Marelise Rajah
Organisational Effectiveness Consultant
Summary
Organisational Effectiveness Consultant passionate about enabling business performance through people, culture, and change. I partner with leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to drive transformation, workforce optimisation, leadership development, and organisational effectiveness initiatives. Experienced across branch, contact centre, and multi-functional environments, I translate strategy into practical solutions that strengthen performance, capability, employee experience, and sustainable business outcomes.
Overview
9
9
Certifications
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Organisational Effectiveness Consultant
Nedbank Ltd (Personal & Private Banking Cluster)
12.2013 - Current
- Lead cross-functional teams in the successful implementation of large-scale change initiatives that delivered measurable results on time and within budget constraints, e.g. Various strategic projects have been impacting and affecting over 500 branches, a contact center of just over 2,000 staff, and various cluster and business integrations consisting of restructures and streamlining processes and efficiencies, impacting a staff complement of between 8,000 and 15,000 at a point in time since 2015.
- Collaborate with executive leadership to identify strategic goals and objectives, and create actionable plans for achieving desired outcomes
- Developed strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to facilitate collaboration and drive organizational change initiatives.
- Conduct in-depth research into Employee Value Propositions, and retention programs, and implement optimal solutions to drive organizational change and staff retention.
- Transform organizational structures to better align with evolving business objectives, resulting in improved efficiency and effectiveness.
- Enhance organizational efficiency by conducting comprehensive assessments, and implementing targeted improvement strategies.
- Assess workforce capacity needs through skills gap analyses, guiding stakeholders toward selecting optimal staffing levels for sustainable growth.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement, delivering significant cost savings without compromising quality, or performance.
- Boost stakeholder satisfaction rates with timely project delivery through effective planning and execution of consulting engagements.
- Conduct thorough analyses of competitive landscapes, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions about market positioning and expansion efforts.
- Facilitate difficult conversations among team members, resolving conflicts while promoting mutual understanding and respect for diverse perspectives.
- Empower employees to take ownership of their professional development, cultivating a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
- Enable leadership development by creating customized leadership programs focused on enhancing competencies essential for success in senior roles.
- Enhanced stakeholder satisfaction through timely project delivery by effectively planning and executing consulting engagements.
- Strengthen company culture by designing initiatives that promote teamwork, inclusiveness, belonging and shared values.
- Improve communication within teams by facilitating workshops and designing collaborative processes.
- Streamline complex workflows, resulting in more efficient resource allocation, and reduced operational costs.
- Perform needs and cultural evaluations to strengthen improvements at all organizational levels.
- Formulate and implement training programs by applying learning principles and individual differences.
- Coordinated with multiple stakeholders to align on objectives and outcomes for large-scale facilitation projects.
- Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks according to urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals.
- Developed a strong company culture focused on employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Spearheaded the transition and change management process to remote work during the COVID pandemic, ensuring business continuity and employee safety. Specific attention was given to virtual facilitation and providing practical support on resilience, coping mechanisms, and personal safety.
- Implement change management strategies to ensure successful organizational restructuring and transformation initiatives
- Conduct research on industry trends and emerging methodologies to ensure the delivery of innovative solutions for teams, leaders and business.
- Spearheaded the transition and change management process to remote work during the COVID pandemic, ensuring business continuity and employee safety. Specific attention was given to virtual facilitation and providing practical support on resilience, coping mechanisms, and personal safety.
- Implemented change management strategies to ensure successful organizational restructuring and transformation initiatives
Learning & OD Manager
Nedbank Ltd, CIB
02.2013 - 11.2013
- Motivated employees to enhance productivity and engagement in their work.
- Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
- Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.
- Resolved disputes promptly and maintained open communication to enhance customer satisfaction and service quality.
- Coordinated onboarding processes for new hires, integrating them seamlessly into the workplace environment.
- Coordinated new hire onboarding, completing background checks and reference checks to complete screenings.
- Mentored junior team members for career advancement, fostering a pipeline of future leaders within the organization.
- Developed a strong company culture focused on employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Evaluated employee performance and conveyed constructive feedback to improve skills.
- Streamlined workflows by identifying bottlenecks in existing systems and implementing appropriate solutions.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Maintained a professional demeanor by staying calm when addressing unhappy, or upset, stakeholders and staff members.
- Identified workflow bottlenecks and implemented solutions to streamline operations.
- Controlled costs to keep business operating within budget and increase profits.
- Managed budgets effectively, ensuring optimal financial performance while investing in necessary resources for business growth.
- Resolved staff member conflicts, actively listening to concerns and finding appropriate middle ground.
- Conducted both interviews and exit surveys to verify compliance with HR best practices, and share trends with management.
Facilitator and Project Manager
Pro-Active Communications
08.2011 - 12.2012
- Enhanced program effectiveness by collaborating with colleagues to review and revise curriculum content regularly.
- Increased participant engagement by incorporating interactive activities and group discussions into sessions.
- Delivered high-quality training sessions, ensuring participants developed a thorough understanding of the subject matter.
- Built rapport with diverse groups of stakeholders by demonstrating empathy, active listening skills, and cultural competence during facilitated sessions.
- Fostered an inclusive learning environment by addressing diverse needs and adapting facilitation techniques.
- Facilitated workshops on communication, collaboration, and problem-solving techniques, enhancing team effectiveness.
- Developed comprehensive workshop materials to improve participant understanding and engagement.
- Conducted post-event evaluations to gather feedback and implement improvements for future sessions.
- Led engaging training sessions on effective communication strategies, boosting team productivity.
- Tailored facilitation techniques to meet diverse group needs, resulting in higher client satisfaction.
- Empowered participants to apply learned concepts in their professional and personal lives through practical application exercises.
- Coordinated with multiple stakeholders to align on objectives and outcomes for large-scale facilitation projects.
- Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks according to urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals.
- Planned, designed, and scheduled detailed roll-out plans for large projects.
- Developed comprehensive project plans with clear timelines, milestones, and budget requirements, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality results.
- Provided detailed project status updates to stakeholders and executive management.
- Collaborated closely with senior management to align project objectives with strategic company initiatives, ensuring that efforts contributed to overall business growth.
- Developed comprehensive risk management plans, minimizing project delays and unexpected challenges.
- Developed mentorship program, connecting experienced professionals with newcomers to foster skill development and personal growth.
Learning Consultant
Santam Ltd
06.2008 - 07.2011
- Promoted a culture of continuous learning within the organization by designing innovative, professional leadership development programs tailored to business needs.
- Leveraged outstanding analytical and problem-solving abilities to identify the root causes of organizational challenges and develop effective solutions.
- Developed and implemented innovative leadership development programs, fostering a culture of continuous learning aligned with business needs.
- Provided coaching and mentoring services to individuals seeking professional growth and career advancement opportunities within the organization.
- Facilitated team-building exercises, enhancing communication and collaboration among cross-functional teams.
- Collaborated with executive leadership to identify strategic goals and create actionable plans for achieving desired outcomes.
- Informed staff on organizational mission, vision, strategy, and goals, enabling employees to align their efforts with overall success.
- Optimized talent management processes by assessing current practices and recommending strategies for enhancing recruitment, selection, and development efforts.
- Established strong relationships with key stakeholders, facilitating open communication channels for collaborative decision-making processes.
- Facilitated team-building exercises to strengthen communication and collaboration among cross-functional teams.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining a strong focus on quality assurance standards throughout all deliverables.
- Evaluated the effectiveness of training programs through data analysis, participant feedback, and observation.
- Cultivated positive relationships with vendors to deliver timely and cost-effective supply of services and materials.
- Created and managed project plans, timelines and budgets.
- Conducted job interviews and exit surveys to verify compliance with HR best practices, and share trends with management.
- Coordinated new hire onboarding, completing background checks and reference checks to complete screenings.
- Collaborated with management teams to establish clear succession plans for key roles within the organization.
Administrative Clerk
Santam Ltd
06.2008 - 10.2008
- Entered data into system and updated customer contacts to ensure accuracy of records.
- Communicated with customers via phone and email to verify company data and address inquiries.
- Answered and managed incoming and outgoing calls while recording accurate messages for distribution to office staff.
- Entered data into system and updated customer contacts with information to keep records current.
- Reduced errors in data entry tasks by maintaining accurate records and utilizing verification methods.
- Managed incoming and outgoing calls, recording accurate messages for timely distribution to office staff.
- Safeguarded sensitive information by maintaining strict confidentiality protocols when handling personnel files or company documentation.
Education
MA - Thesis - Psychology
University of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, South Africa2006
B.Psych Honnours - Psychology
University of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, South Africa2004
B.Psych - Psychology
University of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, South Africa2003
Senior Certificate - Schooling
Paarl Gimnasium High School
Paarl, South Africa2000
Skills
Influencing and negotiation skills
Analytical problem-solving
Leadership development, coaching and mentoring
Analytical thinking & strategic planning and implementation
Management and facilitation of small, medium and large-scale change initiatives
Change management
Learning needs analysis
Facilitation
Training programme design
Employee engagement
Prosci change management certification
ADKAR model
Change readiness assessment
LMS administration
Employee engagement surveys, eg Barret, Pulse, Staff Morale, OHI
Accomplishments
- Available on request
Certification
Change Management, Prosci
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Recipient of Nedbank Top Achiever Award, 2021
- Recipient of RBB Achiever Award, 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 /2020
- Recipient of RBB Top Team Member Award, 2014 / 2015
Geographical Data
Date of Birth : 1982/09/07
Languages : English and Afrikaans
Willing to relocate : Yes
Current work format : Hybrid
LinkedIn : http://linkedin.com/in/marelise-rajah-3b2b2256
Timeline
Organisational Effectiveness Consultant
Nedbank Ltd (Personal & Private Banking Cluster)
12.2013 - Current
Learning & OD Manager
Nedbank Ltd, CIB
02.2013 - 11.2013
Facilitator and Project Manager
Pro-Active Communications
08.2011 - 12.2012
Learning Consultant
Santam Ltd
06.2008 - 07.2011
Administrative Clerk
Santam Ltd
06.2008 - 10.2008
Senior Certificate - Schooling
Paarl Gimnasium High School
B.Psych - Psychology
University of Stellenbosch
B.Psych Honnours - Psychology
University of Stellenbosch
MA - Thesis - Psychology
University of Stellenbosch