Project Manager Program

Raquel Canales, PMP (in progress)

North Bethesda, md 240-***-**** ***********@*****.*** Raquel Canales LinkedIn

Project Manager

Project Manager Process Improvement Expert Relationship-Builder Strategic Decision Maker Program Manager Operations Coordinator Partner to Executive Leadership.

High-impact Project Management and Operations Leader with 14+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams and managing complex projects in the finance and biopharmaceutical industries. Skilled in overseeing multimillion-dollar budgets, driving cost savings, influencing executive leadership to drive projects forward, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals. Adept at project planning, process innovation, and diverse stakeholder communication, with a strong ability to balance competing priorities and enhance team productivity. Known for consistently delivering high-quality work, hitting deadlines, and achieving business goals in fast-paced environments.

Achievements

·Saved $5K–$25K monthly by strategically managing $1.9M budget, ultimately enabling reallocation of budget towards patient-centered events

·At Aurinia, directed logistics for 196+ annual events, implementing strategic process efficiencies that ultimately saved 2-3 administrative hours daily across teams and increased staff participation in events by 25%

·Proactively identified a need for process implementation and built SharePoint systems from scratch, effectively enabling seamless document sharing and collaboration across teams, ultimately saving 2–3 hours daily administrative time

Areas of expertise

Project Management: Budget tracking and optimization, Agile Methodology, SharePoint, Netsuite, Microsoft Project, Oracle, Monday.com

Process Optimization: Process innovation and optimization, process implementation, data reconciliation, Veeva, Salesforce, risk management

Strategic Planning: Relationship-building, budget tracking, stakeholder engagement, cross-functional collaboration

Professional Experience

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, Rockville, MD January 2022 – January 2025 (Hybrid)

Project Manager

Served as Project Manager for global pharmaceutical company, planning and executing and staying within budget of $1.9M for patient advocacy department

Planned and directed end-to-end logistics for large-scale events (up to 10,000 attendees), strategically partnering with diverse vendors, managing contracts, and ultimately successfully executing 200+ sponsored Lupus awareness events annually

Designed and implemented grant reporting templates, which reduced legal approval times by 50% and improved compliance adherence

Proactively saved $5K–$25K monthly by strategically managing budget, ultimately enabling reallocation of budget towards patient-centered events

Oversaw the implementation of new compliance procedures for the Strategic Advocacy Team, effectively shortening the approval process by 2 weeks (from 4 weeks)

Built and over saw the complete lifecycle of developing the departmental SharePoint, keeping relevant stakeholders involved, and enabling seamless document sharing and collaboration across teams, ultimately saving 2–3 hours daily administrative time and maximizing efficiency

Proactively transformed the event staffing process via agile methodologies, ultimately maximizing staffing efficiency and reducing processing time by 30%

Represented Aurinia at conferences and patient advocacy events to communicate key learnings and trends to executive leadership on monthly basis

United States Pharmacopeia, Rockville, MD September 2018 - January 2022 (On-site)

Senior Office Administrator

Served as strategic partner to C-Suite for a global pharmaceutical supply chain organization, managed complex scheduling for senior directors, Sr. VPs, and executives, and oversaw the transition from remote to in-office for 500+ employees

Transformed and led the onboarding process for 7 employees (Coordinators to Directors), streamlining setup and ultimately reducing employee time to productivity from 8 days to 4 days. Collaborated cross-functionally to ensure all trainings are assigned appropriately and all staff are in compliance

Successfully managed complex calendar scheduling and travel arrangements (domestic and international) for 6+ executives simultaneously

Built and implemented tech-enabled processes via SharePoint that reduced meeting delays and saved an estimated 15+ administrative hours monthly

Managed department budget forecasting and tracked $1M+ in expenditures, ensuring adherence to fiscal policies, accurate invoicing, and proactively identifying cost-saving opportunities

Spearheaded complex logistics for 150+ marketing team meetings annually across global offices, saving 100+ administrative hours via strategic vendor collaboration and implementing new, effective processes

Sunwater Capital Management, Rockville, MD March 2018 – September 2018 (On-site)

Business Administrator

Managed and enhanced IT, HR, and office operations, enabling seamless operational functionality for the global venture capital firm and its nonprofit counterpart, The Sunwater Institute

Oversaw cross-functional administrative processes, and HR policies and procedures, including managing confidential documentation for the organization and nonprofit counterpart

Led the implementation of tech-enabled processes, streamlining office management and enhancing overall productivity for a 15-person team

Financial Services Advisory, Inc., Rockville, MD September 2016 - February 2018 (On-site)

Client Service Associate

Streamlined client operations for 200+ individual accounts, processing financial contributions, distributions, and account openings with 100% accuracy

Accelerated account processing time, completing over 90% of client requests within 24–48 hours, with high customer satisfaction

Served as the primary liaison between clients, the President, and Charles Schwab Headquarters, ensuring timely communication and resolution of inquiries

Improved workflow efficiency via process improvement in Excel spreadsheets under tight deadlines, meeting organizational needs without disruption

SPC Financial, Inc., Rockville, MD June 2015 – September 2016 (On-site)

Client Service Associate

Managed communications and scheduling for 500+ individual clients, achieving a 95% client satisfaction rate

Designed and implemented color-coded calendaring systems for the CEO, improving workflow and meeting preparation efficiency

Planned and organized logistics for high net worth ($5M+) client luncheons with an 85% attendance rate

Investment Company Institute, Washington, DC July 2010 – June 2015 (On-site)

Senior Administrative Assistant

Consolidated complex financial data from 20+ global banking institutions into concise charts for white papers distributed to industry leaders

Coordinated logistics for conferences attended by 1,500+ participants, ensuring seamless execution of large-scale events

Managed data entry and analytics for the Institute’s Service Directory, optimizing processes for over 500 submissions annually

Education & Credentials

Bachelor of Arts, Economics West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

Certifications in Progress

Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification – Expected July 2025 (35-hour training complete)

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