Startup Mentor Marketplace

Sakina Lokhandwala

I'm a PMP-certified Program, Project and Operations leader with 8+ years of experience delivering complex, cross-functional programs in EdTech and SaaS. I help founders and growing teams build the operational infrastructure they need to scale — turning ambiguous goals into structured delivery systems, clear processes, and measurable outcomes. I operate at the intersection of Program Management, Operations, and Delivery Excellence — translating strategy into executable plans, building governance frameworks, and managing the cross-functional coordination that keeps complex programs on track. This includes owning end-to-end project lifecycles, managing vendor and SME ecosystems, leading content and platform programs at scale, and building the reporting and tracking systems that give leadership real visibility. I can help with: * Designing and managing end-to-end program delivery — scope, timelines, budgets, and stakeholder communication. * Building operational infrastructure: workflows, governance frameworks, documentation, and reporting systems. * Scaling SME and vendor ecosystems — onboarding, engagement, quality management, and performance tracking. * Leading cross-functional teams across product, content, engineering, and operations to drive aligned execution. * Reducing costs and turnaround time through hybrid delivery models, process optimization, and smart tooling. * Setting up KPI dashboards and milestone trackers that give founders and leaders real-time program visibility. Career highlights: * Delivered a large-scale AI initiative (SpeechSense) — coordinating 1,000+ expert evaluations across distributed stakeholders to hit product launch timelines. * Managed a 60,000 USD program budget and cut operational costs by 50% through a hybrid AI + SME delivery model. * Delivered 40,000+ content assets across 30 domains while reducing customer turnaround time from 5 days to 2. * Scaled an SME network to 170+ experts across 50+ domains, reducing onboarding time by 30%. * Maintained 4.5+/5 client satisfaction across multiple international B2B programs at Great Learning. I'm most valuable when programs are growing in complexity, delivery feels fragmented, teams need a clear system to run on, or you need someone who can both design the structure and manage the execution.

Areas of expertise