Leigh-Ann Junkel

Results-driven Operations and Client Delivery Professional with 6+ years of verified experience orchestrating complex stakeholder environments, building scalable operational systems, and leading end-to-end client onboarding and retention strategies. Proven expert at turning operational chaos into structured, repeatable processes by leveraging advanced generative AI frameworks (Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT). Expert communicator skilled in cross-functional collaboration, proactive intervention, and high-impact account management.

Transitioning academic leadership, educational delivery, and frontline customer service expertise into a fast-paced, remote Head of Customer Success / Head of Delivery role within a high-growth startup environment.

Acting Head of Department — Intermediate Phase at Formosa Primary School, Western Cape Education Department (2025-01 – 2025-10)

• Led end-to-end Client Delivery and Operational Management across multiple departments for a 1,000-user ecosystem, establishing scalable process development playbooks that improved quality assurance by 100%.
• Served as Subject Head for three disciplines across Grades 4–6: English First Additional Language, Creative Arts, and Social Sciences (Geography and History).
• Led curriculum planning, lesson quality assurance, and formal assessment moderation across all three subject areas.
• Managed Relationship Management and cross-functional collaboration between cross-tier stakeholders, government officials, corporate service providers, and legal entities under high-pressure conditions.
• Headed Proactive Intervention and risk-mitigation frameworks as Safety Officer, building internal escalation playbooks that ensured strict institutional compliance and reduced critical operational incidents.
• Co-ordinated the school-wide Scholar Patrol programme and managed Printing Co-ordination across all departments.
• Served as Prize Giving Committee Co-ordinator — planning and executing the annual school prize-giving ceremony.

Grade 4 Educator — English EFAL, Geography & Creative Arts at Formosa Primary School, Western Cape Education Department (2021-01 – 2026-06)

• Delivered English First Additional Language (EFAL), Geography, and Creative Arts to four Grade 4 classes comprising approximately 160 learners per term.
• Designed and implemented CAPS-aligned lesson plans, formal assessment tasks (FATs), memoranda, and intervention programmes across all subjects.
• Applied Bloom's Taxonomy to design, implement, and evaluate learner activities and formal written assessment tasks.
• Implemented differentiated instruction strategies and Individual Support Plans (ISPs) and Group Support Plans (GSPs) for learners with barriers to learning, including autism spectrum learners.
• Maintained comprehensive administrative systems including class registers, learner progress records, and behaviour management documentation for 160+ learners.
• Served on the School Safety Committee as Truancy Co-ordinator, Investigative Officer, and Holiday Security Programme Co-ordinator.
• Integrated AI tools including Claude, Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Gemini into daily lesson preparation, assessment design, and professional administration to scale output efficiency.

Remote Online Educator — Life Skills & Social Sciences at Seat Academy (2021-06 – 2022-01)

• Owned Customer Onboarding and virtual engagement strategy for multi-tiered remote user segments via Zoom, driving a consistent track record of user retention and account satisfaction.
• Managed virtual classrooms independently, maintaining learner engagement and discipline in an online environment.
• Built digital delivery workflows and feedback loops to track user success metrics, ensuring interactive retention strategies were seamlessly executed across remote operational environments.
• Communicated regularly with learners and parents remotely, providing progress updates and managing expectations professionally.
• Developed and maintained internal documentation systems to support academic moderation and quality assurance.

Administrative & Operations Assistant (Contractual) at Faculty of Education, Nelson Mandela University — School for Initial Teacher Education (2017-02 – 2019-11)

• Orchestrated frontline Customer Success Strategy at the Faculty PR Desk, acting as the primary operational backbone for incoming accounts, needs assessments, and cross-departmental coordination.
• Managed daily email correspondence on behalf of the Faculty — handling incoming calls, mail, and requests from lecturers, students, and external stakeholders.
• Co-ordinated venue and equipment bookings — managing correspondence between lecturers and available facilities, issuing equipment, and preparing staff rooms.
• Handled sensitive student information with strict confidentiality in compliance with institutional data privacy requirements.

Customer Service Representative — Service Desk at Woolworths (2015-11 – 2016-01)

• Managed Churn Management, client complaints, and secure account processing at a fast-paced corporate service desk, ensuring exceptional customer satisfaction and long-term loyalty.
• Sourced and ordered products from other stores on behalf of clients, managing the full process from request to delivery confirmation.
• Maintained a professional, warm, and patient manner with all customers including elderly clients requiring additional assistance.

Degree / Qualification: Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) — Intermediate & Senior Phase

Institution: Nelson Mandela University (NMU), South Africa

Key Highlights: Specialized in English First Additional Language (EFAL) and Social Sciences. Graduated with an elite focus on curriculum deployment, modern assessment frameworks, and instructional psychology.