IT and IT Security Services company that has achieved 336% growth over the last three years. I design the schedule for and manage teams of 10-20 individuals to organize, write, and submit technical volumes to agencies and government offices both in Washington, DC and throughout the United States. Responsibilities included:

• Managing and editing winning proposal responses to the Federal Government, securing over $6.5 million in government funding contracts in 2018 alone.
• Using a modified Shipley’s process to manage proposal production activities and leading teams of 10-20 writers, editors, and artists spanning Finance, Contracts, Recruiting, Senior Partners, and Subject Matter Experts, in addition to assigning writing, editing, and technical review roles to teammates and performing copyedits on final solicitation drafts.
• Researching and compiling capture data new business development opportunities from Government Acquisition Contracts (GWAC) and communicating those opportunities to senior management and partner companies.
• Training all new business development teammates (analysts, proposal managers, sector leads, and lines of business leads) on the use of internal knowledge repositories, workflows, and databases (Microsoft Dynamics, SharePoint).
• Redesigning the business development team SharePoint site; design, provide technical writing for, edit, and publish business development operations manuals. Researching and creating a past performance knowledge base for previous/ongoing contracts in conjunction with project managers and sector leads. Updates to and implementation of new data led to a marked increase in compliance and responsiveness in proposals evaluated by the Government.
• Received three internal recognition awards and bonuses for service to VariQ beyond daily job responsibilities.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, ROANOKE COLLEGE, 08/2014 – 08/2017

Served as Visiting Assistant Professor within the Department of Religion and Philosophy. Taught courses both in religion (Judaism, Islam, Comparative Religion) and in general studies (Writing/Rhetoric, Public Speaking).

• Designed curriculum for courses taught both in-class and online (using Moodle LMS).
• Designed and implemented a senior-level course on the Politics and Religion of the Middle East and North Africa based on direct student requests. Received a 4.94/5.0 teaching evaluation for this course.
• Advised student groups and programs including the Annual Israel-Palestine Peace Week, the Academic Integrity Council, and the Model United Nations/Model Arab League Club. Received the 2017 Advisor of the Year Award from the Student Life Council of Roanoke College for excellence in advising and leading teams.
• Publications:
  • The Model Arab League Manual: A Guide to Preparation and Performance. Philip A. D’Agati and Holly A. Jordan. Manchester University Press. March 2016.
  • “Black, Poor, and Jewish: The Ostracism of Ethiopian Jews in Modern Israel.” In Migration Policy and Practice: Interventions and Solutions, Harald Bauder and Christian Matheis, ed. Palgrave Macmillan. September 2015.
  • “Hannah Arendt: Why Now?” SPECTRA: The Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought Archive, Volume 3, Issue 2, September 2014. ISSN 2162-8793.

INSTRUCTOR, VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY (VIRGINIA TECH), 08/2011 – 05/2017

As a Graduate/Adjunct Instructor, designed curriculum for courses taught both in-class and online (using Sakai and Canvas LMS) for the Departments of Religion and Culture; Political Science; and History.

• Led, recruited for, and fundraised for the Regional and International Organizations student group. Fundraised 100% of team budget from both Virginia Tech and the U.S. Army ROTC to lead a team of 12 students to three competitive conferences. Team earned individual and group awards at every regional and national conference attended. Am the youngest awardee to date for the National Council on US-Arab Relations’ Model Arab League Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 for services to the program.
• Nominated and named one of 10 Virginia Tech Diversity Scholars (2012-2013) from amongst graduate population of 6700+ students in recognition of service promoting topics of diversity both within and outside of Virginia Tech.
• Served as Editor-In-Chief (2012-2013) and Editor Emeritus (2013-2014) of SPECTRA: Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought Archives (2012-2013). Managed a 7-person team of graphic artists, copyeditors, and editors-in-training. Performed “white-glove” edits, layout, and production responsibilities. Designed journal’s website in WordPress and coordinated with the Virginia Tech University Libraries for hosting of the new site. Oversaw formation of journal’s editorial board and chaired quarterly meetings with journal board members and stakeholders.

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS

APMP FOUNDATION CERTIFICATION, ASSOCIATION FOR PROPOSAL MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALS, OCTOBER 2018

The APMP Foundation certification, tests knowledge of proposal and bid management best practices in 22 career competencies, including customer analysis and competitive intelligence, team leadership and training, opportunity and proposal management plans, knowledge management, risk assessment, process management, and deliverables creation.

PHD, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL THEORY, VIRGINIA TECH, BLACKSBURG, VA, MAY 2016

Earned PhD from the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought – Virginia Tech’s flagship interdisciplinary PhD program. Dissertation: Marriage, the Family, and Security in Israel: The Paradox of the Liberal State.

MA, RELIGION, THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, ATHENS, GA, AUGUST 2009

BA, POLITICS, CONVERSE COLLEGE, SPARTANBURG, SC, MAY 2006

CERTIFICATE (ARABIC), AL AL-BAYT UNIVERSITY, MAFRAQ, JORDAN, AUGUST 2004