Melanie Mahlstedt
Senior Program Manager and Compliance Specialist @The Kaizen Company
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WORK HISTORY
Senior Program Manager and Compliance Specialist @The Kaizen Company
In 2022, I was promoted to senior level and tasked to steer the delivery of 5 global projects in Jordan, Djibouti, Georgia, Ethiopia, and Papua New Guinea. Under the scope of my role, I control multimillion-dollar budgets and lead on senior-level reporting, compliance, and client management. I also head up a team of 75 (12 direct, 63 indirect).SENIOR LEADERSHIP: Stepped into the role of Acting Director, Program Management temporarily; led a large team supporting 17 projects across 12 countries. Directed international operations while influencing at strategic level. Independently made staffing decisions for projects and managed high-level cross-cutting responsibilities during tenure as Acting Director, Program Management.CONTRACTS & COMPLIANCE: Brought contracts & compliance services previously in-house to build the capacity within existing resources for long-term sustainability. Ensured that Kaizen’s contractual arrangements were compliant and offering best value; reviewed and negotiated new & existing contracts and subcontract awards.PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Drove a multimillion-dollar project to provide technical assistance to the Office of Transition and USAID in Sub-Saharan Africa. Steered all project activities, incl. deliverable development. Oversaw cooperative agreement with USAID/Djibouti Citizens Engagement for Advocacy & Accountability. Helmed a 19-strong Djibouti-based field team.PROBLEM SOLVING: Devised a new cost tracking system to confirm the rigor of financial reporting and a new procurement framework for increased efficiency after assessing procurement actions. Navigated complex field-based personnel issues linked to cultural nuances; shared lessons learned via presentation of case study to the company.CLOSE OUT: Served as the go-to project closeout specialist within the organization, notably closing out a multimillion-dollar support contract for organizational development services to USAID in Uganda.
EDUCATION
Loyola University New Orleans
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Psychology
The George Washington University
Master of Arts (M.A.), Organizational Sciences
SKILLS
ABOUT MELANIE MAHLSTEDT
In today’s increasingly complex operating environment, organizations are placing ever greater emphasis on the tangible value delivered by their investment in projects. The world of program management is evolving to meet the demand for faster, more efficient execution without compromising on quality, compliance, or stakeholder satisfaction.I’m a loyal, values-driven senior manager with demonstrated success implementing impactful multimillion-dollar projects in dynamic international environments. As someone who can wear many hats and overcome challenges to deliver results, program management is a great fit for me. I\'m a true utility player who contributes both on a granular and strategic level – applying a meticulous eye for detail while staying focused on the bigger picture. I’ve spent the past 9 years with Kaizen (a Tetra Tech Company), an international development consultancy providing support to government, private sector & nonprofit organizations worldwide. The 5 promotions I’ve been awarded while with the organization are testimony to my work. In my current role as Senior Program Manager, I’m in charge of a portfolio of global, multi-year, multi-stakeholder projects. I also serve as the organization’s contracts & compliance lead.SELECTED CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Functioned as Acting Director, Program Management for 8 months. Led a large team supporting 17 multimillion-dollar projects across 12 countries. Played a critical role in the exponential growth of Kaizen over 9 years; served in multiple roles across proposal teams. Saved Kaizen a significant sum by bringing in-house contracts & compliance services. Developed policies, procedures & templates for all projects. My cultural fluency is my superpower – having delivered programs in a variety of countries, across time zones, and in collaboration with multinational teams, I’ve learned how to build relationships of trust with people from different backgrounds and break down barriers. I bring a versatile, highly transferable skill set, including proficiency with Kanban and PMI\'s PMBOK project methodologies. Developing others is a personal passion, and I currently volunteer as a career mentor for students at my alma mater. I’m at my best in a working environment where I have the space to have autonomy and be entrepreneurial within a collaborative, supportive environment. CORE SKILLS: Program Management Compliance Budgeting Work Planning Organizational Development Capacity Building Federal Acquisition Regulationmmahlstedt1[at]gmail[dot]com
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