Charmaine M. - Artificial Intelligence Specialist | Business Transformation Specialist

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Cape Town, South Africa

Experience

Jan 2025 - Present

1 year

Cape Town, South Africa

AI-Powered Financial Analysis and Accounting System

SME Partner AI

Built system for schools and educational institutions using Airtable form, n8n orchestration, OpenAI API for data analysis, HTML for report layouts, PDF conversion, and automated email delivery.
Reduced manual accounting work by hours each month demonstrating multi-tool integration for business value without custom coding.

Jan 2024 - Present

2 years

AI Adoption Consultant

SME Partner AI

Assess current AI maturity, identify gaps, and understand organizational readiness.
Design concrete 12-week implementation roadmaps with specific tools and realistic timelines.
Design 12 to 24 months AI Adoption roadmaps for every functional business area
Build and/ or facilitate AI-powered automation systems using n8n, Airtable, and other Gen AI tools.
Build and/ or facilitate Machine Learning pipelines and AI Models according business AI readiness and maturity
Facilitate team alignment and guide implementation focusing on strategy and execution.

Jan 2024 - Dec 2024

1 year

SME Partner AI Diagnostic Platform

SME Partner AI

Built diagnostic tool calculating percentages across four key dimensions: Client Intelligence, Technical Systems, Data Sophistication, and Process Optimization.
Generates concrete tool recommendations and customized 12-week implementation roadmaps delivering actionable guidance.

Jan 2020 - Present

6 years

Cape Town, South Africa

Remote

Recruitment and Lead Generation Automation System

Millennial Business Administrators

Built system using Airtable, n8n and other Gen AI tools to automatically source candidates, qualify leads, and manage outreach.
Eliminated manual recruitment bottlenecks, requiring minimal human intervention.
Maintained and optimized system over delivering consistent results. (2 year contract in progress for a German NGO)

Jan 2016 - Present

10 years

Cape Town, South Africa

Remote

Chief Digital Transformation Consultant

Millennial Business Administrators

Designed and executed digital transformation roadmaps for 50+ international SMEs focusing on business model optimization, process automation, and digital marketing strategy.
Designed multi-channel digital marketing strategies achieving 90%+ success rate working with clients across B2B and B2C markets.

Jan 2010 - Dec 2015

6 years

Johannesburg, South Africa

On-site

Resource Manager and Operations Leader

ThyssenKrupp Engineering

Managed resource planning and deployment for 35+ technical staff supporting 80+ mining and industrial clients across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Coordinated complex emergency maintenance projects in production-critical environments managing stakeholder communication during high-pressure situations.
Developed training programs and mentored apprentices across commercial and technical departments.
Progressed through multiple roles including IT Administrator, HR Administrator, Procurement Officer, and Production Administrator during dual-system apprenticeship.

Summary

For 9+ years, I have worked as a business consultant and digital transformation strategist, helping organizations across Africa, Europe, Australia, and the USA optimize their operations and grow their businesses. In 2023, I made a deliberate pivot into AI, completing formal training in AI Engineering, Software Development, and Generative AI for Business Transformation.

Today, I work at the intersection of business strategy and AI implementation. I identify high-value AI opportunities, design practical roadmaps, and guide organizations through adoption. My approach bridges the gap between what's technically possible and what's strategically important. I see the big picture, then translate it into actionable steps my clients can execute.

I am seeking C-Suite advisory roles, AI adoption consulting, digital transformation leadership, and operations management opportunities. I prefer strategic advisory and interim leadership roles with flexibility for portfolio engagement. As a remote-first professional with experience across multiple time zones and regions, I am available for immediate engagement.

Languages

English

Advanced

Zulu

Advanced

Education

Oct 2024 - Dec 2024

Purdue University

Generative AI for Business Transformation · Generative AI · Cape Town, South Africa

Completed the Generative AI for Business Transformation program by Purdue Online and Simplilearn.

This comprehensive course covered advanced AI models, prompt engineering techniques, and practical applications of tools like ChatGPT, Zapier and many more.

Learned how Generative AI revolutionizes workflow automation, marketing, software engineering, customer service, data analytics, and product R&D.

Gained hands-on experience in ethical AI implementation, fine-tuning AI models, and optimizing workflows to drive innovation and efficiency.

The program emphasized actionable strategies to leverage AI for business transformation, equipping participants with the skills to harness AI technologies responsibly and effectively.

With insights into industry trends and cutting-edge tools, this program prepared me to guide organizations in integrating AI for sustainable growth and competitive advantage across diverse sectors.

Sep 2023 - Oct 2024

Simplilearn

AI Engineering Master's Program · Airtificial Intelligence · Cape Town, South Africa

In Simplilearn's Artificial Intelligence Engineer Master's Program, in collaboration with IBM, I mastered the concepts of Artificial Intelligence and its business applications.

The fundamentals of statistics, Python programming, machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing.

I gained hands-on exposure to building artificial neural networks and traversing layers of data abstraction.

This program also introduced me to integrated blended learning while providing the opportunity to implement the skills learned by solving real-world, industry-aligned Artificial Intelligence problems as part of the Capstone projects.

Aug 2023 - Oct 2024

ALX Africa

Software Engineering (Full Stack with back-end specialization) · Software Engineering, Computer Systems · Cape Town, South Africa

ALX Software Engineering Program | Full Stack Developer | Back-end Specialization

The ALX Software Engineering Program is an intensive 12-month journey focused on mastering coding and engineering fundamentals. I developed expertise in both front-end and back-end development, working extensively with technologies like JavaScript (ES6, TypeScript), React, Node.js, Python, MySQL, NoSQL, and Redis.

I gained hands-on experience in building responsive applications, working with APIs, and managing user authentication. Additionally, I developed strong systems engineering and DevOps skills, including Linux, Nginx, Git, and Puppet for configuration management.

The program's real-world projects, including an Airbnb Clone, tested my ability to solve complex problems, build scalable systems, and apply best practices. This journey-built resilience, discipline, and a deep technical foundation.

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