Sami Telfah

Certified corporate trainer and capacity-building specialist with 14+ years designing and delivering high-impact training for government entities, ministries, and international organizations across Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Expert

Trainer for the Saudi Ministry of Culture (via Informa Connect), delivering accredited programs in governance and compliance with perfect 10/10 participant ratings and documented knowledge gains of up to 64% per participant evidence detailed in the annex. Combines hands-on training delivery with deep institutional expertise: currently a Strategic Planning Specialist at Tabuk Municipality supporting Saudi Vision 2030, with prior leadership roles across USAID, UNDP, NRC, and Mercy Corps programs. Specializes in adult learning, pre/post assessment design, curriculum development, and measurable capability transfer for public-sector professionals.

Strategic Planning Specialist - Method Corp · Tabuk Municipality - Saudi Arabia

(2026-01)

• Design and deliver staff capacity-building programs for municipalities, strengthening local-government planning, governance, and service-delivery capabilities.
• Lead development and execution of organizational strategic plans, translating objectives into measurable initiatives and institutional KPIs aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
• Advise leadership on performance measurement, governance frameworks, and data-informed planning.

Independent Trainer, Consultant & Technical Advisor - Independent Trainer, Consultant & Technical Advisor

(2013-09)

Selected engagements across the public, humanitarian & development sectors

• Lead Trainer — Informa Connect (Client: Ministry of Culture, KSA): Delivered accredited corporate training on institutional governance, board trusteeship, and compliance, directly supporting Saudi Vision 2030 capacity-building objectives — with perfect participant ratings (see Training Impact).
• Strategic Facilitator — UNDP, GIZ, WFD: Facilitated 60+ high-level strategic-planning sessions for policymakers and government officials, building consensus and producing actionable policy roadmaps.
• Lead Consultant — International Medical Corps: Led a comprehensive needs assessment synthesizing data from 1,000+ households to define strategic program priorities.

Strategic Planning & Institutional Development Consultant - INTERSOS

(2025-10 - 2026-01)

Consulting Engagement

• Conducted organizational capacity assessments and delivered actionable recommendations to enhance operational effectiveness and program sustainability.
• Provided expert guidance on strategic planning and institutional development, strengthening structures, processes, and governance.

Civic Engagement & Community Mobilization Specialist - USAID Sawt · Mercy Corps - Amman, Jordan

(2022-08 - 2025-02)

• Designed and delivered training and capacity-building initiatives equipping at-risk youth with entrepreneurship and civic-engagement skills.
• Developed the Organizational Capacity Index (OCI) — a strategic tool assessing partner capabilities and informing long-term partnership and risk-mitigation strategies.
• Developed the long-range strategic framework for all public-engagement activities, aligned with USAID's regional strategy.

Outreach, Engagement & Local Policy Specialist - USAID YouthPower · Global Communities - Amman, Jordan

(2020-03 - 2022-03)

• Led implementation of initiatives under Jordan's National Youth Strategy (2019–2025) with the Ministry of Youth, overseeing strategic alignment across 60 localities.
• Managed a long-range digital strategy growing online platforms to 30,000+ users.

Team Leader, ICLA Program - Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) - Amman, Jordan

(2017-07 - 2019-12)

• Provided strategic direction to a multidisciplinary team of 40+, translating organizational goals into operational plans and performance metrics.
• Conducted stakeholder analysis and developed engagement plans aligning donors, government authorities, and community leaders behind program objectives.

M&E Officer / Community Engagement Officer - USAID Community Engagement Project (CEP) - Amman, Jordan

(2014-08 - 2017-06)

• Established and managed a comprehensive M&E system, transforming raw field data into actionable strategic insights guiding program adjustments.
• Contributed to strategic-planning phases of a multi-governorate project, from concept design through the final handover strategy.

B.A. - Translation - Irbid National University (2009) Jordan

Diploma - English - Salisbury University (2012) MD, USA