Charles Jayaraj

• Project & Programme Management
  • Leads the successful delivery of a range of education projects from start to finish including managing the contract or project plan, managing client or internal stakeholders, successfully achieving reporting and meeting compliance standards. Works within a larger programme or multi country programme on a particular component.
  • Identifies risks in a project or programme and puts together mitigation strategies with SRO
  • Responsible for internal and client, procurement, contracting, compliance and reporting. Manages procurement on a project/programme
  • Checks on and reports on compliance. Contributes to development of, owns and delivers on Project Management Plan
  • Responsible for data management including timely data entry, quality assurance of data, undertaking basic analysis of monitoring data, and developing progress reports to meet funding needs
• Leadership and management
  • Effectively line manage reports, including creating a positive, inclusive and customer focused work environment, acting as a role model by applying British Council policies and principles as appropriate and actively managing performance and engagement.

• Managed budgets and resources effectively,

ensuring optimal allocation of funds towards

educational programs and activities.

• Relationship & Stakeholder management
  • Has relationships with delivery partners and stakeholders within country and is able to procure services and contract delivery partners.
  • Meet internal and/or external clients/partners to review delivery performance. Holds suppliers to account for delivering against contract.
  • Actively network and build trusted relationships with internal and/or external clients
• Commercial and Financial Management
  • Ensure sound financial planning, working closely with finance teams to ensure British Council and client financial year plans are up to date.
  • Ensure accurate and timely monthly (re)forecasting is in place, by running regular reports in the SAP system on actuals, monitoring outstanding purchase orders, reviewing commitments, analysing and commenting on reasons for variances to plan and recommending corrective actions.
  • Monitoring monthly finances, including correct expenditure, ensuring the P2P process is being followed and correcting any mis-postings or journals needed.
  • Lead on British Council, partner or client reporting (including, with Finance Manager, financial reporting) and ensure reports are delivered on time, to budget and to a high standard.
• Partnerships and Business Development
  • Supports the identification and development of professional networks, relationships and partnerships to increase the British Council's impact and reputation.
  • Ensures high quality and accurate pipeline data for country/pillar.
  • Conducts specific pipeline and partner/competitor analysis to contribute to business development planning and prioritisation.
  • Provides support with development of new business proposals, ensuring that internal and external professional standards are met.

Project & Financial Management:

• Expertise in managing large-scale projects from inception to completion with a focus on timely delivery and quality control
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and efficiencies in people processes without compromising on quality and impacts
• Plans and prioritize own work activities to ensure effective delivery of diverse responsibilities and deliverables over a quarterly to annual time horizon
• Conduct regular financial analysis to track People function budget performance, identifying trends, variations, and potential risks. Prepare reports for management review and decision-making.
• Improved financial transparency with clear communication of complex information to non-financial stakeholders.
• Experience of SharePoint site maintenance and power BI reporting

Strategic & Planning:

• Collaborate with senior People function leadership to understand business goals and objectives, translating them into people strategies that support organizational growth and development.
• Distils complex concepts and analysis into cogent and persuasive business case presentations, which convincingly influence decision-makers about the need for significant changes to policy or practice
• Reduced operational costs by consolidating resources and streamlining processes across multiple departments.
• Oversight, coordination and monitoring of all People function risks into key risks for escalation to the global People leadership team and SLT (Senior Leadership Team)
• Streamlined reporting processes by developing automated tools for tracking KPIs, reducing time spent on manual tasks significantly.

Risk Management

• Knowledge of and advisory level experience of information security, data protection and GDPR, records management, and information assurance
• Investigated allegations to check validity and recommend actions to minimize risk.
• Promoted enterprise-level risk management practices and helped instill strong culture focused on protective policies and procedures.
• Ability to oversee compliance processes, ensuring all regulatory standards are met while minimizing operational risks
• Identify potential risks associated with people strategies and propose mitigation strategies.

Relationship & Stakeholder Management:

• Experience in negotiating contracts, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring service quality from third-party providers
• Experience of creating effective networks of stakeholders with strong reputation and credibility
• Proactively maintains communication with key stakeholders in the business ensuring they are informed of the most significant information risks within their areas and how they can manage them
• Skilled in budgeting, financial analysis, and resource allocation to optimize operational efficiency

Project Leadership:

• Led and supported initiatives to standardize quality and operational processes across multiple support functions, improving consistency and efficiency.

Operational Planning:

• Coordinated with various teams to align operational processes, ensuring seamless execution of day-to-day activities.
• Led cross-functional teams for successful project execution while maintaining strong collaboration among team members.

Resource & Time Optimization:

• Minimized resource and time losses by quickly addressing employee or production issues and implementing timely solutions.

Business Process Standardization

• Promoted a positive work environment by fostering teamwork, open communication, and employee recognition initiatives.
• Enhanced overall team performance by providing regular coaching, feedback, and skill development opportunities.
• Established clear performance metrics for the team which helped in tracking progress towards set targets effectively.
• Influenced positive change within the organization through strategic thinking, innovation, problem-solving abilities, and consistent leadership style.
• Collaborated with other department leads to streamline workflows, improve interdepartmental coordination, and achieve business goals collectively.

Project Leadership:

• Developed long-term relationships with clients by consistently delivering exceptional results in line with their expectations.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop innovative solutions for complex operational challenges.
• Managed budgets effectively, ensuring all projects were completed within allocated funds without compromising quality or timelines.
• Exceeded client expectations consistently by delivering exceptional results through strong leadership, efficient processes, and clear communication.
• Developed comprehensive project plans, ensuring timely completion of tasks and delivering client satisfaction.

Cross-Cultural Training Delivery:

• Delivered training programs in Manila, Philippines, aligning cross-cultural teams to organizational goals and processes.

Team Leadership:

• Successfully managed and built high-performing teams, focusing on employee development and maximizing output through targeted training and motivation.

Training & Recruitment:

• Recruited and trained 180 new employees between 2015 and 2017, significantly improving workforce efficiency and capability.

Operational Performance Optimization:

• Enhanced operational performance and reduced labor expenses by developing standard practices that streamlined workflows and maximized resources.
• Optimized resource allocation across multiple projects simultaneously without compromising quality or timeline adherence.
• Streamlined work processes, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity among team members.