Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Teacher
GERALDINE SAUNDERS

GERALDINE SAUNDERS

NATIONAL PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
Kensington,WC

Summary

Funding procurement. Proposal writing and pitching. teaching/Lecturing and academic development; Policy Analysis and review; Networking, and advocacy skills with a various role player in the human rights arena, including NGO’s; FBO’s, service providers, etc.; Documentation collection and report writing skills; Research: Project management; Report writing; interviewing skills (structured and unstructured interviews, individual interviews and focus groups); Workshop planning and presentations; data coding, capturing and cleaning; transcribing; organisational skills; writing and communication skills, questionnaire constructions. Writing document briefs, executive summaries etc.

Research professional with solid history of delivering thorough and insightful analyses in various research projects. Known for collaborative approach, adaptability to changing project needs, and results-driven mindset. Skilled in data interpretation, report writing, and utilizing advanced research methodologies to drive outcomes.

Pursuing full-time role that presents professional challenges and leverages interpersonal skills, effective time management, and problem-solving expertise.

Thorough team contributor with strong organizational capabilities. Experienced in handling numerous projects at once while ensuring accuracy. Effective at prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.

Equipped with strong problem-solving abilities, willingness to learn, and excellent communication skills. Poised to contribute to team success and achieve positive results. Ready to tackle new challenges and advance organizational objectives with dedication and enthusiasm.

Proactive and goal-oriented professional with excellent time management and problem-solving skills. Known for reliability and adaptability, with swift capacity to learn and apply new skills. Committed to leveraging these qualities to drive team success and contribute to organizational growth.

Overview

2027
2027
years of professional experience
2
2
Languages

Work History

National Programme Director

Educational Support Services Trust
03.2011 - Current
  • Overseeing operations of projects and staff management
  • Funding Procurement and Client Management
  • Stakeholder and Funder management
  • Programme Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Research – project conceptual, coordination and implementation
  • Contact Person: Mr Stanton Williams
  • Telephone: 021 913 7710
  • Email: stanton@esst.org.za
  • Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement, increased retention rates, and boosted overall team morale.
  • Improved project efficiency with strategic planning, resource allocation, and time management practices.
  • Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
  • Implemented innovative solutions to solve complex problems, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined operations.
  • Managed budgets effectively to ensure optimal use of resources while maintaining financial stability.
  • Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
  • Facilitated cross-functional collaboration for improved decision-making processes within the organization.
  • Proactively identified potential risks and implemented mitigation strategies to minimize negative impacts on projects or business operations.
  • Evaluated employee performance objectively using established metrics, leading to fair compensation adjustments based on meritocracy principles.
  • Boosted client satisfaction rates through exceptional relationship management and prompt resolution of issues.
  • Secured key partnerships that contributed to the company''s overall growth strategy and market reach.
  • Spearheaded innovative approaches to resource allocation and strategic planning.
  • Enhanced stakeholder satisfaction with timely and transparent communication strategies.
  • Transformed organizational culture to embrace continuous improvement, leading by example and mentoring teams.
  • Cultivated high-performance executive team, selecting and mentoring candidates for key leadership roles.
  • Fostered culture of innovation, encouraging development of cutting-edge solutions.
  • Leveraged professional networks and industry knowledge to strengthen client relationships.
  • Defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
  • Evaluated employee performance and conveyed constructive feedback to improve skills.
  • Assisted in organizing and overseeing assignments to drive operational excellence.
  • Recruited, interviewed and hired employees and implemented mentoring program to promote positive feedback and engagement.
  • Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost company morale and promote employee retention.
  • Established performance goals for employees and provided feedback on methods for reaching those milestones.

Researcher and Documentation Officer

Campus Law Clinic: HIV/AIDS Legal Service Project
01.2003 - 03.2004
  • To document activities and their outcomes in a way that can be meaningfully utilised by various target audiences; Develop systems that enable continual documentation of activities and processes as they occur within the centre; Develop systems that enable the identification of areas requiring further research and detailed documentation; Provide regular written and/or oral briefings to staff and network partners; Write an annual analysis of lessons learned and best practices; Assist in the process of Mainstreaming HIV/AIDS into the other projects and activities of the clinic
  • Contact Person/s: Ms Rowena Bernard (Project Manager: HIV/AIDS Project)
  • Contact no: 031 260 1534 (w)
  • 031 260 2867 (fax)

Department of Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science, University of the Western Cape
05.2006 - 10.2006
  • Compilation of annotated bibliography, literature review, literature search, report writing.
  • Contact person: Prof Denise Jones (Head of Department)
  • Contact no: 083 261 2106
  • Email: jjones@iafrica.com

Freelance Researcher

Women and Gender Studies
  • Transcribing research interviews, interviewing, data collection etc.
  • Contact person: Tammy Shefer
  • Telephone: 021 959 2234 (W)
  • Fax: 021 959 1237
  • Email: tshefer@uwc.ac.za; tshefer@icon.co.za
  • Gathered and organized information for research purposes.
  • Conducted thorough literature reviews to identify gaps in knowledge and inform future research directions.
  • Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams to conduct comprehensive studies and generate valuable insights.
  • Synthesized large volumes of information, identifying key trends and patterns relevant to research objectives.
  • Tailored research approaches to address specific community needs, leading to impactful societal contributions.
  • Conducted fieldwork in diverse environments, adapting methodologies to unique challenges encountered.
  • Facilitated partnerships with external research institutions, expanding resources and expertise available for projects.
  • Determined appropriate timelines and objectives for projects.

PLACE: Priorities for Local AIDS Control Effort
09.2002 - 10.2002
  • Researcher - data capturing using statistical package EPINFO6
  • Contact: Same as above

Contract researcher

Human Science Research Council (Cape Town)
03.2002 - 08.2002
  • Pre-notification Interviewer/field numerator
  • First Phase: Securing participants for health survey by going to pre-selected houses, explaining study and securing participation. This was done in both urban, rural and farm areas.
  • Second Phase: Fieldworkers assisting nurse to locate participants and assisting to administer questionnaires

Contract Researcher

Human Science Research Council (Cape Town)
10.2001 - 01.2002
  • Fieldworker – conducting focus interviews; transcribing of interviews
  • Contact Person/s: Prof L. Simbayi
  • Contact no: 021 466 8000 (o)
  • Fax: 021 466 7831 (o)
  • Email: Lsimbayi@hsrc.ac.za

Education

Master of Arts - Psychology

University of The Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
03.2003

Skills

Critical thinking

Data analysis

Attention to detail

MS office

Documentation and reporting

Scientific writing

Qualitative research

Research planning

Delivering presentations

Strong work ethic

Data collection and organization

Progress tracking

Team collaboration

Proposal preparation

Solution quality assurance

Knowledge sharing

Effective multitasking

Driving decision making

Data synthesis

Works Well Under Pressure

Fieldwork experience

Cross-functional teamwork

Resource management

Best practices

Focus group coordination

Writing and editing

Pattern and trend analysis

Research proposals

Relationship building

Timeline

National Programme Director

Educational Support Services Trust
03.2011 - Current

Department of Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science, University of the Western Cape
05.2006 - 10.2006

Researcher and Documentation Officer

Campus Law Clinic: HIV/AIDS Legal Service Project
01.2003 - 03.2004

PLACE: Priorities for Local AIDS Control Effort
09.2002 - 10.2002

Contract researcher

Human Science Research Council (Cape Town)
03.2002 - 08.2002

Contract Researcher

Human Science Research Council (Cape Town)
10.2001 - 01.2002

Freelance Researcher

Women and Gender Studies

Master of Arts - Psychology

University of The Western Cape
GERALDINE SAUNDERSNATIONAL PROGRAMME DIRECTOR