Dr. Thuvaraka Thavayogarajah
Essen
Summary
Highly organized and accomplished professional with a robust background in project management, recognized for successfully driving initiatives across diverse sectors including science, education, philanthropy, and public interest organizations. Expertise in fostering team collaboration and delivering impactful results through adaptability and problem-solving skills, ensuring seamless project execution and stakeholder satisfaction. Proven track record of leading multi-initiative program portfolios, managing substantial budgets, and forging cross-sector partnerships to advance organizational development, digital transformation, and measurable social impact outcomes. Seeking senior roles in mission-driven organizations to leverage strategic leadership in guiding complex initiatives, shaping strategy, and scaling evidence-informed solutions for high social impact.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Project Manager (since 2024)
Elisabeth Schnitger Foundation
10.2022 - Current
- I led the strategic direction and organisational development of a philanthropic foundation focused on educational equity, overseeing a multi-initiative program portfolio and ensuring effective strategy execution, operational governance, and impact delivery across all major initiatives.
- I directed a program portfolio reaching 200+ children across 15 schools, launching nine new educational and social-impact initiatives aligned with the foundation's long-term strategic goals and designed scalable program frameworks and monitoring structures to drive measurable improvements in social mobility and educational outcomes.
- I managed a bi-annual budget of ~EUR 1 million, ensuring transparent fund stewardship, effective resource allocation, and strong alignment with philanthropic priorities while strengthening organisational strategy, governance processes, and stakeholder engagement to support sustainable long-term growth.
- I led and developed a cross-functional team to build internal capabilities and operational excellence, while building and maintaining high-value partnerships with government agencies, education institutions, and nonprofit organisations to expand the foundation's strategic influence and ecosystem reach.
- I led major digital transformation and education strategy initiatives across schools in the Ruhr region, designing, implementing and evaluating large-scale programs to drive system-level educational improvement in partnership with ministries, school networks and philanthropic organisations.
- I designed and led digital education initiatives that supported more than 30 schools to integrate digital learning tools and infrastructure, including directing the Klasse!Digital program across 14 schools to deliver digital capability building, program frameworks and capacity development for educators and school leadership teams.
- I developed the Study Halls model as a scalable academic-support intervention that was adopted by multiple schools to enhance student outcomes, and I supported the cross-institutional Grundschule Plus initiative by coordinating stakeholders, managing program planning and ensuring strategic alignment.
- I facilitated high-level steering committees and working groups by preparing briefing materials, conducting analysis, documenting decisions and overseeing executive-level follow-up, while also co-leading diversity and inclusion efforts across the foundation network to shape inclusive practices and organisation-wide awareness initiatives.
Project Manager
RuhrFutur GGmbh (Mercator Foundation Subsidiary)
01.2021 - 09.2022
- I taught and mentored students in high-need schools, implementing evidence-based interventions to increase engagement, deepen subject understanding, and improve overall academic performance.
- I designed and delivered extracurricular initiatives that built students' motivation, confidence, and long-term academic progression, with a particular focus on disadvantaged learners.
- I built trusted partnerships with school leadership, teachers, parents, and community stakeholders, contributing to school-wide improvement strategies and to coordinated student support.
- I operated effectively in complex, resource-limited environments, adapting quickly to diverse educational settings while demonstrating resilience, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and strong stakeholder management skills.
Teach First Fellow
Teach First Deutschland
05.2018 - 07.2020
- I taught and mentored students in high-need schools, implementing evidence-based interventions to increase engagement, deepen subject understanding, and improve overall academic performance.
- I designed and delivered extracurricular initiatives that built students’ motivation, confidence, and long-term academic progression, with a particular focus on disadvantaged learners.
- I built trusted partnerships with school leadership, teachers, parents, and community stakeholders, contributing to school-wide improvement strategies and to coordinated student support.
- I operated effectively in complex, resource-limited environments, adapting quickly to diverse educational settings while demonstrating resilience, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and strong stakeholder management skills.
Safety Reporting Officer
The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (via DOCS GmbH)
11.2014 - 10.2017
- I managed global adverse event reporting activities, ensuring full compliance with international pharmacovigilance regulations, internal SOPs and strict regulatory timelines.
- I collaborated with cross-functional and global teams across medical, regulatory and quality divisions to strengthen risk management processes and enhance overall safety reporting quality.
- I analysed safety data to identify emerging safety signals and supported the timely preparation and submission of regulatory safety documentation across multiple global jurisdictions.
- I operated effectively within a complex, multinational corporate environment, demonstrating strong operational discipline, analytical problem-solving skills and the ability to maintain high standards under high-stakes conditions.
Education
Executive Master of Public Administration - Leading Innovation And Managing Change
Hertie School
Berlin, Germany07.2025
PhD - Malaria Biology
Philipps-University Marburg
Marburg, Germany05.2014
Master of Science - Biology
Westphalian Wilhelms-University Muenster
Muenster, Germany09.2010
Bachelor of Science - Biology
Westphalian Wilhelms-University Muenster
Muenster, Germany08.2008
Skills
- Strategic Leadership
- Project Management
- Operational excellence & process optimization
- Budget Control & Financial Administration
- Crossfunctional Stakeholdermanagement
- Client relationship management
- Meeting facilitation
- Contract preparation
- Documentation management
- Teamwork and collaboration
Certification
- Certified Diversity Trainer, Living Diversity, Berlin, 2021
- GMP Basic Certification in Project Management, GPM, Dortmund, 2020
- Human-centered AI for Social Impact, Stanford d.school | Stanford Institute for Humancentered AI | Stanford University, (2-day Workshop | Social Sector Cohort 2025)
- Professional Presentation & Moderation for Project Managers (Haufe Academy, 2022)
Additional Information
Executive Diploma in Organizational Leadership (Offer Holder)
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, starting February 2026
Secured offer for the Executive Diploma in Organisational Leadership at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, an executive program emphasising leadership fundamentals, strategic thinking, organisational change, and resilience.
Languages
German
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
English
Advanced (C1)
Tamil
Intermediate (B1)
Accomplishments
Executive Diploma Director's Award (2026-2027) Saïd Business School, University of Oxford | Competitive merit-based scholarship recognizing professional excellence and contribution to cohort diversity; awarded for Executive Diploma in Organisational Leadership
Social Entrepreneurship and Non-Profit Management Scholarship (2023-2025) Hertie School of Governance, Berlin | Merit-based scholarship recognizing leadership in nonprofit and social impact work; awarded for Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) program
LEAD Me Program Mentee (2021-2022) Deutschlandstiftung Integration | Competitively selected for elite year-long mentorship program developing leaders with migration backgrounds in Germany's public and nonprofit sectors
Trust Conference Changemaker Scholar (2019) Thomson Reuters Foundation | Competitively selected for leadership recognition in education equity, diversity, and social impact; awarded scholarship to attend global summit in London
Speaker, 2nd Global Human Rights Forum (2017), Belgrade, Serbia | Invited to present on "Health as a Human Right" at an international forum convening policymakers, academics, and civil society leaders
EviMalaR Doctoral Scholarship (an 2010 - 2014) - European Virtual Institute for Malaria Research | EU FP7-funded PhD position in malaria biology; full funding for research at Philipps-University Marburg within an international research consortium
DAAD Promos Scholarship (2011) - German Academic Exchange Service | Competitive merit-based scholarship funding international research training course at CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research), Pretoria, South Africa
Heinrich-Hertz Scholarship (2009) - Competitive scholarship funding research stay at Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, Australia
Publications
- Published in PLoS ONE journal, 2015, About alternative secretory pathways in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, contributing to the scientific understanding of malaria biology.
- Co-Authored in Peer-Reviewed Publication, 2010, In Biochemical Journal on renal amino acid transport, contributing to developmental iminoglycinuria and nephrology research.
Timeline
Senior Project Manager (since 2024)
Elisabeth Schnitger Foundation
10.2022 - Current
Project Manager
RuhrFutur GGmbh (Mercator Foundation Subsidiary)
01.2021 - 09.2022
Teach First Fellow
Teach First Deutschland
05.2018 - 07.2020
Safety Reporting Officer
The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (via DOCS GmbH)
11.2014 - 10.2017
Executive Master of Public Administration - Leading Innovation And Managing Change
Hertie School
PhD - Malaria Biology
Philipps-University Marburg
Master of Science - Biology
Westphalian Wilhelms-University Muenster
Bachelor of Science - Biology
Westphalian Wilhelms-University Muenster