Change Manager
Resume:
Mensah Frimpong
SIT, * Kipling Rd, Brattleboro, VT 05301, USA
802-***-**** ******.********@****.***.***
August 27, 2011
Collabera Inc,
New York, USA.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: Change Manager
Please accept this letter as my application for the Change Manager in your organization. I am the author of the innovative, ground-breaking, unique and first-of-its kind book entitled “Project Management for NPOs” that is available in some major bookstores and being used by the industry, development organization and several universities globally. Enclosed is my resume for review. I have about 18 years working experience of which about 15 years has been in the capacity of Project/Program manager.
The Change Manager position is an ideal match for my qualifications (or my skills and experience). At Alpha Link, I worked as a strategy Consultant who helped streamline organizational processes and performances by analyzing present-state, developing alternative future-state approaches and facilitating implementation. My extensive experience in organizational/Strategy, Program and Project Management is evident from my book entitled Project Management for NPOs, the first of its kind to focus on project management, financial management and human resources management. Since 1998, I have either been managing projects, program or supervised project managers in the development, public or private sectors. Project design, procurement, risk management, stakeholder management, logistics coordination, communication and contract management I have also managed programs under matrix arrangement. This has involved inter-departmental collaboration, cross-divisional coordination, communication, influence and negotiation.
I have a strong background in statistics and extensive experience in data driven management decision-making. As a systems expert, I develop systems by using Microsoft excel for gathering relevant data, analysing and reporting. For large and complicated data, I use the statistical package SPSS for the data analysis. Detailed in my resume, you will find my extensive experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting as well as conducting survey. I led a team of local and international experts that evaluated SA Government $20 Billion labour-intensive job creation program the “Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP)” in 2004 and again in 2006 country-wide. The monitoring and evaluation systems that I developed in the various assignments formed the basis of knowledge generation and institutional learning.
During the past 15 years, I have developed practical expertise in financial management. I prepared a budget as part of the medium term plan for Sub-Saharan African Challenge Program, a program jointly funded by EU, African government, the World Bank and OECD. I managed grants for USAID, EU, WWF, HBS (Germany), FORD, IISD (Canada), and many other international donors and am intimately familiar with their procurement procedures. I have devoted a quarter of my book to projects financial management including “Earned Value Management” technique and risk management. As a project management author and practitioner, managing concurrent activities and multiple projects form part and parcel of my routine operations. I am professionally and duty bound to deliver projects according to time, cost and performance expectations. I think I can bring my extensive organizational development, project and program management, risk management, business management, operations, strategy, and financial management experience to help put your organization into new heights. Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mensah Frimpong
Mensah Frimpong
36 Chapin Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301, USA
802-***-**** ******.********@****.***.***
CAREER PROFILE
Published Project management author and highly motivated professional with international experience in the private, public and development sectors seeking a position as program manager, financial manager, M & E specialist or organizational manager where my skills and expertise will ensure collaborative management. Proficient in English with a working knowledge in French.
Qualifications include:
Fifteen years experience in program planning, program management, monitoring, evaluation and analysis including managing complex programs and multiple projects
Tender preparation, infrastructure audit, and contract management Management skills
Extensive operations, budgeting, financial and strategic management
VALUE PROPOSITION: WHAT I HOPE TO BRING TO YOUR ORGANIZATION
Assist long term planning of organizations based on projected industry outlook
Assist organization win competitive advantage and to secure new businesses
Train field staff in M & E, project, operations, strategy and financial management
Data-based management decision-making and facilitation of OD interventions
EDUCATION
Master of Science in Management, May 2011 - GPA = 3.9
SIT Graduate Institute, Brattleboro, Vermont, USA.
Coursework completed includes: Strategic Management, Financial Management, Economics, Organizational management, Practitioner Inquiry (Research methodologies), Organizational Behavior, Human resources management, International Organizational Development, Marketing, Program Planning and Design, Social Change, Social Entrepreneurship, Intercultural Communications, Statistics (SPSS).
Master of Science (Mineral Economics) (1995)
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Diploma in Project Management (1995)
University of the Pretoria, South Africa
Postgraduate Diploma in Mining Engineering (1990)
University of the Science and Technology, Ghana
Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering (1989)
University of the Science and Technology, Ghana
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Program Manager
Aurecon, Pretoria, South Africa (10/2006 – 2010)
As program manager at Aurecon, a global conglomerate headquartered in Australia, I
Supervised project managers to meet time, cost, scope, performance deliverables.
Prepared tenders to secure project and implemented asset management projects
Successfully managed National Youth Service Program that trained 500 youths
Assisted 10 municipalities to develop Consolidated Infrastructure Management Plans
Conducted infrastructure audit that helped department meet their infrastructure backlogs.
Page 2
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE CONTINUED
Executive Director
Mensah Development Project Services, Johannesburg, South Africa (10/2003 - 11/2006)
Evaluated a South African Government $20 billion job creation program “Expanded Public Work Programme (EPWP)”, made recommendations to shape the second phase
Developed and successfully implemented a “Mentorship Model” for the EPWP
Prepared a “Programme Implementation Plan” and a “Medium Term Plan and Budget” for Sub-Saharan Africa Challenge Programme in Ghana that were successfully implemented
Trained NGOs Directors and Program Managers in Southern Africa in project and financial management to better manage projects, compile project and financial reports
Programme Manager
Group for Environmental Monitoring, South Africa (07/2001 - 09/2003)
Direct and manage overall program status, budget, resources, change controls and risks.
Set up financial monitoring and control systems and trained staff to use them
Wrote grant proposal to solicit donor funding and administered donor funds for EU, DANIDA, and HBS in Germany, WWF, and the Ford Foundation
Prepared program budget and work plans and achieved 18% savings on budget
Supervised project managers that managed eco-tourism and other projects successfully.
Deputy Director
International Development Research Centre (IDRC), South Africa (10/1998 - 06/2001)
As Deputy Director of IDRC, a Canadian Parastatal, I
Performed operational, supervisory and financial/grant management functions
Established a database to house Southern African Economic data through USAID funding
Prepared and implemented workplans, trained staff and managed contracts using Oracle
Managed department staff -- provided direction, set goals, established priorities, delegated work, monitored progress against goals and provided performance feedback
Communicated with IDRC legal counsel to ensure compliance of grant making activities.
Assisted program development, reviewed and approved grants and managed budget
Guided grantees in banking, cash management, investments and safeguarding of assets
Managed a portfolio of projects and partnered with grantees to achieve outcomes
Lecturer
Lecturing at University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa (03/1998 - 10/1998)
Lectured on project financial valuation at 4th year level and supervised students research.
Topics covered: Behaviour of cost, time value of money, capital investment decision making, inflation, financing of projects, depreciation and replacement decisions, taxation.
Management Consultant
Alpha-link, South Africa (03/1996 - 12/1997)
Facilitated change and worked on operational optimisation project at Impala Platinum Mine
Worked on OD assignments at Anglo American Platinum to increase profitability by 35%.
Conducted management training at Alpha and increased labour productivity by 23%.
Streamline organizational processes and performances by analyzing present-state, developing alternative future-state approaches and facilitating implementation
Mining Engineer
SASOL, South Africa (01/1994 - 02/1996)
Conducted work study aimed at optimizing productivity; prepared annual budget for mine
Developed long and medium term plans for the mine and revised plans on weekly basis.
REFERENCES – AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Mensah Frimpong
36 Chapin Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301
802-***-**** ******.********@****.***.***
ADDENDUM
PUBLICATIONS
Frimpong.M. October 2003. "Project Management for Non-Profit Organisations". ISBN 0-620-3111-8 - Book is currently available in all major bookstores in South Africa and is being used in some major Universities and by practitioners in South Africa and overseas.
Frimpong.M. September/October 2004. "Project Management Considerations for NPO projects". An article published in ProjectNet, Project Management Institute of South Africa.
Frimpong.M. March 2004. "Building Capacity for Civil society to effectively and practically translate government policies into delivery on the ground". Proceedings of CIVICUS World Assembly, Gaborone, Botswana.
Frimpong.M. September 2003. "An Evaluation of Selected programmes of the Expanded Public Works Programme". A paper presented at Work 2005 Conference, University of The Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
Frimpong.M. July 1999. "Trade and Environment. South African Case Study". Proceedings of a workshop organised by Trade and Industry Policy Secretariat (TIPS) at the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
Frimpong.M. September 1998. "The Changing Contribution of the Mineral Sector to South African Economy". Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Trade and Industry Policy Secretariat Forum, Muldersdrift, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Frimpong.M . Feb 4-8 1996. "Diggability, a study of Dragline Effectiveness and Productivity". Proceedings of the 22nd annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique, Orlando, Florida, USA. pp95 - 102.
SUMMARY OF THE CONTENTS OF MY BOOK “PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR NPOs”
The book discusses project management sequentially along the project cycle: planning, implementation and project closure. It starts with project conceptualisation and design using Logical framework Approach (LFA). The output from the LFA is expanded in the form of a proposal serving as a case study used throughout the book to explain project management concepts and principles. Other planning tools such as participatory learning and Action, focus group, future search method are also discussed. Furthermore it deals with the practical implementation of projects where it guards the reader on the management of some typical developmental activities such as capacity building, contract administration, conference organization, lobbying and advocacy, research and policy development. Other important topics include human resource management in project (leadership, delegation, conflict management etc), change management, team building, risk management, procurement, gender mainstreaming and business plan development. The critical issue of Financial Management in a project environment is also covered where it discusses topics like budgeting, cash flow preparation and management, expenditure monitoring on day-to-day, monthly and yearly; audit, asset registry and financial policy. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting are also discussed.
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