Shakira Kavanagh

Commercial & Funnel Growth

• Overseer of the entire job seeker + employer lifecycle (email, push, in-app) driving job applications and lead conversion.
• Increased dormant user reactivation conversion +46% and doubled cold lead conversion.
• Fixed core segmentation & CRM sync issues, significantly improving funnel performance.

Marketing, CX & Brand Experience

• Own end-to-end content, creative, and execution across all direct digital channels.
• Built automated behaviour-based journeys to improve engagement and conversion.
• Lead the Work Personality Test (35 personalities) — 22,000+ completions, now a key B2C engine.

Partnerships & Events

• Manage all external partnerships, barter trades, co-branded campaigns and community events.
• Delivered quarterly community events with NPS 98.

• Team Leadership and Development: Rebuilt the marketing team by hiring and mentoring three fresh graduates, fostering a strong team bond and dynamic that enhanced productivity and workplace morale.
• Event Management: Successfully spearheaded major promotional events, including Halloween parties at WIP and SOULed OUT outlets, which significantly increased patronage and revenue. These events generated substantial pre-event hype on social media, contributing positively to the brand's visibility and engagement.
• Digital Transformation: Led the implementation of digital bookings via the app Let's Umai, transitioning from manual processes after more than 20 years. Negotiated favorable contract terms and ensured comprehensive training for ground staff, enhancing operational efficiency and customer service.
• Sustainable Initiatives: Initiated a shift from plastic bottled water to reusable glass bottles, incorporating a charitable component into sales. This initiative not only strengthened the brand among eco-conscious consumers but also resulted in cost savings, aligning with sustainability goals.

Co-founded and led operations at Boss Mama Malaysia, a pioneering homegrown Malaysian brand catering to the unique needs of breastfeeding/pumping working mothers. Alongside my business partner, we spearheaded the brand's launch and growth with a lean team, achieving notable success:

• Lean Operations: Managed a dynamic team of four, including the co-founders, overseeing all business aspects from product development to sales, promoting a flexible and collaborative work environment.
• Revenue Growth: Achieved an average monthly gross revenue of RM17k with a modest marketing budget of RM3k, efficiently allocated to digital ads and physical exhibition booths at baby expos.
• Product Expansion: Launched with the hero product, the Real-Support Bra, on 11/11/2020 and expanded the product line to include 3 types of maternity bras, post-partum corsets, halal-certified locally made breast milk supplements, and other maternal accessories by September 2022.
• Marketing and Branding: Developed a cost-effective social media strategy, creating humorous and relatable 'mom-life' content, which grew our follower base to over 25k and yielded more than 1 million views per organic viral video, significantly boosting brand visibility and engagement.

Over 5.5 years at an innovative online job portal targeting Generation Y & Z, I played a crucial role in scaling the business and enhancing brand recognition across Malaysia:

• Strategic Leadership: Directed initiatives that expanded the user database from 5,000 to over 600,000, establishing a solid digital footprint and substantially growing the brand.
• Event Innovation: Originated and developed the invite-only 'Awesome Career Fair,' an annual event that became a cornerstone in the HR industry, continuously growing in prominence since its inception in 2016.
• Product Development: Led the complete redesign of the mobile app in 2018, achieving over 260,000 installs in 20 months and significantly improving user engagement.
• Technological Advancement: Spearheaded the development and launch of a AI-powered Virtual Interview Chatbot, which was adopted by 51% of employers, saving an estimated 33 hours of screening time per job listing.

Key Promotions:

• Promoted to Head of Strategic Growth in November 2019.
• Promoted to Head of Marketing & Product in August 2017.
• Appointed as Head of Culture Committee in April 2017.
• Advanced from Sales Consultant to Partnership Manager in June 2016.

Co-founded a non-profit pop-up event organization, we ran philanthropic efforts to benefit various causes on a part-time basis, leading impactful fundraising campaigns with zero upfront capital investment:

• Lend Your Body 2015: Raised >RM6,000 for Perwira K9, supporting paraplegic athletes and gaining earned media coverage, including a feature in The Star Newspaper.
• Slim River Initiative 2016: Increased awareness and gathered significant in-kind donations for the Orang Asli community in Slim River, including over 100 books and 10 bicycles.

Thrust into a dynamic, fast-paced F&B management environment as a fresh graduate, I swiftly mastered on-the-go learning to spearhead high-impact marketing initiatives for venues like SOULed OUT, Tujo, WIP, and Hubba Hubba:

• 'ON Stage!' at WIP: Led a 3-month talent search competition, significantly boosting brand visibility and engagement, resulting in heightened brand awareness and a positive public reception.
• 'Pandora's Box' at WIP: Initiated a creative Friday night promotion that successfully increased bottle sales through enhanced customer participation.
• Merdeka Campaign at SOULed OUT: Managed an army-themed celebration with a custom obstacle course, boosting patronage and enriching the festive atmosphere.

My role centered on proficient event management, robust social media strategy, and innovative in-store marketing campaigns, significantly enhancing customer engagement and solidifying the brand's presence.