Jamal Masalma

“It’s always going to be a challenge to turn theoretical knowledge into practice, so it was a great achievement for me to be assigned as manager for a national program that was in line with my own graduate research project” said Jamal.

“Managing a nation-wide multi-million program that involves many stakeholders including public, private, and international entities has tested my management techniques and allowed me to act strategically; working with a team of professionals to set the vision, standards, processes, business services, technical and business requirements, and supervising the performance of the overall program were all part of my responsibilities” he revealed.

In the early stages of his career, one of the biggest challenges Jamal faced was operating in a multi-cultural environment, but this is something that he now thrives upon. His professional inspiration is working in a flexible, team environment where he can contribute to achieving shared goals, while his personal passions is visiting new countries to learn about new cultures.

Jamal’s most rewarding professional experience to date was being the Chief Operations Officer at a local private organisation where he worked with the management to set and manage the strategic direction, business portfolio, internal operating model, and vendor and customer relationships. This platform has prepared him well for his ultimate career goal – to build his own business.

Reflecting on his time at UOWD Jamal says, “My degree strengthened my theoretical knowledge, improved my practical experience and exposed me to new domains, but it also allowed me to make friendships with knowledgeable lecturers who made UOWD feel like family to me.”

In addition to his professional engagements, Jamal is currently an adjunct tutor at UOWD on a part-time basis.