SKILLS THAT DRIVE RESULTS

Leadership 

Fashion/Textiles/Retail 

Strategic Planning 

Business Development 

Execution

Corporate Events

Training/ Development 

Project Management

Sales & Marketing 

Sustainability 

Budget Management

B-BBEE Codes

​

CAREER PROGRESSION

Founder and Managing Director of Knoop Academy NPC

FP&M SETA Accredited Training Provider

2017 - Current

​

Responsibilities:

Strategic Management and Operational Development

• Presentation of SETA accredited training in Clothing Manufacturing Processes

• All administration and coordination of training programs and learners

• Development of new programs (Internal and external)

• Consulting and support to other organisations in the same field

• Management of assistant trainers and supplementary training from other providers

• Development of training plan to suit both donor and beneficiary needs

• Measurement and Evaluation (Reporting)

​

Founder and CEO The Shula-Group PTY (LTD)

Project management of Community Infrastructure development projects                      2017 – Current

 

Based on Brenda’s experience with Angel Projects, she assists the Belgotex Foundation and Focus on iThemba with various Crèche Development Projects. 

 

Responsibilities:

Project Management and the mentoring of Learnership graduates

• Project management, including requesting of quotes, selecting of contractors and management of timelines

• Management of Contractors and coordination of schedules

• Monthly reporting to all stakeholders on progress and budget

 

Founder and CEO Angel Projects (Pty) Ltd

Management of Community Development and Upliftment Projects

2010 – 2017 Sold business

​

Angel Projects is a social business which offers turkey Corporate Social Investment (CSI) project and programme management services to corporate clients.

 

Responsibilities:

Strategic Management and Operational Development

• Ensuring that all organisational activities are aligned with the core vision and goals, including planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all projects and team builds

• Strong understanding of SA CSI, B-BBEE and legislative environment

• Ensuring CSI client’s maximum returns on their B-BBEE spend in terms of socio-economic development Supplier and Enterprise development and Preferential Procurement

 

PR. Media and Communications

• Strong interpersonal communication skills, good written English

• Event organising 

• Exceptional ability to speak in public and to media

• Social Media strategicy development 

• Developed a strong client relationship program

• Clients included Alexander Forbes, Super Rent, Adapt IT, WS Lloyd, ABI, Standard Bank, Nedbank, SA Homeloans, Wesbank, Maersk Shipping, and many more. 

• Marketing in the form of cold calling, sales calls, regular newsletters 

 

Donor, CSI and Fundraising

• Cultivating and expansion of funding to support current and new projects

• Demonstrated record of success in generating significant commitments from corporations, CSI and foundations

• Knowledge of Government partnerships

• Practiced in proposal and donor report writing

 

Financial management and resources allocation

• Ensuring that sufficient financial planning is done, budgets are kept and resources optimally allocated

 

Networking

• Building partnerships with relevant stakeholders (including communities, other organisations, media, corporates, government and donors) to enhance the Angels Projects profile and ensure its effectiveness and sustainability

 

Other Projects

• Domino Foundation (DF) Feeding program : providing almost 1 million meals per year from 2012 – 2015 

• DF Refugee relief program: coordinating the collection of donation, volunteers, staff and production and delivery of 41 900 meals in 7 days to camps (working closely with the Red Cross, Meals on Wheels, local authorities and NPO’s.

• Food Gardens: The successful installation of around 30 Vegetable gardens and tunnels,

• 3 IT labs in schools

• Building projects and other community initiatives in marginalised communities 

 

Nominated as one of 3 finalists, for the KZN Business Women Association Entrepreneur of the year awards in 2014.

 

Regional Branch Manager - KZN

180 Degrees –Corporate Events, Team Buildings and Conferences

2005 - 2009

 

Key Performance areas

• Clientele included – FNB, Autotrader, Standard Bank, Local Government, Nissan, SABMiller, Unilever, Sportfive, Streetfootballworld and many more.

• Operational management of all Corporate events and conferences

• Management of International corporate groups involved in the Soccer World Cup 2010 preliminary Draw in 2009 (180 degrees)

• Branch Manager responsible for HR and achieving Sales targets (incl. delivery, timing and financial)

• Financial Management  

• Developing new business and maintaining and servicing of key accounts

• Concept design and development of Team Development events and programmes

 

(The owner, Marcus von Blotttnitz closed down 180 Degrees and Brenda started a new business  Fish Eye offering the same service to exiting clients with his support and assistance)

Founder/MD

Bukaminas Design -  Clothing manufacturing and Retail

1999 - 2002

 

Key Performance areas

• Originally started as a design studio and then expanded and opened a retail store. 

• Staff included a shop keeper, seamstress, presser and freelance assistant

• Responsible for all design, pattern making and client interactions

• Skills Development and Training – 

  • Thunga Sewing Group  - 2012     This skills project involved training a group of local woman to produce a line of stunning hand embroidered scatter cushions, and had a sustainable impact in that they continue to produce and sell their products.

  • Ponte Mamoli Orphanage – 2006 – Training young girls to do beadwork and make various crafts to sell to visiting tourists. 

 

 

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

Head of Division and Senior Designer - SA Clothing Industries . 

1997 – 1998

Designer – Digital Pattern Maker, Designer and Clothing Production -  EDGARS) Celrose (Pty) Ltd.  1992 – 1997

Head Pattern Maker – Not-Just Talk 1991-1992

Sample Set manager – Gunnies Clothing 1991

(Chosen as one of the 10 finalists in the Rooi Rose Young Designer of the year competition in 1992.

​

EDUCATION

ETDP SETA | Writing training Development material 2022

ETDP SETA| Train-the trainer 2018

ETDP SETA | Assessor – Registered with FM&M Seta 2018

Skill Development Facilitator  2018

National Diploma | Clothing Design - Vaal Triangle Technicon 1988 – 1990

Matriculated at Hoërskool Die Fakkel 1987

(Completed a Guiding Course with KZN Tourism in 2003)

​

REFERENCES

“Brenda’s passion, business model and the manner in which she executed the projects, showed a natural gift for managing both projects and groups of people, together with her mission to ‘do good’ which speaks of her integrity.” -  Mickey Wilkens

Mickey Wilkens

Domino Foundation & Director of Angel Projects

Cell + 27 (0) 82 457 5035

Email: mickey@dominobusiness.co.za

 

“As Regional Manager, Brenda successfully recruited and managed a team of people. She produced high quality and profitable team building projects, incentives, events, and tourism experiences for national and International clients. Brenda never missed a deadline and was very good at communicating within the company and with clients.” - Marcus Von Blottnitz

Marcus Von Blottnitz - Owner 180 Degrees

Cell + 27 (0) 76 687 7833

Email: mblottnitz@gmail.com

 

Belinda Horne – Alexander Forbes (Client)

Office 031 573 8254  

Email: horneb@aforbes.co.za  

 

Bronwen Bainbridge – The Go Group

Cell +27 (0) 82 415 3421

Email: Bronwen.bainbridge@belgotex.co.za

 

Christopher Holton – Vopak/ Knoop Academy Chairperson

Cell +27 (0) 84 447 1305

Email: chris.holton@arnionconsultingservices.com

 

Craig Roodt – Container World

Cell +27 (0) 083 626 1177

Email: Craig Roodt craigroodt@containerworld.co.za

 

Cindy Norcott – Robin Hood Foundation

Cell +27 (0) 83 264 8743

Email: Cindy@proappoint.co.za