Varsha
Solutions for Project Management and other Business Operations
about me
beyond the resume
University of Natal
University of Natal
professional development & continued learning
I'm curious with an unflinching willingness to learn.
I learn fast, adapt, apply, and solve.
A rigorous, hands-on 6-month program with 100+ practical assessments to simulate real-world scenarios, resulting in two inception-to-completion applied learning projects
Using Jira as a tool to perform practical, real-world labs to implement agile principles for project work
Applying agile concepts of adaptive planning, iterative development, and continuous improvement through realistic scenario-based labs using GitHub & ZenHub
Deep understanding of all facets of Scrum
Using SAS Visual Analytics to access, manipulate, and analyze data with interactive reports, and to design and share dashboards to visualize data
Managed a social media marketing campaign, including analyzing dashboards and measuring data, optimizing campaigns with A/B testing, communicating and presenting results
operational SKILLS
personal skills
More details about my personal skills
Communication » In a noisy world filled with fragments of information, it is important to create stories that resonate with others, and to transform information into compelling narratives. I have created sense from messy information for many projects, which helped to inform and shape decisions. I am knowledgeable about strategic communication, influencing without authority, listening intentionally, negotiating with empathy, and customizing information according to audience interest.
Organization » I like to keep knowledge clean, manageable, transparent, and available. I have fastidious time management skills, can delegate tasks efficiently; and prioritize and process concurrent workflows with a balance of pace and precision.
Collaboration » I observe, and listen to understand. I see the team as the biggest asset, and take time to understand each person’s motivations, strengths and challenges so everyone can move toward a common goal.
Customer-centricity » I take time to understand customer goals as deeply as possible, build trustworthy relationships, and ensure that their voice is heard.
Problem-Solving » I always try to ask better questions to define problems correctly, solve the right problem, resist anti-patterns, and avoid mental traps.
Resilience » I've achieved excellent results under time pressure by motivating people to develop a positive attitude under stress, and rebound from setbacks with a "lessons learned" mindset.
+
(I Care! » Caring about people builds a positive feedback loop that benefits everyone. I always look for pathways to translate good intentions into intentional action to increase happiness.)
experience
I have 8 years of work experience in the environmental and biological sciences domain.
My work bridged my intuition for creative problem-solving with my technical education in science.
Engaged in extensive and immersive volunteer work, informal work, and continuous professional development during career hiatus. Led, co-led or contributed to dozens of school district volunteer projects over the past 10 years, with special emphasis on integrating under-represented children in academic competitions.
BCX is a leading technology consulting company in South Africa. Coordinated and supported projects to develop safe, reliable and cost-effective solutions for the mining industry to mitigate environmental risks.
CSIR is the preeminent research institute in SA. Reported to the Director of the Forestry Research Program on physical chemistry and molecular biology lab operations, and coordinated the paper quality program, with an increase in sample acceptance rate and reduction in testing time.
portfolio
A Brief Tour of my Work
Sauce & Spoon restaurant project
Office Green plant pals project
The English Lab
calla & ivy Social Media Management Project
faq
Let’s address the elephant in the room. You have a long career break. Why should I consider you?
I count my career break as a period of growth that is as important as that of my education and work experience. It gave me an opportunity to explore freely, clarify purpose, discover what I love to do, and expand my skill set.
Why did you leave work?
I emigrated to the US with an H4 visa during a recession. At the time, it was not legal to work on a H4 visa*, so I decided to pause my career and assumed the primary caregiver role for my family. (*I've since become a US citizen and do not require sponsorship to work).
What are you looking for?
I'm looking for companies with an inclusive culture that accommodates people with diverse life experiences, including people with nonlinear career trajectories. I'm open to all roles where I can apply my interdisciplinary skills to create impact. This includes internships, returnships, contract roles, part-time or fulltime. I prefer remote work while Covid conditions prevail, but am open to relocation at a later time.
More questions? Ask me!
blog
reach out to me
(OR...
you can also just enjoy watching this magnificent sea turtle :) )
© 2019