Joseph N. Ngu

Scrum Master (PSM 1) MEL Specialist , United Nations, Millennium Challenge Organization (MCC), Lecturer-University of Yaounde 1.

Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20774, United States

Bilingual (English,French) education & MEL expert with end-to-end proposal management of grant applications & fund-raising experience with more than 20 years work experience in Africa, Asia and Europe, seeking short and long term assignments. Apply problem-solving frameworks and conduct rigorous analyses to answer most challenging questions in development. Can relocate immediately.

Contact Joseph N. Ngu
Area of Expertise:
  • Monitoring, Evaluation, Policy, Research, Analysis
  • Private Sector, Social Enterprise, Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Social, Education, Gender, Youth, Child
Professional Experience:

Resourceful and Agile Certified Scrum Master, bringing over 5 years’ experience coaching and collaborating with cross-functional teams. I have a proven track record of mentoring, coaching, and guiding teams to deliver exceptional products of the highest quality. My expertise extends to working with esteemed international assistance agencies such as UNESCO, UNECA, and MCC, where I have amassed 20 years of invaluable experience. Throughout my career, I have provided expert guidance, insightful advice, technical feedback, and unwavering support in the development and implementation of international development programs, encompassing the technical, financial and educational domains.

I am a US Citizen originally from Cameroon, an experienced multi-lingual professional with fluency in English, French and several Cameroonian dialects. I have worked in multicultural environments in developed and developing country contexts. I have dedicated my career to empowering children and youth through designing, managing, monitoring, and evaluating, implementing, and scaling complex education, workforce, and capacity development projects for the United Nations (UN). Prior to joining the UN, I served at the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research and taught courses in statistics, economic and social science research methods at the University of Yaounde, Cameroon for 7 years.

In the various positions I held, I acquired expertise and experience in providing programmatic and operational guidance to staff and implementing partners, conceptualized and designed strategies, managed budget processes and ensured donor compliance standards are met. With regards to my technical responsibilities,
I have 15+ years’ experience providing technical advice and leadership on issues ranging from programming, planning, budgeting, grant management, procurement, implementation, and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL). The role of the MELS is multifaceted, encompassing various roles, responsibilities and tasks aimed at ensuring successful planning, execution, completion of projects and programs and working closely with partners, donors and stakeholders. I am an experienced and have program cycle management skills, which described a common set of processes intended to achieve more effective development interventions and maximize economic and growth impacts.

I delivered strategic fiscal assistance in grants preparation and award system, especially with regards to obtaining major US government contracts and private grants to support our operations and programs internationally. I also have a clear understanding of the complete grant’s lifecycle in its distinctive phases: Pre-award, Award, Post-Award, and closeout. I have developed and posted the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), received, and recorded competing grants applications; reviewed applications for completeness and examined applicants’ internal controls and fiscal capabilities of managing UN and federal awards; used complex analytical methods for analyzing large dollar awards, in accordance with UN and USG regulations and policies. I also have a strong ability to ensure transparency through information radiators while aiming for agile collaboration across departments and ministries/donors. I am available to relocate for short and/or long-term assignments.

Education:

My educational credentials consist of a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Master of Arts in African Area Studies (Economic Development), and a Doctorate in Comparative and International Education, all obtained from the University of California, Los Angeles. I also have a teaching background as a lecturer at the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon, with published works in a number of scholarly journals.

Affiliations and Achievements:

- Successfully completed the Joint Strategic Communications for UNCT Leadership Workshop, April 2009, Abuja, Nigeria.
- Completed a course in econometrics at ESPD, ECA, Addis Ababa, 1998.
- Passed the UN French language proficiency examination “Certificate d’apptitudes linguistiques,” United Nations, May 1998.
- Training Workshop on Policy Analysis at IMF/World Bank, Washington, DC, 1997.
- Resident Fellow, International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO), Paris, Technical and Basic Education, 1989.
- Center for African Studies & Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA, Jan.-Feb. 1989.
- African Studies Centre Research Fellowship, Afrika-Studiecentrum, Leiden, The Netherlands, 1987.
- The Rand Corp. Doctoral Fellowship, Labor and Population Division, Economics Dept. Santa Monica, California, 1982-83.
- The Fels-Kully-Pan Pacific Merit Award for Excellence in Qualifying and Oral Ph.D. Exams, UCLA, 1981.
- African Studies Achievement Award, UCLA, 1978.

UN Training Course Date
Joint Strategic Communications for UNCT Leadership Workshop, April 2009 06-Apr-2009
UNESCO Field Security Awareness Training, Abuja, Nigeria 06-Feb-2009
Managing People with Confidence, Paris, France 18-Jul-2008
UNESCO Leadership Workshop 18-Sep-2006
Leadership and Change Management Programme, Novotel de Saclay, France 15-May-2005
ECA Change Management Training 17-May-1999
Econometrics Course at ESPD, ECA, Addis Ababa, 1998. 15-Jun-1998
Team Facilitation: Effectively facilitating Scrum ceremonies, including daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives. Ensure that the team stays focused, motivated, and aligned towards achieving sprint goals.
• Agile Coaching and Mentoring: provide coaching and mentoring to team members and stakeholders on Agile principles, Scrum framework, and best practices, and help individuals and teams embrace the Agile mindset and continuously improve their processes.
•Stakeholder Collaboration: facilitating effective collaboration and communication between the development team and stakeholders, such as product owners, business leaders, and external partners. help manage expectations, prioritize requirements, and ensure alignment with business goals.
•Removing Roadblocks: Identify and eliminate obstacles that hinder team productivity. This includes addressing issues related to resource allocation, dependencies, scope creep, and communication gaps. Proactively finding solutions and promoting a collaborative work environment.
Scrum Master (PSM 1)
•Team Empowerment: Fostering a self-organizing and empowered team culture, encouraging open communication, transparency, and collective decision-making. Ensured that the team has the necessary resources and support to deliver high-quality products within the defined time limits.
•Continuous Improvement: Promoting a culture of continuous improvement within the team. This involves implementing Agile metrics, conducting retrospectives, and encouraging experimentation and learning. facilitating the adoption of Agile engineering practices to enhance product quality and delivery speed.
•Conflict Resolution: Facilitating constructive conflict resolution within the team, fostering a harmonious and productive work environment. Encourage open dialogue, active listening, and empathy to address disagreements and find mutually beneficial solutions.
Sept 2020-December 2023

Available for:

  • Consulting assignments
  • Job opportunities
  • Being headhunted – make me an offer

Years of Experience:

15-20 years

Highest Qualification:

Doctorate

Languages:

English, French, Creole Pigin, Baforchu

Nationality:

United States