John Dennis Anthony Carstens
Project Manager
Durban,Kwa Zula Natal
Summary
Talented Resources and Development Manager with expertise in helping employees align with business objectives. Proficient at organizing training, development, and team building initiatives to cement goals and drive competitive growth. Focused and creative with strong leadership and collaboration skills in conjunction with business plans and goals. Good Team Player. Insightful Manager with experience directing and improving operations through effective employee motivational strategies and strong policy enforcement. Proficient in best practices, market trends and regulatory requirements of industry operations. Talented leader with analytical approach to business planning and day-to-day problem-solving.
Overview
7
7
years of post-secondary education
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Project Coordinator
Spur Steak ranches
Pietermaritzburg, Kwa Zulu Natal
05.2014 - 10.2015
- Created project roadmaps for staff, defining specific milestones and timelines to encourage timely project completion.
- Analyzed project costs to confirm positive return on investment (ROI) for new proposals.
- Followed up on change orders to ongoing projects, confirming necessary alternation completions occurred on time.
- Oversaw General Manager Capacity, managing factors such as team structure, billable hours, strategic realignments and more.
- Authored detailed reports outlining Cost of Sales, Food Cost information.
- Functioned as primary liaison between Franchise owner and Franchisee with management of staff, leading seamless coordination between teams.
- Created random sampling processes to detect and avoid production variations and failures.
- Managed brand identity, ensuring all forms communications aligned with marketing and public relations priorities.
- Organized meetings and gathered support materials.
- Retrieved material and services quotes from vendors for ongoing and proposed projects.
- Drafted and presented operations and delivery policy change proposals to senior leadership.
- Handled risk management and change management duties on projects with active liability concerns.
Senior Credit Controller
Capitol Caterers
Pietermaritzburg, Kwa Zulu Natal
10.2010 - 04.2014
- Minimized accounts receivable collections and reconciled customer billings and statements.
- Conducted financial review of customer lines of credit by assessing company financials and initiating credit application reviews.
- Worked in tandem with sales team and customers to negotiate payments and verify account reconciliations.
- Controlled credit exposure by providing financial order management support to minimize risk and obtain timely payment.
- Made decisions and recommendations about extending lines of credit.
- Performed credit reviews on corporations to assess financial conditions.
- Improved understanding of financial statements, which helped in assessing risk.
- Complied with internal controls and government regulations.
- Developed team communications and information for meetings.
- Actively listened to customers, handled concerns quickly and escalated major issues to supervisor.
- Received and processed stock into inventory management system.
- Completed minor preventative maintenance and mechanical repairs on equipment.
Project Manager, PMO
Alexandra High School
Pietermarizburg, Kwa -Zulu Natal
01.2009 - 08.2010
- Purchasing and Buying Principles.
- Updated operational methods, oversaw accounting procedures, tracked information and compiled data to improve efficiency.
- Reined in project costs while meeting key milestones.
- Authored customized user manuals for specific system configurations, tailoring content to unique employee skill profiles.
- Fostered relationships with vendors to foster positive working relationships.
- Designed technical upgrade paths, incorporating requested functionality and performance enhancements.
- Developed and initiated projects, managed costs, and monitored performance.
- Assessed operant systems for efficiency and functionality, providing written suggestions on enhancements needed to meet operational goals.
- Oversaw annual budget to handle supply, labor and maintenance needs.
- Oversaw high profile projects for by planning, designing, and scheduling phases.
- Identified, reviewed and applied policies and procedures.
Assistant Food and Beverage Manager
The Royal Coffee Shoppe and Top of the Royal, The Royal Hotel Durban
Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal
06.2008 - 12.2009
- Reason for Leaving: All permanent F&B Staff retrenched, Full Management of personnel & all personal documents especially IR;.
- Improved average wine and alcohol spend per guest through curation, service training and hands-on hospitality.
- Developed relationships with suppliers and vendors leading to special volume pricing discounts and availability.
- Managed bar and wait staff including hiring, training, scheduling and analyzing theft and wastage.
- Developed ongoing training initiative to improve beverage knowledge of serving employees, including hourly sommelier program.
- Oversaw proper disposal of unused and tainted beverage stock, adhering to all related health and safety guidelines.
- Oversaw overall beverage program, including selection, ordering and inventory controls of wine, beer and alcohol program.
- Coordinated daily and nightly shift safety and sanitation procedures for bar areas and entire restaurant.
- Enacted progressive disciplinary measures for staff, managed work zones and oversaw opening and closing duties.
- Adhered to corporate efficiency and profitability goals for beverage purchasing and distribution, producing 32% food cost
Project Management Specialist
Spur Steak Ranches
Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal
05.2007 - 12.2007
- Restaurant human resource objectives by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, assigning, scheduling, coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees; communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, appraising, and reviewing job contributions; planning and reviewing compensation actions; enforcing policies and procedures.
- Restaurant operational objectives by contributing information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; resolving problems; completing audits; identifying trends; determining system improvements; implementing change.
- Restaurant financial objectives by forecasting requirements; preparing an annual budget; scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions.
- Plan menus by consulting with chefs; estimates food costs and profits; adjusts menus as per Spur Head office.
- Control costs by reviewing portion control and quantities of preparation; minimizing waste; ensuring high quality of preparation.
- Avoids legal challenges by conforming to the regulations of the alcoholic beverage commission.
- Maximize bar profitability by ensuring portion control; monitoring accuracy of charges.
- Publicize the restaurant by designing and placing advertisements; inviting food editors to review the restaurant; contacting local, regional, and national magazines with feature ideas; encouraging local businesses to hold social events at the restaurant.
- Maintain safe, secure, and healthy environment by establishing, following, and enforcing sanitation standards and procedures; complying with legal regulations; securing revenues; developing and implementing disaster plans; maintaining security and sprinkler systems; maintaining parking lot and walkways.
- Maintain ambiance by controlling lighting, background music, linen service, glassware, dinnerware, and utensil quality and placement; monitoring food presentation and service.
- Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations as per Spur Corp.
- Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
- Conducted research, gathered information from multiple sources and presented results.
- Managed quality assurance program, including on-site evaluations, internal audits and customer surveys.
- Resolved problems, improved operations and provided exceptional service.
- Monitored all company inventory to ensure stock levels and databases were updated.
- Developed and maintained courteous and effective working relationships.
- Reined in project costs while meeting key milestones.
- Fostered relationships with vendors to foster positive working relationships.
- Developed and initiated projects, managed costs, and monitored performance.
- Identified plans and resources required to meet project goals and objectives.
Senior Manager
Silver Spear Spur, Ushaka Marine WORLD
07.2003 - 04.2007
- Reason for Leaving: Had opportunity to develop into an Operator (General Manager) and expanding self employment options as a Food Cost Analysis.
- Restaurant human resource objectives by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, assigning, scheduling, coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees; communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, appraising, and reviewing job contributions; planning and reviewing compensation actions; enforcing policies and procedures.
- Restaurant operational objectives by contributing information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; preparing and completing action plans; implementing production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; resolving problems; completing audits; identifying trends; determining system improvements; implementing change.
- Restaurant financial objectives by forecasting requirements; preparing an annual budget; scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions.
- Plan menus by consulting with chefs; estimates food costs and profits; adjusts menus as per Spur Head office.
- Control costs by reviewing portion control and quantities of preparation; minimizing waste; ensuring high quality of preparation.
- Avoids legal challenges by conforming to the regulations of the alcoholic beverage commission.
- Maximize bar profitability by ensuring portion control; monitoring accuracy of charges.
- Publicize the restaurant by designing and placing advertisements; inviting food editors to review the restaurant; contacting local, regional, and national magazines with feature ideas; encouraging local businesses to hold social events at the restaurant.
- Maintain safe, secure, and healthy environment by establishing, following, and enforcing sanitation standards and procedures; complying with legal regulations; securing revenues; developing and implementing disaster plans; maintaining security and sprinkler systems; maintaining parking lot and walkways.
- Maintain ambiance by controlling lighting, background music, linen service, glassware, dinnerware, and utensil quality and placement; monitoring food presentation and service.
- Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in professional organizations as per Spur Corp.
- Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
- Monitored and controlled inventory, encompassing daily production, workflow and distribution.
- Managed inventory, production, workflow and distribution, analyzing each stage of product life cycle and recommending improvements to streamline processes.
- Managed large-scale projects and initiatives including, introducing new systems, tools, and processes to support attainment of challenging objectives.
- Updated system information, making appropriate changes to all documentation.
- Validated load plans, cargo readiness and transportation documentation.
Manager and Barman
Fresh Coffee and Cocktails
- Controlled costs and optimized spending via restructuring of budgets for labor, capital assets, inventory purchasing and technology upgrades.
- Adjusted job assignments and schedules to keep pace with dynamic business needs, factoring in processes, employee knowledge and customer demands.
- Propelled continuous improvements and strategically capitalized on current market trends.
- Established and administered annual budget with controls to prevent overages, minimize burn rate and support sustainability objectives.
- Raised performance in areas of sales, management and operations by identifying and targeting areas in need of improvement.
Junior Manager
Court, Pavilion and Sun Coast Casino
02.2003 - 06.2003
- Supported management protocols, decisions and plans within company structure, atmosphere and culture.
- Scheduled cross-team meetings, facilitated planning, note-taking and status updates for project execution.
- Strengthened merchandising and promotional strategies to drive customer engagement and boost sales.
- Developed loyal and highly satisfied customer base through proactive management of team customer service strategies.
- Engaged with key stakeholders and partners on needs and initiated efforts to define and document requirements.
- Developed project statements, deliverables and timelines for project assignments that met business objectives.
Waiter
01.1999 - 01.2002
- Kept server areas clean and stocked to increase efficiency while working tables.
- Achieved monthly sales goals by using successful strategies to promote specials, desserts and alcoholic beverages.
- Used cash registers and credit card machines to cash out customers.
- Applied comprehensive knowledge of wine, cider and beer as well to increase daily beverage sales.
Education
MBA - Management Business, Financial And Administration
Henley School of Business
Address: Reading, United Kingdom Phone: +44 118 98 02.2006 - 10.2009
Hospitality Management - Hospitality Management
International Hotel School
Westville 02.2017 - 04.2020
Skills
Lean manufacturing and design
Project planning and development
Advanced problem solving
Business process re-engineering
Blueprints and schematics
Contract Management
Functional & Business Requirements
Safety and compliance
Disaster Recovery Methodologies
Advanced understanding of Pilot, Aura, Pastel Evolution, Pastel Pro Micros
Fluent in Afrikaans
HVAC systems
Commercial construction
Budgeting
Construction management
Systems Installation, Configuration, and Upgrading
Strategic Planning
Logistics Management
Performance Evaluations
Mergers and acquisitions knowledge
Procedure development
Accomplishments
- Hotel Accounting
- Food Safety : Managing HACCAP
- Leadership and Planning Hospitality
- Facilities and Design
- Facilities Management
- Planning and Control Hospitality
- Business Management
- Head-boy of High School
- Head-boy of Hostel
- Junior City Mayor
- First Team Cricket Captain
- First Team Hockey Captain
- SCA President
- Disciplinary Labour Relations Chair
Affiliations
KZN Inland Cricket
Dolphins Cricket
Cricket Coaching
Timeline
Hospitality Management - Hospitality Management
International Hotel School
02.2017 - 04.2020
Senior Project Coordinator
Spur Steak ranches
05.2014 - 10.2015
Senior Credit Controller
Capitol Caterers
10.2010 - 04.2014
Project Manager, PMO
Alexandra High School
01.2009 - 08.2010
Assistant Food and Beverage Manager
The Royal Coffee Shoppe and Top of the Royal, The Royal Hotel Durban
06.2008 - 12.2009
Project Management Specialist
Spur Steak Ranches
05.2007 - 12.2007
MBA - Management Business, Financial And Administration
Henley School of Business
02.2006 - 10.2009
Senior Manager
Silver Spear Spur, Ushaka Marine WORLD
07.2003 - 04.2007
Junior Manager
Court, Pavilion and Sun Coast Casino
02.2003 - 06.2003
Waiter
01.1999 - 01.2002
Manager and Barman
Fresh Coffee and Cocktails