Business Analyst
Resume:
TAWANDA C. VERA
*********@*****.***
linkedin.com/in/tawandavera
EDUCATION
Thunderbird School of Global Management, Phoenix, AZ MAY 2025
Master of Global Management (Global Business)- GPA: 3.76
WorldQuant University, New Orleans, LA AUG 2019
Master of Science Financial Engineering - GPA: 4.0
University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe JUL 2004
Bachelor of Science, Food Science & Technology - GPA: 3.3
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Policy Analyst
Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
JUL 2024 - MAY 2025
Supported ASU's strategic positioning amidst shifting federal landscapes by evaluating 120+ federal policy and funding opportunities using structured qualitative and quantitative scoring.
Accelerated leadership decision-making and enhanced policy change preparedness by synthesizing 4,000+ pages of legislative data into 35+ executive memos and briefings.
Improved policy knowledge transfer for 25+ cross-functional stakeholders, earning senior leadership recognition, by developing and managing a weekly Innovation Policy Lab newsletter curating insights from 500+ data points.
Safeguarded $500M+ in annual research and student aid funding by leading scenario analysis and risk assessments that informed leadership responses to policy changes.
Development Finance Consultant
EIF Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
NOV 2021-OCT 2023
Led the approval of 14 high-impact community landscape projects (out of 20) by aligning climate adaptation efforts with national policy through the NILALEG Small Grants Facility ($40K–$46K/project).
Initiated and coordinated a national PPP conference in partnership with MEFT, UNDP, and EIF, catalyzing strategic public-private collaboration for green financing.
Provided critical input into the design of a Community Forest Management Fund, supporting EIF’s long-term vision for sustainable forestry and resource mobilization.
Modernized nature-based grant delivery systems, using tech and stakeholder collaboration to simplify applications, increase transparency, and ensure strategic alignment.
Built the foundational system for micro-level carbon emissions tracking, significantly improving environmental impact reporting and donor accountability.
Climate Finance & Development
Freelancer, Windhoek, Namibia
MAR 2010 – AUG 2023
Led $100M+ multi-stakeholder climate finance initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa, delivering measurable policy and economic impact through data-driven analysis and cross-cultural project management.
Provided strategic advisory services to SADC regional governments and international organizations on climate adaptation and mitigation financing.
Achieved 100% on-time delivery for a $45M renewable energy project portfolio across 5 countries by leading development, coordinating technical analysis, stakeholder engagement, and implementation planning.
Informed $25M in climate adaptation infrastructure investment decisions by conducting comprehensive feasibility analyses using econometric modeling and risk assessment.
Improved project execution capabilities and intervention sustainability by designing and implementing capacity-building programs for 200+ government officials and local implementers.
Supported investment decisions and risk assessment for $500K-$15M projects by building comprehensive financial models for infrastructure and agricultural development.
Training Facilitator
Institute of Capacity Development, Windhoek
Mar 2013 – Jan 2020
Designed and delivered 50+ short courses annually, training over 1,000 professionals across Africa in project management, climate adaptation, and investment planning
Developed accredited programs in energy and economic development, including EPC contracts, DSM strategies, and quantitative macroeconomic techniques, reaching 500+ participants yearly
Led blended learning rollouts for Python, data science, and analytics fundamentals, expanding technical capacity in 100+ public and private institutions
Achieved participant satisfaction scores averaging 4.8/5 across all courses and was recognized as "Outstanding Technical Facilitator" for consistently high-impact delivery
Saved client institutions over $2M through cost-effective, in-house technical capacity-building programs tailored to sector-specific needs
PROJECTS
Corporate Partners – A Compendium of Neurological Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa Spring 2025
Developed a data-driven, user-friendly compendium of neurological diseases across Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa and Tanzania). This handbook was intended to support policymakers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and funders by mapping disease burden, available resources, critical gaps, and recommending strategic interventions.
Analyzed 10 years of data (2014–2024) on 7 major neurological diseases across 40+ Sub-Saharan African countries.
Synthesized information from 100+ sources, including WHO, World Bank, and academic literature.
Agentic AI tools used to accelerate data discovery and analysis, cutting manual review time by more than 80%.
Findings inform decisions impacting millions, equipping policymakers, clinicians, and funders with targeted, actionable insights.
The resulting handbook drives evidence-based interventions to close critical gaps in neurological care regionwide.
Green in Check – ESG Intelligence Platform Strategy X DevHacks Spring Hackathon 2025
Designed and deployed a GPT Store powered platform to detect greenwashing, verify ESG claims, and deliver stakeholder-specific insights. Used by ESG analysts, investors, and policy teams for transparency and risk mitigation. https://github.com/TawandaVera/green_in_check
Built an AI-driven ESG intelligence platform that detects greenwashing, validates sustainability claims, and provides real-time, data-backed guidance for diverse stakeholders.
Engineered a Greenwashing Score algorithm, combining eight risk factors (including offset ratios, data transparency, third-party verification, and public sentiment) to deliver actionable transparency metrics.
Achieved seamless scalability through cloud-based architecture, API integrations, and a conversational ESG bot, positioning the tool for mass adoption by 10,000+ users and partnerships with 50+ institutions
Global Consulting Lab – Strategic Market Insights & ICP Development Fall 2024
Delivered market insights and an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) database for Elevated Materials' recycled carbon fiber billets.
Accomplishments (as Team Member):
Pinpointed 6 high-potential industry segments from 30+ by executing multi-phase research and data-driven funnel analysis.
Improved sales targeting by developing an ICP database and mapping key decision-makers within prioritized segments.
Applied expertise in Market Research & Segmentation, B2B Marketing, Data Analysis.
Doctoral Research Methods Seminar – University of Namibia (2022, 2023)
External Instructor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Doctoral Academy
Designed and led advanced statistical workshops for doctoral candidates and faculty, focusing on sample size estimation, power analysis, and the application of quantitative methods to health and nursing research.
Provided interactive training in Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA/CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SPSS AMOS, empowering participants to implement robust, evidence-based research designs in their dissertation projects and academic programs.
Strengthened the research capacity of over 100 graduate students and faculty members, facilitating improved program evaluation and data-driven decision-making in health education.
Received commendations for effectively translating complex statistical concepts into practical skills applicable in international research and healthcare contexts.
LANGUAGES
High proficiency in reading, speaking, and writing English and Shona
TECHNICAL SKILLS AND CERTIFICATIONS
Analytical Skills: Supervised Learning • Segmentation • ESG Scoring • Risk Modeling
AI & Technical: Prompt Engineering • Python • R • SQL • NLP • GPT (OpenAI/POE/FlowGPT/Claude/Perplexity/Grok)
Tools & Platforms: Jupyter • Power BI • STATA • SPSS • Excel (Advanced) • ASU LLM Beta Platform
Strategic Methods: Stakeholder Alignment • Scenario Planning • Agile • SDG Integration
Soft Skills: Executive Briefing • Cross-Functional Leadership • Policy Translation • Strategic Writing
LEADERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES
Member, National Black MBA Association – Phoenix Chapter MAR 2024 -MAY 2025
Advisor, Thunderbird African Business Club APR 2024- DEC 2024
President, Data and Analytics Club at Thunderbird JUN 2024 – MAR 2025
Alumni Engagement- Thunderbird Rugby Football Club JUL 2024 – MAY 2025
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