DANIEL CHOLELE

Business Development Manager – Research & Innovation

MBA-qualified executive with 13+ years of progressive experience across higher education, Zimbabwean public-sector institutions and enterprise-development environments. Experienced in institutional administration, programme coordination, stakeholder management, performance reporting, supervision, resource administration and implementation of strategic initiatives. Brings strong higher-education and public-sector exposure, supported by practical experience coordinating multi-stakeholder programmes, managing operational resources, preparing management reports and translating institutional priorities into executable programmes. Additional experience in innovation, commercialisation and partnership development strengthens capability in coordinating complex institutional ecosystems.

Gweru, Zimbabwe
0+
Years experience
0
Skills
0
Certifications
Work Experience
District Elections Administration Officer
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
2018 & 2023 Election Programmes
  • Supported district-level planning, coordination and administration of electoral programmes.
  • Assisted with recruitment, deployment and coordination of election personnel.
  • Supervised election personnel and monitored operational readiness during assigned electoral activities.
  • Coordinated allocation and utilisation of operational resources.
  • Prepared staff payment schedules and supporting documentation for service providers.
  • Maintained operational records, administrative documentation and programme information.
  • Coordinated communication between district-level personnel and relevant administrative structures.
  • Supported logistics and operational planning for electoral activities.
  • Contributed to post-election programme evaluation and preparation of reports.
  • Supported compliance with established electoral procedures, administrative requirements and operational guidelines.
  • Consolidated information from field operations for management reporting and decision-making.
Business Development Manager – Research & Innovation
Midlands State University
Mar 2025 — Present
  • Coordinate institutional innovation, commercialisation and enterprise-development programmes across academic, administrative, technical and external stakeholder environments
  • Translate institutional strategic priorities into actionable programmes, workplans, implementation schedules and deliverables
  • Coordinate cross-functional teams and stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of strategic initiatives and institutional projects
  • Prepare management reports, briefing documents, proposals, business cases and implementation frameworks to support executive decision-making
  • Monitor programme performance, milestones, deliverables and agreed actions, escalating implementation issues where necessary
Business Development Officer – Research & Innovation
Midlands State University
Sep 2024 — Mar 2025
  • Supported administration and coordination of the University's innovation and commercialisation portfolio
  • Conducted opportunity assessments and market analysis to inform institutional decision-making
  • Prepared business cases, proposals, reports and management documentation for innovation and commercialisation initiatives
  • Supported assessment and documentation of intellectual-property and commercialisation opportunities
  • Assisted in developing transaction structures for spin-outs, licensing and other technology-transfer opportunities
Marketing Officer
MSU Enterprises
Sep 2024 — Sep 2024
  • Supported development and implementation of enterprise marketing and business-development activities
  • Coordinated stakeholder communication and market-facing engagements
  • Assisted with identification of market opportunities and potential institutional clients
  • Prepared marketing materials, presentations, correspondence and business-development documentation
  • Supported promotional activities, exhibitions, events and stakeholder engagements
  • Maintained marketing and stakeholder information to support business-development activities.
  • Assisted in coordinating enterprise activities and ensuring timely follow - up of client and stakeholder
Business Development Officer
Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development
2018 — Aug 2024
  • Coordinated implementation of SME, entrepreneurship and enterprise-development programmes
  • Provided business advisory support to SMEs, cooperatives and emerging enterprises
  • Conducted enterprise needs assessments and identified operational, market and capacity-development gaps
  • Developed market linkages between SMEs, cooperatives, corporates, institutions and other market actors
  • Coordinated entrepreneurship-development initiatives, workshops, training programmes, expos and trade exhibitions
  • Supported programme planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
  • Prepared periodic management reports, programme updates, briefing documents and performance reports.
Business Development Officer
Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development
2012 — 2018
  • Supported implementation of national SME and cooperative-development programmes
  • Coordinated enterprise-development activities and provided business advisory support to SMEs and cooperatives
  • Assisted entrepreneurs with business planning, enterprise development and market-access initiatives
  • Conducted enterprise assessments to identify business-development needs and opportunities
  • Coordinated stakeholder engagements involving SMEs, cooperatives, government agencies and private-sector organisations
High School Teacher
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education
Jul 2010 — Jul 2012
  • Planned, implemented and evaluated learning programmes in accordance with curriculum requirements
  • Managed classroom operations and maintained an organised, disciplined and productive learning environment
  • Prepared schemes of work, lesson plans, assessment materials and learner-performance records
  • Administered examinations and maintained accurate academic and administrative records
  • Monitored learner performance and prepared progress reports for relevant stakeholders
Skills
Strategic PlanningOperations CoordinationAnalytical Problem-SolvingChange ManagementStakeholder ManagementProgramme ManagementPerformance ReportingTeam LeadershipMarket & Opportunity AnalysisInnovation CommercialisationPartnership Development
Education
Master of Business Administration
Midlands State University
Merit
Bachelor of Commerce (Honors), Marketing Management
Midlands State University
2.1 / 4.0
Certificate, Entrepreneurship & Local Economic Development
Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Gujarat
Certificate, Entrepreneurship & SME Activation in African Countries
JICA, Kyushu
Certifications
Certificate – Entrepreneurship & Local Economic Development
Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Gujarat
2015
Certificate – Entrepreneurship & SME Activation in African Countries
JICA, Kyushu
2018
PROFESSIONAL REFERENCE
Prof Gift Mehlana
Executive Director – Research, Innovation & Industrialisation | Midlands State University
Reginal Chirapa
Innovation Manager- Research, Innovation & Industrialisation| Midlands State University
Mr G Masongorera
Deputy Proncial Elections Officer -Harare| Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
Last updated 12 hours agoMade with freecv.org