Lynn Geland
Cape Town
Summary
Dynamic Director of Impact Sourcing and Skills Development with expertise in building scalable ecosystems for workforce empowerment. Drives strategic initiatives that transition unemployed youth into sustainable employment pathways, enhancing organisational inclusivity and socio-economic impact. Champions a culture of diversity and community upliftment, fostering collaboration across multi-partner networks.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Impact Sourcing and Skills Development
Teleperformance
City of Cape Town, Western Cape
10.2022 - Current
- Founded and built ElevateU, a scalable impact-sourcing and skills-development ecosystem, transitioning unemployed youth into sustainable employment pathways.
- Designed and executed Teleperformance South Africa’s Impact Sourcing Strategy, integrating inclusive hiring and capability-building across the organisation.
- Represented Teleperformance on the Global Impact Sourcing Committee, contributing to global policy development, governance, and inclusive talent frameworks.
- Led the Skills Development pillar of BBBEE, overseeing strategic implementation, compliance, reporting, and socio-economic impact.
- Managed a high-value multi-partner network, including Future-Ed, CapeBPO, BPESA, Services SETA, BANKSETA, DEDAT, and additional ecosystem collaborators.
- Worked directly with Services SETA on the design and accreditation of the Customer Service Liaison Skills Programme qualification.
- Oversaw and administered all TP Scholarships and Bursaries, ensuring alignment with BBBEE strategy, national development priorities, and employee growth pathways.
- Led community‑embedded youth‑activation programmes (including SRD queue outreach) to broaden access to learning and employment opportunities.
- Directed large‑scale work‑readiness, BPO‑skills, employability, and leadership‑development programmes aligned with industry needs.
- Strengthened internal capability through trainer development, learning ecosystem design, and operational readiness support.
- Championed a culture of youth empowerment, community upliftment, diversity, and inclusion across the organisation.
Head of Learning and Development
Teleperformance
Cape Town
02.2022 - 09.2022
- Led the full national L&D function, ensuring that the learning strategy, curriculum design, and capability building supported organisational performance.
- Redesigned learning frameworks to incorporate digital learning, blended methodologies, and competency-based progression.
- Built and led a high-performing team of facilitators, designers, and L&D specialists.
Delivered leadership development programmes, coaching pathways, and internal mobility pipelines. - Improved quality assurance, learning measurement, and performance enablement across business units.
Site Lead
Teleperformance
Cape Town
03.2021 - 01.2022
- Led a major site operation, overseeing workforce performance, employee experience, culture, and client satisfaction.
Implemented people‑centric leadership practices that improved retention, engagement, and team performance.
Managed cross-functional collaboration to meet operational, quality, and compliance targets.
Supported talent identification, mobility, and development pathways within the site.
Senior Learning and Development Manager
Merchants
Cape Town Area
08.2019 - 05.2021
- Led the national Learning & Development function for Merchants, overseeing strategy, execution, and governance of all training and capability development programmes.
- Designed and implemented the organisation’s L&D strategy to align workforce readiness, leadership capability, and business transformation initiatives.
- Oversaw teams of facilitators, instructional designers, and specialist trainers, ensuring high-quality delivery across multiple sites and business units.
- Built leadership‑development pipelines, competency frameworks, and succession‑readiness programmes to strengthen internal mobility and talent depth.
- Partnered with clients, operations, HR, and business leaders to ensure learning solutions addressed key performance gaps, and improved operational outcomes.
- Evaluated training effectiveness through feedback surveys and performance metrics, adapting strategies for optimal results.
- Introduced digital learning, blended‑learning structures, and modernised curriculum frameworks to support large‑scale training transitions.
- Led governance, compliance, and quality‑assurance processes across all L&D programmes.
Senior Operations Training Manager
Merchants
06.2014 - 05.2021
- Manager Operational Training Teams nationally
- Ensure consistent quality delivery of Training to all new hire and existing staff
- Transformation: BBBEE and EE input
- Facilitate in Skills Development reporting and management
- Manage learnership and Skills Programs
Skills Development Manager
Merchants
04.2013 - 06.2014
- Conduct a Trainer qualification audit and generate an accurate dashboard to represent the current data.
- Current and Future Trainers and training managers are developed against the company standards
- Design, implement and manage a company quality Management System
- Drive the accreditation of Training material
- Accurate and prompt submission OF the WSP\ATR
- Submission of the BBEEE and EE reports
- Co-ordination of the implementation of a team leader benchmarking process
- Project Management of skills programs and learnerships including capitalising of funding opportunities from various entities
- Design, develop and implement a call centre operations bridging program aimed at non CC industry recruits
- Explore and capitalise on national skills opportunities that can benefit the organisational skills development
Acting Training Manager
Merchants
02.2012 - 06.2012
- Set up training environment
- Supervise 4 trainers
- Design and develop Cultural Alignment Modules
- Report to Client on training progress
- Consult with client on training plans, delivery and material
People Development Consultant
Merchants
09.2010 - 02.2012
- Facilitate people development training courses
- Design and develop courses to address business people development needs
- Project management of Future Leaders agent to team leader in Cape Town
- Provide leadership coaching to management and support staff
- Consult to Business units
Skills Development Specialist
Stream Global Services
10.2008 - 09.2010
- Co-ordinate Learnership
- Design Skills development strategy
- Design and implement Quality Management System
- Accreditation of facilitators and assessors
- Facilitate and co-ordinate Team Manager Development Program
- Leadership and talent development
Training and Quality Manager
The Phone House
08.2007 - 09.2010
- Co-ordinate learning programs
- Material Development
- Facilitation of learning programs
- Completion and submission of WSP and ATR
- Project Management
- Scheduling of resources
- Co-ordination of Learnerships
- Manage Coaches and Trainers
Training support specialist
Vodacom
01.2001 - 06.2006
- Material development
- New product integration
- Project management of new products
- Knowledge Base
- Train the Trainer
Education
Project Management -
Xpert
12.2002
Honors degree - English
University of the Western Cape/Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland
12.1996
Higher diploma - Education
University of the Western Cape/Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland
12.1995
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Bachelor of arts
University of the Western Cape/Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland
12.1993
Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner and Masters -
NOSHE
Skills
- Skills Development Strategy
- Learning & Development Leadership
- Impact Sourcing Strategy
- Programme Design & Implementation
- Talent Pipeline Development
- Youth Empowerment and Community Upliftment
- Work Readiness and Employability Training
- Stakeholder and Partnership Management
- Leadership Development
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Languages
Afrikaans
Upper Intermediate
B2
English
Proficient
C2
Websites, Portfolios and Profiles
www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-geland-b6a1a663
Timeline
Director of Impact Sourcing and Skills Development
Teleperformance
10.2022 - Current
Head of Learning and Development
Teleperformance
02.2022 - 09.2022
Site Lead
Teleperformance
03.2021 - 01.2022
Senior Learning and Development Manager
Merchants
08.2019 - 05.2021
Senior Operations Training Manager
Merchants
06.2014 - 05.2021
Skills Development Manager
Merchants
04.2013 - 06.2014
Acting Training Manager
Merchants
02.2012 - 06.2012
People Development Consultant
Merchants
09.2010 - 02.2012
Skills Development Specialist
Stream Global Services
10.2008 - 09.2010
Training and Quality Manager
The Phone House
08.2007 - 09.2010
Training support specialist
Vodacom
01.2001 - 06.2006
Project Management -
Xpert
Honors degree - English
University of the Western Cape/Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland
Higher diploma - Education
University of the Western Cape/Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - Bachelor of arts
University of the Western Cape/Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland
Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner and Masters -
NOSHE