Takudzwa Blessing Katuruza
Tuscaloosa,AL
Summary
Organized and hardworking Event Staff Member with experience supporting planning and implementation of events for private and corporate clients. Liaises with guests regarding seating arrangements and special accommodations. Works with vendors to address client requests for specific services, contributing to repeat business.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Events Management Member
University of Alabama, States of America
Tuscaloosa, AL
09.2021 - Current
- Welcomed guests to events, checked invitations and oversaw proper seating.
- Searched and screened individuals, preventing passage of prohibited items in alignment with security guidelines.
- Alerted guests of venue rules and reported infractions or violations to appropriate parties.
- Welcomed guests and directed each person to desired party, room or activity.
- Worked in Danny Bryant stadium during football games, accomplishing all assigned tasks with efficiency and accuracy.
- Provided exceptional customer service to all guests and escalated concerns where needed, winning 3 MVPs
Senior Research Consultant
Pinnacle Protection Enterprise
Johannesburg, South Africa, South Africa
02.2021 - 07.2021
- Managed team of 12 employees, overseeing hiring, training, and professional growth.
- Gathered and organized information for research purposes.
- Performed research into study topics to increase knowledge and to provide valuable contributions.
- Collaborated and managed 12 research team members to initiate best practices to achieve organizational goals.
- Wrote 4 research papers, reviews and summaries regarding agricultural use of blockchain technology.
- Collaborated with research unit to develop and implement best practices in research, monitoring and evaluation practices.
- Collaborated with leadership team to identify relevant questions and determine best methods of collection.
- Streamlined data collection process to meet tight project deadlines during onset of COVID-19 pandemic period in South Africa.
- Designed and executed study approaches.
Projects Manager
Livelihoods Aids Trust
Harare, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe
01.2017 - 03.2021
- Managed team of 15 employees in research unit.
- Completed all but one project within scheduled completion dates
- Identified plans and resources required to meet project goals and objectives.
- Developed and initiated projects, managed costs, and monitored performance.
- Achieved project deadlines by coordinating with contractors to manage performance.
- Orchestrated projects within strict timeframes and budget constraints by solving complex problems and working closely with senior leaders.
- Provided management for internal personnel, contractors and vendors.
- Scheduled and facilitated meetings between project stakeholders to discuss deliverables, schedules and conflicts.
- Tracked project and team member performance closely to quickly intervene in mistakes or delays.
- Verified quality of deliverables and conformance to specifications before submitting to clients.
Research Personal Assistant
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa, South Africa
02.2015 - 10.2016
- Managed and oversaw personal and professional calendars and coordinated appointments for Head of Department
- Responded to calls and emails and other correspondence to facilitate communication on behalf of H.O.D.
- Sourced and ordered office equipment and supplies.
- Arranged domestic and international travel plans and itineraries.
- Conducted research and prepared presentations.
- Used coordination and planning skills to achieve results according to schedule and department performance plan
Teaching Assistant
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, Gauteng
01.2014 - 11.2015
- Assisted the lecturer with classroom management and document coordination to maintain positive learning environment.
- Tutored struggling students individually and in small groups to reinforce learning concepts.
- Set up visual aids, equipment and classroom displays to support teacher's lesson delivery.
- Tutored students in English Language for academic writing and Development Studies.
- Assessed student assignments to check quality and completeness before submission for grading.
- Participated in lesson planning and curriculum implementation.
- Offered complete instructional support for students unable to attend regular classes.
- Maintained schedule of support services and attended class sessions.
- Increased semester marks for exam qualification by 20%.
Education
Master of Arts - Public Administration
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL05.2023
Master of Arts - Development Studies
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg03.2020
Bachelor's Degree Honors - Development Studies
University of Johannesburg
South Africa04.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Development Studies with Public Management andGovernance
University of Johannesburg
South Africa04.2014
Skills
- Guest services background
- MS Office
- Multitasking Abilities
- Problem-Solving
- Organization and Time Management
- Attention to Detail
- Critical Thinking
- Agile methods
- C (Programming), C
- Google Analytics and Machine Learning
- MS Suite,
- Statistical software: SPSS, STATA, GitHub, Excel
- Guest service management
Certification
- Certificate of Completion: Project Management Foundations, 2022
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Shona
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
Events Management Member
University of Alabama, States of America
09.2021 - Current
Senior Research Consultant
Pinnacle Protection Enterprise
02.2021 - 07.2021
Projects Manager
Livelihoods Aids Trust
01.2017 - 03.2021
Research Personal Assistant
University of Johannesburg
02.2015 - 10.2016
Teaching Assistant
University of Johannesburg
01.2014 - 11.2015
Master of Arts - Public Administration
The University of Alabama
Master of Arts - Development Studies
University of Johannesburg
Bachelor's Degree Honors - Development Studies
University of Johannesburg
Bachelor of Arts - Development Studies with Public Management andGovernance
University of Johannesburg