Melissa Jennings
Montreal,QC
Summary
Strategically-minded Chief Operating Officer known for unparalleled productivity and efficiency in task completion. Possess specialized skills in operational strategy, process optimization, and team leadership. Excels in communication, problem-solving, and adaptability, ensuring seamless organizational operations and fostering collaborative work environments.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
8
8
year of post-secondary education
Work History
Chief Operating Officer
Canadian Defence and Security Network at Carleton University
Ottawa, Canada
01.2019 - Current
- Production of a podcast including research and conducting key informant interviews.
- Design and maintenance of the Networks online presence.
- Supervise NPSIA graduate students assigned as assistants in consultation with the Director and School Administrator, assign these assistants to various special research projects.
- Maintain and update institutional knowledge including the collection catalogue, authorize expenditures and manage the Network's budget, ensuring appropriate records, files and correspondence are maintained and accessible or protected for secure audiences.
- Organization and communication for internal and external audiences including events, training, website and social media, funded awards with academic, government and military stakeholders in Canada, Europe, South Africa and the USA.
- Directed strategic planning for national defense initiatives and security collaborations.
- Oversaw budget management and resource allocation for operational efficiency.
- Implemented policy frameworks to enhance organizational compliance and governance.
- Evaluated program effectiveness through regular assessments and stakeholder feedback.
- Communicated organizational vision and goals to internal and external audiences effectively.
- Provided guidance and support for problem solving efforts.
- Maintained productive relationships and communication channels across organization.
- Established plans to address productivity, operational performance and staff retention and satisfaction.
Director of Operations
AfriQuest Research Centre
Nairobi, Kenya
10.2016 - 08.2017
- Business Development, Client Acquisition and Retention.
- General oversight of methodology, work plan, budget development, ethics and quality control across Africa.
- Communication with clients, lead generation and any troubleshooting required.
- All Human Resources aspects including hiring and training staff, developing SOPs for employees.
Research Compliance Coordinator
Carleton University
Ottawa, Canada
07.2015 - 10.2016
- Administrative support to the Chair and Research Ethics Board (REB) members in the discharge of the REB mandate.
- Screening and review of research ethics protocol submissions to ensure completeness, handling necessary revisions as mandated by the REB.
- Soliciting and processing annual renewals and file closures, accepting information on adverse events and facilitating needed actions by the Chair, keeping accurate records of all decisions and research files, attending all meetings of the REBs and recording minutes.
- Serving as a resource to the research community; communicating with, educating and advising researchers on guidelines, procedures and other matters relating to the conduct of research with human participants.
- Establishing policy and practices in consultation with the Chair to manage an ongoing monitoring system in accordance with best practice.
Project Coordinator
University of Ottawa/York University
Ottawa, Canada
09.2010 - 07.2015
- International Development Research Centre funded research; 'Employment Outcomes of Graduates of International Development Studies (IDS) programs in Canada'.
- Screening, selecting and interviewing 200+ participants, maintaining continuity throughout the duration of the 5 year project.
- Analyzing qualitative data and producing a report for various stakeholders including funders and, volunteer/interns organisations, program participants and universities including presenting findings at conferences and via a blog: Creating Global Citizens
Policy Analyst
UN Women
Dhaka, Bangladesh
12.2014 - 01.2015
- Preparing a Policy document with Findings and recommendations for promoting women's political participation in Bangladesh; 'Moving Beyond a 'Set of Ornaments': An analysis of existing barriers and opportunities for women's political Participation in Bangladesh'.
Proposal Specialist
RÄDDA Barnen (Save the Children Sweden)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
11.2014 - 12.2014
- DIPECHO (Disaster Preparedness ECHO) Situational Analysis/Assessment Report: School Based Assessment Snapshot.
- Conducted assessments in selected implementation areas to assess current status of government actors and schools on disaster preparedness/safety initiatives. Analysis of secondary data and collection of primary data using focus groups, KII, and observation in urban and coastal areas.
- Strategic Planning Document: Developed in consultation with stakeholders specifically education department, civil society, donors and others reflecting governments' vision toward integration of DRR in Education (short term 1-2 years and long term 5 years).
- Proposal writing in collaboration with the program team and key stakeholders, Wrote the text for the eSingle Form.
- Coordinate with government stakeholders at all levels to agree to project activities. Developed the project logical framework and detailed implementation plan in accordance with the agreed activities. Supported the development/writing of proposal elements that will be common across all South Asia DIPECHO proposals, as requested. Written agreement with government actors (Director General) on activities (MOU), letters of intent.
Policy Analyst
ACDI-VOCA
Dhaka, Bangladesh
09.2014 - 10.2014
- PROSHAR's Annual Result Report.
- Drafting and finalizing a field project report for the fiscal year end.
Organizational Development Advisor
National Democratic Institute
Dhaka, Bangladesh
05.2014 - 10.2014
- Analysis, writing and editing of the final report on the Five City Corporations election in 2013, the 10th Parliamentary elections and the 2014 Upazila elections.
- Organizational needs assessments with Election Monitoring Organizations led by NDI (National Democratic Institute) which led to the following identified capacity building activities: strategic planning training and follow up, How to write a lessons learned, training and guide for communications planning.
Organizational Development Advisor
World University Services of Canada
Gaborone, Botswana
01.2013 - 05.2013
- Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCAIP).
- Needs assessments of staff and programmes: implementation of capacity building training including project Cycle Management, Gender Assessment and Gender Tool-Kit.
- Strategic Planning, grant writing for EU and USAID.
Field Coordinator
International Republican Institute & USAID
Juba, South Sudan
08.2011 - 11.2012
- First national public opinion poll: IRI Public Opinion Poll of South Sudan and one minor project (GIGA Role of religion on peace and conflict in South Sudan) including partnership building.
- Recruited and managed staff comprising of a statistician and field interviewers maintaining gender parity and linguistic diversity.
- Working and compromising with the Field Manager and the M& E Officer as well as the statistician to produce a reliable sample of over 2000 South Sudanese across 10 states.
- Production of a training manual, a field guide for interviewers and an international presentation on results for use by USAID partners.
- Writing proposals and training field staff on proposal writing, networking with partners and potential funders in East Africa, maintaining quality control, communicating issues between field staff and head office in New Jersey.
Research Assistant
Cranfield University
Kingston, Canada
02.2012 - 05.2012
- Assist in the publication of various research documents: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Development and Assistance Committee's International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF).
- Think Global Act Global: Confronting Global Factors That Influence Conflict and Fragility.
- Canadian Public Safety data, as well as research on terrorism and security in the Horn of Africa.
- Thematic Review of the Peace Building Fund for the United Nations.
Education
Certificate - Emergency Management
State University of New York at Albany
09.2021 - 08.2022
Master's Degree - War Studies
Royal Military College of Canada
Bachelor of Arts - International Development Studies and Political Science
Dalhousie University
Skills
- Training development
- Change management
- Podcast production
- Networking
- Cross-cultural communication
- Problem solving
- Public speaking
- Data visualization
- Team supervision
- Communication strategy
- Strategic planning
- Stakeholder engagement
- Research analysis
- Budget management
- Crisis management
- Internal communications
- Project management
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 12/18/80
- Nationality: Canadian
Publications
- Regional Security Theory: The East African Experience. A Look Back at the Challenges Entering the New Millennium, Jennings, M., 2018, 71-87
- Bridging the Governance Gap in South Sudan: Connecting Policy-Makers to Populations in Africa's Newest Oil-Producing Country, Winn C., Jennings M., Mitchell M.I., 2015, New Approaches to the Governance of Natural Resources, Grant J.A., Compaoré W.R.N., Mitchell M.I., International Political Economy Series, Palgrave Macmillan, London
Current Position
Chief Operating Officer, 4 years, Excellent communication skills gained through experience as a consultant, presented in workshops and steering committees the results of several projects. She also defended scientific papers in academic environments., Team management. Has coordinated project teams of more than 50 people from different companies and countries., Planning. Has organized several trainings for field researchers that had up to 200 students. Has been responsible for planning consultancy projects and estimating plans for proposals., Training. Has trained junior consultants and other profiles that started in the company or in the project where she was working., Highly experienced in public sector processes, specifically in projects aimed at improving public policies., Project management. Working on technical offices to implement governance and organizational models for more than five years., Change management. Participation in a 5 year project from the start, defining the change management strategy., Report design and elaboration. Design of several reports and dashboards for executive levels. Collaboration in cross-cultural and multi-lingual communication.
Timeline
Certificate - Emergency Management
State University of New York at Albany
09.2021 - 08.2022
Chief Operating Officer
Canadian Defence and Security Network at Carleton University
01.2019 - Current
Director of Operations
AfriQuest Research Centre
10.2016 - 08.2017
Research Compliance Coordinator
Carleton University
07.2015 - 10.2016
Policy Analyst
UN Women
12.2014 - 01.2015
Proposal Specialist
RÄDDA Barnen (Save the Children Sweden)
11.2014 - 12.2014
Policy Analyst
ACDI-VOCA
09.2014 - 10.2014
Organizational Development Advisor
National Democratic Institute
05.2014 - 10.2014
Organizational Development Advisor
World University Services of Canada
01.2013 - 05.2013
Research Assistant
Cranfield University
02.2012 - 05.2012
Field Coordinator
International Republican Institute & USAID
08.2011 - 11.2012
Project Coordinator
University of Ottawa/York University
09.2010 - 07.2015
Master's Degree - War Studies
Royal Military College of Canada
Bachelor of Arts - International Development Studies and Political Science
Dalhousie University