Sandra Makono cover
Sandra Makono
Sandra Makono

A Virtual Assistant in Project Coordination and Business Support

Actively looking · Member since 6 Oct 2026
Location
Lilongwe, Malawi
Desired salary
Unspecified
Work preference
Remote Only
Experience level
Mid

About

Professional summary

I am a self-directed project coordination professional with more than three years of experience supporting and leading cross-functional, cross-cultural teams in nonprofit, international development, regulatory, and agricultural program environments.

I manage projects from planning through delivery, including stakeholder coordination, scheduling, risk identification, reporting, procurement, vendor management, and event logistics. I am comfortable working independently, prioritizing competing tasks, and maintaining clear communication with internal and external stakeholders.

I bring strong organizational, client-facing communication, strategic planning, data tracking, and reporting skills. I am proficient with Trello, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, Jotform, and Microsoft Teams, and I am expanding my familiarity with Figma and Google Analytics 4.

I am motivated by roles where I can improve operational coordination, keep teams aligned, identify risks early, and contribute to impactful programs serving communities and stakeholders.

Skills

24 capabilities

Tech stack & tools

Working toolkit

Collaboration

Design

Experience

Career history

Business Analyst Intern (Volunteer) Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC), Directorate of Consumer Affairs & Education

I lead end-to-end investigations into unfair trade practice cases, conducting economic analysis and producing research reports that support implementation of the Competition and Fair Trading Act and inform management decisions.

I manage consumer complaint cases from intake through resolution, including interviewing complainants and respondents. I also design market inquiries, maintain the unfair trade practices case database, and improve data accuracy for strategic decision-making.

I draft economic policy papers, management speeches, public education materials, and donor funding proposals. In addition, I organize data for departmental work plans, budgets, and program schedules.

Project and Admin Assistant Moving Windmills Project

I coordinated cross-functional project activities using Trello, tracked progress, identified risks early, and helped keep a distributed, cross-cultural team aligned.

I managed data entry and financial tracking from Jotform into QuickBooks, supporting accurate reporting and effective handoffs between program and finance teams. I also coordinated project timelines, procurement, vendor relationships, scheduling, correspondence, and event logistics for permaculture training programs.

I contributed to strategic planning and logframe development, aligning activities with organizational objectives and supporting full engagement on digital outreach platforms.

Junior Consultant – Administration and Coordination German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK)

I coordinated financial literacy and climate-smart agribusiness training programs for rural farmers and MSMEs across Southern Africa.

I independently planned and delivered a multi-country staff retreat for teams in Malawi, Zambia, and Namibia, managing travel, accommodation, meeting logistics, procurement, and venue arrangements without scheduling conflicts.

I coordinated international travel and cross-country meetings, facilitated weekly stakeholder meetings through Microsoft Teams, prepared reports and documentation, and supported innovation training and external partnership development.

Extension Officer Malawi SIL Mega Farm Project

I led the verification process for more than 2,000 target farmers and cooperatives in the central region, organizing contracts and supporting documentation.

I coordinated reporting and communication between field teams and project leadership to ensure accurate and timely information flow. I also implemented climate-resilient agribusiness strategies and coordinated project events supporting program rollout across multiple communities.

Education

Learning history

Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Bachelor of Science, Agribusiness Management

German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation

Certificate, Farmers Business Game Training of Trainers

Aspire Institute

Certificate, Leadership

ALX Africa

Certificate, Virtual Assistance

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