Management Science Consultant – Ref: 762093

Quick notification of talent: Management Science Consultant – Ref: 762093 – Enshrine Candidate Marketing

Research and modelling of the sustainability of rural development interventions (specifically: deployment of ICTs in rural areas).
Are your social development initiatives/resources making a real impact? Determine a Return on Investment (ROI) on your social development projects and sustainably address community needs.

Management science consultant with 20 years’ experience in contract research, a strong quantitative background and an interest in applying systems approaches to business and social problems. Experience in business optimisation, research, quantitative modelling and simulation, strategy development and project management.
MSc (Industrial Systems), PHD (Information Systems) BSc Hons (Operations Research) all cum laude; BSc (Applied Mathematics & Mathematical Statistics) and MBA. Qualified veterinarian. Adds value by integrating across multiple disciplines

Do you have any new initiatives that require strategy integration, policy development, research systems or process improvements?

Candidate location: South Africa

Home & other languages: Afrikaans, English

Designation: Management Consultant

Highest qualification type:  PHD

University: Stellenbosch University

Company size: ’11 – 50

Seniority level: Consultant / Specialist / Sales / Scientist

Gender: Female

Ethnicity: Caucasian/White

Nationality: South African

Highest Formal Qualification:  PhD (Inf Sys – submitted) MSc (Ind Sys); BSc (Hons) Ops Research; BSc (Applied Maths, Stats)

University in another country: University of Pretoria

Other Formal Qualification: BVsc; BSc (Veterinary Biology)

Current / most recent job title? Management Consultant, veterinarian

Primary purpose of current/most recent position: Researcher and consultant in modelling and decision making in complex environments and systems.Research and modelling of the sustainability of rural development interventions (specifically: deployment of ICTs in rural areas).

Core elements or functions that must operate effectively in order to achieve primary purpose:
Modelling complexity and decision making
Creating abstracts of real world problems
Developing solutions that can be used in practice
Facilitating a focus on value creation for clients
Creating approaches that are replicable, and that will serve as a guideline to enhance the efficiency of solutions in future
Find solutions that will improve the impact of programmes and projects

Description of self, along with greater purpose and passions:
I am passionate about improving the way in which things are done – removing inefficiencies, making things work – especially in complex environments such as rural development, organisational systems, animal welfare. I easily integrate across different disciplines to find innovative strategies to resolve complex problems. Improving the efficiency of development spend is a passion, as is channeling welfare efforts into constructive initiatives. Finding a strategies to reduce tension between commercial and non-commercial objectives (especially in development and welfare)

Ideal business title: 
Strategic advisor
(Agricultural) development consultant (smallholder / emerging farmer focus)
Principal researcher

Key responsibilities and accountabilities of ideal position:
Strategy / policy development
Processes, policy, and approaches for enhanced development impact
Research
Systems improvement
Feasbility assessments of development interventions

Skill area of competence:
Integration across various disciplines to develop solutions to complex problems; analysis; model development; strategy development; research; writing and editing; systems analysis and modelling; logistics and value chain research; agricultural value chains
Practice and retail management (small animal products)

Career summary:
27 years contract research: modelling and optimisation – 12 years; logistics – 7 years; development: 8 years
3 years (part time) – assessment of organisational development: mining & heavy engineering
5 years (part time) – veterinary science (small animals; some practice management; retail; animal welfare)
3 years (part time) – professional scientific editing

Achievements: 
Development of innovative approaches to enhance the sustainability of development projects, for government and aid agencies, to stimulate reflection on project approaches and ultimately enhance the impact of development spending
Cost modelling of proposed solutions at the national Education Phakisa, to illuminate the financial impact of proposals, so as to guide decision making
Initiation and delivery of the First to Fourth Annual State of Logistics Surveys for South Africa, for the logistics industry, to inform actions and decisions that would lead to system-wide improvement
Co-author of “[in]Credible Leadership” – guide that is used for leadership training at Exxaro
Completion of PhD thesis in relatively short time period, in an area with which I was not familiar before
Back to university to complete Veterinary Degree (bachelor) after many years in an unrelated area of work

What do you absolutely love doing?
Improving the way in which things work; improving efficiencies; developing strategies to solve complex problems
Reducing waste so that resources are used for their intended goal (especially in resource-poor environments)

Ideal company (culture and values):
Integrity
Strategic objective of making a difference (scorecard includes non-financial objectives)
Fairness – people are valued according to contribution
Creative
Not unduly process bound

Motivation to move (please select): New opportunities

Location Preference: I am specifically interested in opportunities in Africa.