Sasja La Grange

• Responsible for learning and teaching the following Subjects and their relevant curriculums:

✔ Cambridge, Trinity, Phonics, Grammar & Writing, Reading & Speaking, Chatroom, Little Monkey's

• Administered assessments and standardized tests to evaluate student progress.
• Coordinated theme days for classes to encourage interest in reading, resulting in significant increase in reading scores.
• Writing daily Teachers reports per class on each student's progress, behavior and possible other interventions needed.
• Kept classroom organized, clean, and safe for all students and visitors.
• Tracked student progress using exams and weekly graded assignments, keeping detailed notes and working with students to identify and rectify issues.
• Used Zoom and Skype to give online lectures and assign web-based activities comprehensively and creatively.
• Completed in-service and additional training to maintain professional growth.

• ­Part of a task team who conducted research for an international client. The research was done to determine the feasibility for the client to enter the health and short-term insurance market in the clients' country.
• Developed project timelines, budgets and scope of work plans.
• Defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
• Evaluated existing operations and current market trends to identify necessary improvements and capitalize on changes.
• Prepared quotes for new products and services and composed budgets.
• Performed customer needs assessments and coordinated resolutions with clients.

• Established and developed a new Marketing & Communication department including developing new processes and policies.
• Forecasts, managed and controled budgets against company strategy. Approve all costs against approved budgets and in line with the procurement policy.
• Managed 21 Marketing & Communication staff members, 3 agencies, +/- 50 additional sponsorship and supplier contracts. Worked cross functionally with all head office departments, national service centre's staff as well as medical centre staff (+/- 450 staff).
• Worked within budget parameters to develop and implement marketing strategies by analyzing key data and consumer demographics, increasing gross contributions of R3.282 billion to R4.453 billion. This also resulted in membership growth of 35.7% over my 6 years and 6 months tenure.
• Maintained high level of understanding of industry standards, regulations and trends. Produces outlining research findings for use by the board of Trustees, the Executive management including sales and marketing staff to make accurate decisions about future plans and strategies.
• Studied market and competitor demographic data to determine optimal targets, competitor offerings and tactics for persuasion.
• Spearheading innovative execution and go-to-market strategies that focused on value creation and boosting brand equity which resulted in & rebranding as well as repositioning the brand resulting in significant brand movement. The brand position in the industry moved from the 7th position in the competitor ranking to the 4th position.
• Establishing a communication matrix to communicate to targeted buyer personas through various channels.
• Vital forecasting appropriate staff, agencies and other contracted parties to ensure the development of all through the line campaigns, collateral, presentations, public relations management, articles, newsletters, website and social media platforms. All of this was essential for the development and execution to reach various stakeholders and increase market penetration encompassing co-branding opportunities.
• Implemented, managed brand standards and CI (Corporate Identity) rules for all marketing collateral and oversaw consistent application. Initiated an internal Brand Guardian programme to ensure the brand values are aligned both internally and externally.
• Worked closely with all product development committees to create and maintain creative marketing materials for distribution/sales presentations, corporate client meetings and the annual product launches to all members and target markets/audiences in accordance with the Industry Regulatory Authority (Council for Medical Schemes, CMS.)
• Fundamental in the acquisition of numerous awards during my employment, for example: FIA (Financial Intermediaries Association) award for best healthcare provider in 2015. Voted as best Medical Scheme for 2 consecutive years (2015 and 2016) by Pretoria News readers, as well as Top500 company to name a few.
• Responsible to deliver all statutory events and reports (AGM & Annual Reports) in accordance to the requirements set out by the Industry Regulatory Authority (CMS).
• Optimized community outreach through corporate citizenship initiatives (CSI).

• Part of the new management team responsible for optimization for relationship building and contracting of all tied agent's and healthcare brokers.
• ­ Managed and facilitated training of +/- 70 intermediaries and brokers. Enforced accreditation of all tied agents (healthcare intermediaries and key individuals) under Sanlam FSP with Financial Services Board (FSB) and Council for Medical Schemes (CMS).
• ­ Successfully developed and implemented all regional and national business processes and documentation/collateral for Sanlam Health Distribution Services, despite very complex business model due to juristic representatives that worked under Sanlam Life license, but also formed part of reporting lines in Sanlam Health Distribution, which reported to Sanlam Health (SHM) business unit, which in turn reported into Sanlam Developing Markets as part of Sanlam Personal Finance business cluster.
• ­ Developed and implemented all compliance documentation (all needs analysis and advice records) in accordance with all Regulatory organizations on health and short-term products.
• ­ Generated, implemented and coordinated compliance reports from various regional offices to the Executive Management team as well as the Sanlam Compliance Officer for health and short-term products.
• ­ Developed all internal training for healthcare intermediaries and brokers, in conjunction with Sanlam's (holding group) Training Academy.
• ­ Implemented annual and ad hoc training for all tied agents, including training material development, logistics such as printing of materials, multimedia presentations and event management of the training.
• ­ Negotiated additional income streams for intermediaries and brokers on short term insurance products and reward programs. Annually revised new costing, negotiating contracted statutory commission and commissions paid to tied agents, brokers and advisors.
• ­ Communicated all learning and performance objectives, schedules and training assessments to upper management.
• ­ Aligned all business processes and documentation to broader Sanlam Group. Developed departmental systems and procedures to better align workflow processes.
• ­ Aligned and implemented special sales campaigns with regional offices to increase potential business.
• ­ Responsible to scope and implement a Leads Management System for the healthcare intermediaries and advisors.

• Responsible for managing 5 staff members and 2 external agencies.
• Improved and boosted brand image by implementing focused marketing campaigns and engaging in professional networking to support outreach.
• Managed full-cycle marketing and advertising strategies including estimating costs, managing resource allocation and adjusting production schedules.
• Mentored and guided executive team during business development decision-making to optimize profitability, marketing strategy and communications planning.
• Studied demographic data to determine optimal targets, competitor offerings and tactics for persuasion.
• Worked closely with all product development departments to create and maintain marketing materials for sales presentations and client meetings.
• Coordinated with social media, public relations and other teams to execute product introductions.
• Developed engaging and successful marketing, advertising and website copy.
• Identified appropriate marketing channels and target customers for campaigns.
• Informed Executive management on markets and the national sales manager's needs to best meet customer needs and maximize revenue.
• Conceptualized brand identity and developed unique accompanying graphic style and tone for use in communications.
• Organized and delivered training sessions to all company staff as well as intermediaries and brokers for new product expansion and changes.

• Assisted in establishing a new venture to create value added products for the medical insurance industry.
• Spearheaded negotiation of new client contracts as well as service providers.
• Led projects and analyzed client research and data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Implemented operational improvements which resulted in value added products and services for our clients.

• Kept meticulous records of all costs and expenses and analyzed that data against budget on all new projects which included value added projects to clients and brokers.
• Managed all brand ambassador relationships as well as public relations activities.

• Registered Healthcare broker to advise potential clients on products in the market in accordance to best advice principles.
• Managed all related administration duties: Answered inquiries, provided information and appropriate collateral to clients, distributed appropriate paperwork and fulfilled quote requests to deliver excellent customer support.

Project managed Research Centre, including budget management, negotiating project costing with marketing research company, departmental HR (10-60 project staff), arranging project logistics, and consulting with IT on programme development. Coordinated Transport Call Centre and Transport Hub for World Summit on Sustainable Development (+/-30 staff).