DAVID OJALVO

Southbury, Connecticut 203-***-**** ad2lr5@r.postjobfree.com www.linkedin.com/in/davidojalvo

SUMMARY

A highly accomplished communications, marketing, and employee engagement strategist, focused on digital media, project management, and user experience. Additional strengths in change management and internal communications, particularly in the context of large-scale employee and organizational transitions. Recognized for branding, product messaging, events, and web strategies for internal and external audiences. Demonstrates expertise in developing and executing creative marketing and communications strategies, and leveraging digital platforms to drive engagement, generate demand, and call audiences to action.

EXPERIENCE

MERATIVE Southbury, Connecticut

CIO Communications Leader 2022-2023

Contributed to launch of Merative, including transition of 2,000 IBM Watson Health employees across five countries.

Led internal change communications and user-experience strategy to facilitate employee transition to Microsoft 365 portfolio of tools, Merative’s core business applications, laptops, and mobile phones.

Provided empathetic change management and communications for employee adoption of new tools (Slack to Teams, Webex to Teams, Box to OneDrive, old laptop to new laptop), with goal of:

oMaximizing employee adoption, usage, productivity, user experience, and engagement.

oMinimizing employee resistance to change and disruption in day-to-day job roles.

Drove employees to embrace changes in new IT environment by communicating benefits and fostering intuitive user experience (what, when, why, and how), including:

oFocus on transparency, consistency, and different learning styles in messaging (quick reference guides, videos).

oEncouraged and incorporated employee feedback.

oSet clear expectations for actions required of employees and expected return.

oReinforced key company decisions, and explained changes and milestones involved with IT transformation.

Managed team of three communications specialists (direct reports) to support strategy and execute change management, employee engagement, and web tactics.

oInstilled culture of collaboration, inclusion, agile methods, active listening, autonomy, levity, and recognition.

Oversaw launch of Merative IT support intranet.

oProvided robust and intuitive (UX) set of educational resources, including quick reference guides, videos, and FAQs for MS365 portfolio of tools. Generated 105K total page views to date.

Collaborated with executive leadership team on 14 blogs (conceptualizing, ghost writing, editing).

Designed comprehensive outage communications plan across 75 internal systems and tools.

Provided ongoing IT support across employee base.

oSupported 2,000 users across three Teams channels, answering questions and troubleshooting.

oFacilitated six open office hour sessions and ten ask expert educational sessions (OneDrive, Teams, help desk, monday.com), Microsoft tip of the week, and CTO Speaks web series.

oGuided and directed product teams on streamlining and improving workflows via Merative’s core business systems.

Managed the planning and delivery of both virtual and in-person all-staff events, CEO town halls and regional events.

IBM GLOBAL FINANCING (IGF) Armonk, New York

WW Communications & Engagement Leader / Chief of Staff 2018-2022

Developed and executed the internal communications strategy, including key messaging, communication channels, and tactics that informed and engaged employees.

Generated consistent and concise flow of information across tribes and squads, applications users, and senior leaders.

Enhanced look, feel, branding, and messaging, with focus on improving user experience.

Drove social mindset to boost employee engagement and foster sense of collaboration and pride across organization (blogging, showcases, personal branding).

Established and led cross-organizational “Communications Guild,” which provided guidance and best practices around communication strategies.

Served as site leader for CIO Employee Engagement Team, with responsibility for strategizing and implementing engagement tactics.

Supported director of IGF IT and organization of 600 in CIO, including managing communications such as external speaking engagements, internal and external blogs, and All-Hands meetings.

IBM (CONTRACTOR) Southbury, Connecticut

Internal Communications Strategist (Global Mobility) 2017-2018

Drove communications strategy for transition to Equus AssignmentPro, the new expatriate and immigration management tool for IBMers on assignment.

Specific focus on user support and enablement resources (ie; FAQs, Quick Reference Guides, training modules, etc.).

Managed transition, communicated vision, and ensured readiness of AssignmentPro implementation to varied stakeholder groups.

IBM (CONTRACTOR) Southbury, Connecticut

Internal Communications Leader 2015-2017

Developed worldwide communications strategy for transition to Travel@IBM, the new travel and expense tool for all IBMers.

oRolled out to 300K employees across 100 countries

Designed all communications and training/support resources (ie; Quick Reference Guides, video tutorials, ChatBot)

Managed execution of communications and marketing assets.

Worked with stakeholders to understand the changes, including how to adapt their day-to-day responsibilities, what was expected of them, and prioritization planning.

Worked collaboratively with organizational change management leader to design Travel@IBM user community.

Wrote blogs on behalf of executive sponsors of program.

IBM (CONTRACTOR) Southbury, Connecticut

Audience Generation Event Manager (CHQ Events Team) 2013-2015

Led drive-to efforts in support of IBM Smarter Commerce Global Summit.

Developed holistic audience generation plan to drive customer attendance and revenue targets.

Managed marketing team responsible for communications, web, social media, and sales enablement.

Coordinated tweet chats and Facebook advertising campaign as part of overall event drive-to strategy.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

IBM SOFTWARE GROUP (TIVOLI), Southbury, Connecticut, Global Small and Medium Business (SMB) Marketing Lead, 2013. Designed strategy to drive awareness and demand for Tivoli products and services across new customer segment. Developed SMB go-to-market and social media strategy to help IBM sellers expand Tivoli's addressable sales opportunity by growing new customer and growth market leads. Grew validated marketing leads 11% YOY, digital asset registrations 14% YOY, and digital marketing pipeline win revenue 21% YOY.

IBM SOFTWARE GROUP (TIVOLI), Southbury, Connecticut, Digital Marketing Strategist, 2012 Developed web and campaign strategies as integral brand and communication tool to engage customers in Tivoli portfolio. Created external customer reference web module around cloud, mobile, and asset management. Launched at 1,100 page views in March 2012.

IBM SOFTWARE GROUP (TIVOLI), Southbury, Connecticut, Executive Communications Lead, 2011. Directed executive internal newsletters, including content creation, formatting, and executive messages to target audiences.

IBM SOFTWARE GROUP (TIVOLI), Southbury, Connecticut, Events Manager, 2010. Coordinated events from concept to production.

IBM GLOBAL FINANCING (IGF), Armonk, New York, Global Integrated Marketing Communications Lead / Vendor Financing Marketing Lead, 2006-2010.

IBM PC DIVISION AND LENOVO, Westchester, New York, Project Manager, Internal Communications, 2006 Winter Olympics / Manager, Sales Communications, 2005-2006.

IBM (PARTNERWORLD), Atlanta, Georgia, and Southbury, Connecticut, Program Manager, Marketing Communications, 1998-2004.

EDUCATION

CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (QUEENS COLLEGE), New York, New York

M.A., Marketing Research

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, Albany, New York

B.A., Political Science

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Merative: monday.com Project Management

Merative: Microsoft Teams - Advanced Teams Meetings Training

IBM: People Skills - Communications, Presentation, Collaboration and Problem Solving

IBM: Agile Explorer

IBM: Super Learner

IBM: Virtual Collaborator

IBM: Developing Effective Digital Content

IBM: Social Media Boot Camp

IBM: Communication Skills for Leadership

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