Project Manager
Independent
Total years of experience :10 years, 6 Months
As an independent project manager, I have taken many roles within startups and big scale projects within the UAE.
I'm working with different startups in advertising, design, e-commerce, and market places on building their new ventures and helping find creative solutions to the challenges they face.
I've also delivered projects to big corporates as Microsoft, Jareer KSA, TECOM Dubai, Henkel Dubai, Thuraya telecommunications, and more.
Apart from my projects, I always seek new opportunities that add value to the entrepreneurial and independent ecosystem in the UAE, working with a group of independents to deliver value to one another, and avail new opportunities.
I worked with the Unbox incubator team to develop and deliver the first business incubator geared towards innovative and creative entrepreneurs and start-ups in the region. During my time at Unbox, I got to wear many hats as a member of the founding team.
- Conducting market study on the entrepreneurship ecosystem
- Creating the incubator's business model and feasibility study
- Identifying the target market and customers persona
- Developing the vision, strategy, positioning, selection criteria, registration process, and culture guidelines
- Developing pitch deck
- Processing the incubators license and legal setup
- Developing facility needs and design
- Building the incubation program with side programs, including the mentorship & advisory program, freelancer’s program, and university entrepreneurship program.
- Developing the incubator's structure, job roles and descriptions, and the hiring process
- Building a year-long calendar for the incubator's events program
- Managing all procurement processes
- Identifying, meeting, and negotiating partnership opportunities
Working in Hi2 is a great opportunity for me to learn a thing about many things and feed my curiosity,
Other than managing 2 social media accounts (Dubai SME & Hi2ae) on all social media channels, from content, translation, design, to events coverage.
I get to meet amazing startups and deal with them on a daily basis, helping them improve and develop their business, and taking feedback to develop our services for them.
Setting up marketing plans and using my graphic design experience in marketing material & advertisements has thought me a great deal.
Events are my favourite part in this job, as I get to wear many hats in them and handle different tasks.
A list of events I took part of:
* Hi2 launch, Sept. 2014 (Coordinating)
* Kids Entrepreneurs Carnival, Nov. 2014 (Coordinating)
* The Emirati Launchpad (3 seasons), Oct. 2014 - Jun. 2015 (Organizing)
* STEP Conference, Mar. 2015 (Organizing)
* HackaMena, Apr. 2015 (Organizing)
* Comic Con, Apr. 2015 (Organizing)
* CSR in Action, Apr. 2015 (Coordinating)
* Global Youth Forum, May. 2015 (Coordinating)
* Ibtikar Summit, Jun. 2015 (Organizing)
* Manga gathering, Jun. 2015 (Organizing)
* Business profiling workshop, Jun 2015 (Organizing)
* The Robotics Challenge, Aug. 2015 (Organizing)
* Post Man TV Show, Aug. 2015 (Coordinating)
* Hi2 Club activities, Oct. 2015 (Organizing)
* Treasure Hunt activity, Oct. 2015 (Organizing)
* Launching the Value Proposition book (Organizing)
* Launching the first Health Incubator in the region (Organizing)
* Launching HiSpark program for makers (Organizing)
Working as an entrepreneur’s coordinator at Hamdan Innovation Incubator has taught me all I needed to know about entrepreneurship, startups, and more. Socializing with entrepreneurs on a daily bases and trying to help them achieve their dreams and turning their ideas into reality, and growing their business.
My responsibilities included, but were not limited to:
* Present a professional, welcoming first contact to all clients, members, potential partners, etc. - by phone, in person, and email.
* Organizational functions and general meeting and gatherings support: including arranging, follow up calls, maintaining hub space schedules.
* Serve as the main professional point of contact and link between the members and Dubai SME.
* Coordinate the occupancy process and assuring getting the right members at the right places, and signing them up with the lease and getting their license processed.
* Updating members’ files and the calendar of their license renewal dates and their periodic company reports and profiles.
* Provide support to the members in all aspects of their business development from studying their ideas and plans providing them appropriate feedback, to assessing them in their day to day requirements and needs in their office.
Incomplete due to moving to the UAE in 2013
