Profile
I am an experienced and proven project manager and programme office analyst. Through an award winning Graduate leadership programme I have been able to seek challenges and exposure to various functions within an international organisation. My ability to bring together these experiences and deploy my analytical skills to deliver results and opportunities; has enabled me to take on roles & projects with even wider exposure and value and establish myself in strategy implementation and project management. Assessment detail to build a big picture vision is my core competency.
Education & Qualifications
2012-2014
ILM: Institute of Leadership & Management Certificate level 5
Institute of Health & Safety: IOSH Managing Safely certificate
2008- 2012
University of Manchester
1ST Class Masters in Engineering; Material Science and Engineering with Industrial Experience MEng (Hons)
Industrial placement at the Atomic weapons establishment. (Dissertation title: Microwave dielectric ceramics for mobile telephone applications).
Basingstoke College of Technology: French Conversation – intermediate
City & Islington College London: ALevels: Chemistry(C), Physics(D), English Lit & Lang(B); AsLevel: Fashion Textiles(C)
Bishop Douglass RC High School: 9 A-B GCSEs including Maths, Science, English, Textiles & Business studies.
Awards & Achievements
2015- present: steering committee member of the University of Exeter industrial advisory group
2012- present: seated on the young members committee of the Institute of Minerals Mining & Materials
Publication; Cambridge Journals: Surface analytical study of uranium exposed to low pressures of hydrogen at ∼ 80°C 2012 MRS Spring Meeting. Afiya H. Choholloa1 and Robert M. Harkera1 2012 MRS proceedings Volume 1444
2012 Winner; IOM3 AT Green Award: National award awarded by the Royal Institute of Minerals Mining & Materials to the best graduate with excellence in ceramics materials.
2012 Winner; School of Materials Prize: Awarded to top Graduate of class of 2012
2012 Winner; Morgan Ceramics Industry University fellowship award: Outstanding project in Ceramics research
2012 Winner; UNTF prize: Best presentation at the University’s nuclear forum conference representing AWE and The University of Manchester.
Career Summary
May 2014 – Present,
Strategic Project Manager Morgan Advanced Materials
Strategic Projects:
I am responsible for the delivery of 3 capital projects with a combined value of £2M for 2014. 1. Business transfer from USA to UK 2. Business consolidation 3. Creation & opening of a R&D Centre of Excellence. My role involves new business strategy development for global material production, overseeing and coordinating the CDM construction build of the £1M new facility, managing project budgets, role specifying and recruiting of 11 new staff members, risk assessment and analysis. Requiring the following core competencies:
• Leading project teams to deliver project objective
• Writing capital proposals
• Project planning & budget control & MS project
• International travel and project management between the USA and the UK.
• Reporting/ Communications via web communications, presentations, risk assessments.
Key achievements: Capital proposal I prepared for the R&D centre was approved by the executive board in September 2014. New facility exterior construction complete on budget and on time (Dec 2014), successful delivery of process transfer from the USA to UK (August 2014).
Programme manager
I sit on the projects steering committee alongside the CTO and directors to update and keep track of key project milestones in the technical ceramics business. We provide resolution and direction for any critical project issues. This part of my role involves the tracking and reporting work streams within the 3 capital projects, e.g. recruitment, building construction, overseas work. On a monthly basis I review 30 global projects in the fibre business. I conduct internal and external (PESTILE) analysis for development of business opportunity roadmaps and new business development pipelines. Core competencies:
• Project concept and business analysis and project gate planning
• Programme office monitoring & tracking:
• Reporting and presenting
Key achievements: I was requested to consult on developing a scenario model due to success of strategy model I created in my previous role. We are now building a business continuity plan for a key department of the business due to this. In my assessment of our share of market and new market entry strategy, customer demands and market entry I have identified a £10M business opportunity which is now being developed in Asia.
Sept 2012- May 2014
Morgan Advanced Materials Graduate Leadership Programme
Selected as 1 of 25 of Morgan’s first cohort on their Global graduate Leadership programme.
Programme training included; project management based on ILM & Prince2, operational finance & accounting, presentation skills and working towards the Institute of Leadership & Management qualification level 5. Trained in sales and achieved synergy sales certificate. I gained a wide exposure to the business, across all functions through global projects & roles.
2013-2014
Business Analyst – Global Fibre Business
Provided key analysis for the development and execution of Morgan’s £250M global high temperature insulating fibre business strategy. I was responsible for monthly tracking of over 30 projects, sales and operations in Asia, North America, Europe, South America in the programme office reported in to by regional finance and operational directors.
• Global Programme office coordination
• Project portfolio management
• Business continuity
• Market and internal business analysis
• Remote global working/communication and international travel
Key achievements: I built an excel based data driven model to evaluate and report on the economics, supply chain, risks and benefits of the standardisation of materials and process equipment, globally. Identified a £1.2M PY saving. I used the business demand and capacity model to model and make strategic assessments of Capital investment proposals. I created training manual for the model for knowledge security. For the programme office, I would analyse trends between reports from regions and identify external causes and proposals to meet market needs.
2012-2013
Strategy Analyst
In 2013 Morgan Crucible announced it would unify operations create a unified business under the new name Morgan Advanced Materials. I supported the group Financial Controller as a strategy analyst feeding into the executive board. It was key to communicate and promote the concept of ‘One Morgan’ through presentations and developing collaborative sales strategies to be used between businesses. This role also involved reviewing and prioritising strategic capital proposals with a value >£500K by risk, ROI, timeline, and submission of recommendations to the board. I chaired bi-weekly review calls with four geographic regional operations, finance and HR to track progress through internal programme office documentation.
• Leading change
• Project portfolio management
• Reviewing of strategic capital proposals
• Financial planning and Management
• Programme office analyst
• Recruitment and interviewing
Key achievements: contributed to the preparation of board papers and North American budget review. Reviewed and prioritised a global listing of over 100 project proposals to ensure outcomes would be aligned to the company unified strategy. I developed and gained experience in finance and strategy management at an executive level.
Additional projects
2012-2013
Quality Data Management:
Project managed the introduction of a new quality control (SPC) system across a manufacturing site. Managing a team of 4 and training a workforce of 75. A main part of this project was leading a culture change to the business and introducing new quality control measures to a legacy process. Within my first few weeks on this project and in the company I identified a £25K saving.
2012-2014
Market Analyst:
Marketing analysis for the Morgan executive board of the Water & aluminium industries – opportunities for market entry, forecasts, risks and product development.
2012-2014
Morgan Ambassador Founder & Programme Manager:
Morgan Ambassadors a school outreach programme. Now running nationally across 7 UK sites with 50 volunteers and external backing from IOM3, British Science Association & STEMNET
2010- 2011
AWE. Atomic Weapons Establishment Plc, MOD – Material Chemist.
12 months industrial placement during undergraduate degree. Research project title: The investigation of the very earliest stages of Depleted uranium corrosion,
• Trained and signed of as fully competent to use a scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer, an atomic force microscopy
• Interpretation of scientific data & results
• Dissertation & report submission
Key achievements: I conducted the first documented electrical characterisation AFM on UH3 this lead to a publication of this work in the Cambridge journals. Subsequently I won the prize for best presentation at the placement student’s final presentation’s conference. Represented AWE post-employment at the UNTF – won the prize for the best presentation. Presented for both scientific and managerial meetings & conferences; and at JOWOG international conference
2005-2007
Laden showroom
2 years part-time sales consultant in a fashion boutique. I was given the opportunity to conduct some buying fot new designers for the store.
Volunteering
As part of the young members committe at the IOM3 and steering group at the University of Manchester I work with other professionals across the industry to raise the profile and encourage the take up of STEM subjects at higher education. As part of the steering committee for the university of Manchester I contribute to the development of the universities strategy to be in the UK top 10 universities.
2011-2012
London 2012 Olympics & Paralympics
GamesMaker at the London 2012 Olympics helping to host the world’s largest show at the Olympic Park, interacting with the public, Athletes and Officials.
2009- 2010
Nightline
Volunteer for The University of Manchester’s student listening service.
Additional Skills & Interests
Languages: GCSE French to basic conversational level.
Sport and fitness: danced and performed from the age of four. This has enhanced my personal discipline when pursuing any goal. Performed at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre
Travel: I thoroughly enjoy travelling and experiencing new cultures and activities
