GWENDALYN AUGUSTINE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

My Career

PROGRAM MANAGER,
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION, STRATEGY & OPS

Snap Inc. | Jan 2022 - Sept 2022

Led 20+ cross-functional teams to grow company’s global footprint. Initiated and managed day-to-day of International Expansion program, operationalizing and standing-up in new markets in EU, MENA, APAC, and Americas.

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• Identified and solved for redundancies and gaps in International Expansion and New Offices program, streamlining for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

• Managed new market projects from inception to completion; aligned cross-functional workstreams with parallel and dependency timelines, prioritizing, planning, and executing deliverables. Built relationships with stakeholders, attaining consensus on all aspects; launching company in 8 new regions (4 kick off to completion; 1 alternative entity utilization).

• Coordinated and prioritized due diligence workstreams, ensuring 360 consideration and risk assessments of new markets. 

• Advised business leaders on expansion requests, Aligned C-level and executives of value / risk analysis review, approvals, and prioritization, facilitating timely decision making; expedited critical requests, meeting urgent business goals.

• Identified operational barriers, challenges, and policy conflicts due to business growth. Initiated stakeholder groups, collaboratively problem-solving, optimizing internal processes, and proactively preventing company-wide issues.

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STRATEGY & OPS

• Coordinated and lead international strategic planning meetings: global partner deals, to ensure cross-functional awareness and alignment in advance of deal stage

• Created instructional materials for vendor purchasing process used by Carrier Partnerships and Market Development teams, smoothing workflow gaps and increasing bandwidth for team members.

• Maintained and tracked Market Development team’s $5M budget, supporting growth initiatives.

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO SR. DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

Snap Inc. | Feb 2021 - Jan 2022

Supported the Sr. Director of International Markets and Sr. Director, Global Carrier Partnerships and teams. Managed special projects.

• Managed executive calendars, including including global time zones; coordinated top level in person partner meetings.

• Prepared monthly executive-level updates related to OKRs (objectives and key results), meeting materials, and managed communications.

• Coordinated complex international travel including rapidly changing COVID restrictions and visas; prepared and approved expense reports.

• Coordinated international C-level in-person partner meetings, including catering.

• Coordinated Offsites and Team Building events; managed inventory and stock of team and partner swag.

• Coadapted and revamped International Ambassador program, achieving scalability, compliance, greater efficiency, increasing localization efforts from 20 to 40 markets, and doubling project growth in each; essentially scaling 400%.

• Designed an international integration program to create a more fully encompassed launch and seamless start for employees in new markets. 

• Cocreated onboarding program for Content and Partnerships Organization, providing equitable start for all new hires, enhancing experience, and decreasing employee time to acclimate and reach peak productivity.

• Managed international partner payment relations (US, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan).

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER (CSO)

Snap Inc. | Jan 2019 - Jan 2021

Supported Chief Strategy Officer and Strategy organization. Partnered closely with CSO and teams on global growth strategy and team culture. Acted as thought partner and trusted sounding board. Managed special projects. 

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• Managed complex executive calendar, including multiple countries and time zones; strategically set and managed cadence of org-wide and cross-functional recurring meetings.

• Prepare materials and agendas for C-Level and organization-wide meetings, including reserving space and coordinating virtual meetings; coordinated Team Building events.

• Coordinated complex domestic and international travel; prepared and approved expense reports.

• Kept CSO organized and atop of ever-changing priorities.

• Helped manage and navigate confidential HR / leadership issues.

• Created onboarding program for Strategy organization, providing equitable start for all new hires, enhancing experience, and decreasing employee time to acclimate and reach peak productivity.

•  Collaborated with leadership on Strategy Org’s DEI initiatives, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Objective Key results (OKRs); organized and aligned HR, Legal, and Comms teams, achieving approval and compliance. Volleyed to senior manager for creation of CSO’s full DEI program.

• Provided cultural awareness and gave executive introductions in professional Japanese for partnership meeting in Japan.

• Identified and pitched company’s need for first Content Diversity Audit, passing project to key stakeholders to create measurable data for charting future progress of accurate representation of our diverse community.

SR. EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT & OPERATIONS MANAGER

Paragon Coin, Inc | 2018 - 2019

Sr. Executive Assistant to CEO and COO for co-working space-crypto start-up. Operations Manager established and implemented operational aspects of business and managed day-to-day operations and team of 4. Promoted as EA to include Operations Manager within first 2 months, based on demonstrated performance and skills.

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• Implemented policies and procedures for payroll compliance, recruiting, HR management, vendor accounts, and property management by analyzing business needs, identifying gaps, and researching / selecting best solution options, including SaaS tools.

• Established new department Events, supporting business goals. 

• Authored / co-authored contracts and agreements, including NDA, IP contracts, lease agreements, LOI, MOU, T&C, privacy policy, Employee Handbook, and TM specimens, regulatory business filings, and ensured all marketing materials met legal guidelines, reducing external legal cost.

• Managed executive calendars; coordinated complex domestic and international travel; prepared expense reports.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CONTENT MANAGER

KVD BRAND, INC | 2015 - 2017

Oversaw the print magazine (2015-2017) and 9 websites (2016-2017), including day-to-day operations. Hired and managed 30+ writers and contributors.

• Provided creative direction and layout design of print publication, selecting content, full editing of each issue, and ensuring consistency of branding. 

• Led print and multiple online projects, simultaneously, meeting 100% of deadlines. 

• Set up program for acquiring talent, scheduling content, and delegating author assignments, decreasing expected cost and turnaround time. 

• Authored and implemented HR policies and procedures, IP contracts, managed regulatory business filings and correspondence with CPRT office, and USPTO.

• Manage distribution channels, schedules, and payments with international Printers and Customs.