Karim Bin-Humam
Innovation Programmes Expert
Vienna
Summary
Product Strategy & Customer Success Lead with 15 years of experience driving digital transformation and impactful change. Skilled in stakeholder management, strategic planning, and achieving product-market fit, with a passion for leveraging technology for social impact. I excel in cross-functional collaboration, using data-driven solutions and user-centric design to solve complex challenges and advance humanitarian goals.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
4
4
Languages
Work History
Digital Livelihoods & Employment Advisor
UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency)
12.2022 - Current
- Coordinated cross-agency activities for the 'Promotion, Inclusion, and Protection of Refugees in the Gig Economy' project, including publishing best-practice research (1, 2, 3) and providing technical and operational support to country operations on digital employment projects
- Currently leading the launch of a flagship global digital employment initiative for refugees 'Inclusive Digital Economy Alliance (IDEA)', a multi-year partnership to integrate refugees into the online labor market, focusing on: Fundraising: Developing multi-stakeholder proposals and budgets to fund global initiatives, Strategic Planning: Creating country-specific roadmaps for IDEA implementation, Partnership Development: Establishing partnerships to harness expertise in the digital economy
Product Strategy & Digital Technology Advisor
Upwardly Global
03.2023 - Current
- Directed the transition from a service-based to a product-focused model, leveraging agile methodologies to scale services for immigrant and refugee job-seekers in the U.S
- Defined product strategy, aligning leadership and business units around a unified vision and objectives
- Established the organization's product management function, hiring key staff and implementing agile processes like roadmapping, journey mapping, user research, and release planning
- Launched a customer success and analytics platform to measure product impact on user needs and business goals
Co-Founder and Director of Customer Success & Impact
SkillLab
01.2018 - 12.2023
- Company Overview: A tech company leveraging AI to help refugees document and link employable skills to training and job opportunities
- Developed and executed a growth strategy to achieve product-market fit, scaling the user and customer base across 20+ countries
- Led Customer Success and Impact teams, integrating SkillLab's technology into global partner programs
- Advocated as the 'Voice of Customer' to shape product development with data-driven insights, and implemented feedback systems to continually measure and improve product impact and user experience
- A tech company leveraging AI to help refugees document and link employable skills to training and job opportunities
Principal Information & Communication Technology Specialist
Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI)
11.2015 - 06.2018
- Member of DAI's Center for Digital Acceleration (CDA) acting as strategic ICT advisor to DAI's global development projects
- Provided technical and operational support across DAI's global development project portfolio, strategically integrating ICTs into country operations programming improve drive impact
- Led and supported fundraising efforts, developing ICT-related proposals and strategies for multi-million dollar projects financed by global donors including USAID, DFID, and the World Bank
- Designed and delivered capacity building programmes across country operations, partner organizations, and donors/clients on the effective design of ICT-enabled programming in humanitarian and development contexts
International Programmes Officer
The Global Knowledge Initiative (GKI)
06.2013 - 07.2014
- Acted as primary focal point for a partnership with the Georgia Technical Research Institute (GTRI) on a practical research project
- Supported the developing and publishing of a systems-theory based methodology for assessing the Innovation Potential for Social Impact in developing economies
- Designed and delivered human-centered-design trainings for social impact to university students
Engineering Project Manager - Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
BMW (via Altran Technologies)
03.2011 - 08.2012
- Lead project manager for a high-voltage battery development and maintenance for select electric and hybrid vehicles
- Coordinated cross-departmental activities for the design, development, implementation, and testing of high-voltage batteries for BMW's Active E flagship electric vehicle
- Compiled system-level technical requirements in accordance with company, national, and international compliance standards
- Monitored and reported to vehicle integration committee on the progress of system component development, manufacturing, and testing
- Participated in international knowledge transfer task force to equip Chinese supplier Amperex Technologies Ltd
- With specialized battery-manufacturing know-how
Scientific Research Assistant - Virtual Product Development
Technical University of Munich
01.2009 - 08.2009
- Worked with researchers in the Virtual Product Development group to further the department's research initiatives in virtual product development
- Supported the development of software prototype for automated engineering design synthesis - Prototype has since been developed into a Soley Technologies
- Developed a proof-of-concept electric powertrain model for electric vehicles using the above mentioned software prototype
Associate Producer - Digital Media
UNICEF
11.2005 - 09.2006
- Produced and edited video and radio news reports highlighting UNICEF's role in addressing global issues affecting children
- Co-produced and managed media content for UNICEF's special partnership with FIFA for the 2006 FIFA football world cup
Education
MA - International Relations and Economics
Johns Hopkins University - School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
Bologna, Washington 08.2012 - 05.2014
MSc. - Information Technology in Mechanical Engineering
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
09.2006 - 01.2009
BS. - Mechanical Engineering
Tufts University
09.2001 - 05.2005
Skills
- Risk Management
- Stakeholder Management
- Capacity Building
- Communication
- Stakeholder Management & Coordination
- Problem-Solving
- Data Analysis
- Leadership
- Customer Success
- Collaboration
- Data-Driven Applications
- User Testing
- Product Management
- Partnership Development
Timeline
Product Strategy & Digital Technology Advisor
Upwardly Global
03.2023 - Current
Digital Livelihoods & Employment Advisor
UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency)
12.2022 - Current
Co-Founder and Director of Customer Success & Impact
SkillLab
01.2018 - 12.2023
Principal Information & Communication Technology Specialist
Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI)
11.2015 - 06.2018
International Programmes Officer
The Global Knowledge Initiative (GKI)
06.2013 - 07.2014
MA - International Relations and Economics
Johns Hopkins University - School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
08.2012 - 05.2014
Engineering Project Manager - Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
BMW (via Altran Technologies)
03.2011 - 08.2012
Scientific Research Assistant - Virtual Product Development
Technical University of Munich
01.2009 - 08.2009
MSc. - Information Technology in Mechanical Engineering
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
09.2006 - 01.2009
Associate Producer - Digital Media
UNICEF
11.2005 - 09.2006
BS. - Mechanical Engineering
Tufts University
09.2001 - 05.2005
Similar Profiles
Munir ZakariaMunir Zakaria
Human Resources Associate- SPA at UNHCR, the UN Refugee AgencyHuman Resources Associate- SPA at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
Furkan IzciFurkan Izci
Senior Resettlement Assistant at UNHCR, the UN Refugee AgencySenior Resettlement Assistant at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency
LILIIA BYTSKALILIIA BYTSKA
Protection Associate at UNHCR, the UN Refugee AgencyProtection Associate at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency