Dafer Sief

• Led the implementation of the Fugee HiEd Scholarship, overseeing the application and selection process, onboarding, and ensuring project completion within budget, on time, and to a high standard.
• Managed cross-functional collaboration with departments like finance, monitoring and evaluation, and communication, ensuring seamless project execution and alignment with programme strategy.
• Supervised and mentored project officers, assigning tasks, providing resources, and fostering a supportive environment for optimal team performance.
• Handled project budgets, financial forecasts, and risk management, ensuring expenditures stayed within approved budgets while proactively identifying and mitigating risks.
• Engaged with key stakeholders, including scholars, alumni, partners, and third-party contractors, while ensuring compliance with donor regulations and maintaining up-to-date project documentation.
• Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks according to urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals.

• Providing insights and reflections to shape the strategies of the PotM programs, including Ignite Workers Rights, Movement Building and Lived Experience Leadership, Community Sponsorship, and Immigration Detention.
• Engaging in discussions to deepen our collective analysis of key issues, proposing topics for reflection, and integrating learnings into future strategies.
• Supporting Porticus in targeting funders and stakeholders, and providing direction for new grantmaking initiatives and focus areas.
• Reviewing MEL processes to ensure data collection is comprehensive and useful, identifying gaps, and sharing findings externally.
• Co-designing a participatory fund to refine its focus, grantmaking criteria, and process, and making recommendations for funding distribution.

• Co-design a training on Refugee Meaningful Participation for non-refugee stakeholders
• Support in developing refugee participation tools, fact sheets, and checklists.
• Coached non-refugee stakeholders on best practices, providing constructive feedback to support their professional growth.
• Evaluated the effectiveness of training initiatives by tracking participant progress and analyzing feedback for continuous improvement.
• Coached non-refugee stakeholders on best practices, providing constructive feedback to support their meaningful refugee participation growth.

• Facilitated regular meetings with team members to discuss progress updates, address challenges, and brainstorm solutions for ongoing advocacy.
• Established strategic partnerships with external organizations, expanding program reach and impact.
• Designed program implementation and maintenance plan.
• Assisted in the development of grant proposals, securing funding for vital program initiatives.
• Ensured compliance with funding requirements through meticulous record-keeping and reporting.
• Maintained detailed records of program activities and participant data, ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• Led training sessions for 75 members and volunteers, fostering a knowledgeable and cohesive team environment.

As the RLRH Southeast Asia Consultant, my role involves supporting the development of the Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) activities in Southeast Asia. Key responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with Key Stakeholders: Attending meetings with stakeholders, consultants, and relevant organizations or individuals. Provide support in planning, facilitation, and participation during meetings and focus group discussions.
• Risk and Mitigation Analysis: Producing written assessments of security risks and proposing mitigation strategies for potential RLRH Southeast Asia activities.
• Advisory and Expertise Provision: Offering advice, leads, and expertise on ad-hoc matters related to RLRH activities, ensuring projects align with strategic goals.
• Document Review and Feedback: Reviewing and providing constructive feedback on strategic documents, such as research themes, context analysis, work plans, and engagement concepts, to enhance the RLRH's regional strategy.
• Research and Reporting: Compiling a review of refugee leadership in Malaysia and/or Southeast Asia, examining the types of organizations, their work, and the limitations or challenges they face.

• Researching and mapping RLOs in global south countries to expand the current database of relevant organizations
• Develop and implement a strategy to engage with selected organizations.
• Enhanced communication between organization and stakeholders by creating informative newsletters and reports.
• Raised public awareness of available resources and services through marketing campaigns, social media, and public speaking engagements.
• Developed strong relationships with community leaders to advocate for increased resources and support for refugee-led initiatives.
• Improved stakeholder satisfaction by addressing concerns promptly and maintaining open lines of communication during projects.

• Provide accurate interpretation in-person, by phone, or via video, maintaining verbatim translation
• Utilized active listening skills, cultural sensitivity, and confidentiality to convey accurate interpretations.
• Maintained message content, tone, and emotion as closely as possible.
• Provided oral interpretations for clients during special events, successfully maintaining pace with native speakers to deliver real-time comprehension.

• Empowering Syrian Refugees to get better opportunities in life and advocate for Refugee Rights
• Coordinates food aid distributions, medical check-ups, and community outreach.
• Worked closely with organizational leadership and board of directors to guide operational strategy.
• Oversaw financial management, ensuring fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability for the organization.

• Coordinated research interviews with leaders in Malaysia, sent invitations, followed up, made sure they came on time and released payment slips
• Built relationships with key stakeholders, fostering collaboration and understanding with refugee-led organization.

• Followed up on student admission applications and implemented new ideas to simplify the registration process.
• Implemented new software systems to optimize record-keeping accuracy, increasing overall efficiency across the department.
• Collaborated with faculty and staff to address scheduling conflicts and ensure seamless course offerings.
• Supported accreditation efforts through timely submission of reports and documentation required by accrediting bodies.

• Sourced for prospective customers and ran the complete sales lifecycle
• Increased the ratio of CS to 25% within 5 months by increasing the selling price, reducing direct and variable costs, and implementing effective sales strategies.
• Handled customer relations issues, enabling quick resolution, and client satisfaction.
• Built long-lasting client relationships through excellent customer service and consistent follow-ups.
• Led a successful sales team by providing motivational coaching and performance-based incentives.

• Set strategy and direction
• Created and breathed the startup's culture, values and behavior
• Made important managerial and operational decisions.