Summary
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Additional Information
Languages
Personal interests
Timeline
Generic
Elena Diato

Elena Diato

Milan

Summary

Committed Humanitarian Practitioner skilled in developing and executing strategies, managing budgets and resources, and leading cross-functional teams. Wears many hats to accomplish dynamic objectives. Ready to apply 10+ years of experience to new professional challenges with an environmental-oriented organization.

Work History

Deputy Country Director for Programmes

WeWorld
11.2020 - 12.2022
  • Led and supervised all projects, ensuring quality, accountability, and development of Programme Department.
  • Definition of Country Strategy and redaction of project proposals through coordination of senior managers.
  • Supervised set-up and operation of the Monitoring & Evaluation (MEAL) Department.
  • Oversaw all operations, coordinating and prioritizing actions of support departments (HR, Procurement, Logistics).
  • Formed strategic partnerships in key sectors and maintained relations with external donors.

Water Program Manager and Technical Advisor

GVC
02.2016 - 12.2022
  • Managed 5 multi-year and multi-million water projects, from inception to final reporting
  • Led all project components (infrastructure, institutional capacity building, community engagement) ensuring identification and dissemination of best practices
  • Supervised environmental impact assessments, technical designs, and procurement
  • Designed and developed activities and projects in line with donors, stakeholders, and personnel recommendations.
  • Addressed and resolved technical, financial, and operational concerns by working with team members and directors.

Water and Sanitation Project Manager

Action Contre La Faim
05.2014 - 07.2015
  • Led all project components from inception to final reporting, including modification of scope and activities.
  • Identified plans and resources required to meet project goals and objectives in a highly volatile context.
  • Piloted cost-effective techniques for boreholes' rehabilitation, new in the country
  • Developed new initiatives related to gender and disability inclusion, to improve service delivery for all community members.
  • Addressed and resolved technical, financial, and operational concerns leveraging on the experience of team members.

Water and Sanitation Expert

CESVI
05.2011 - 12.2013
    • Led several projects, from proposal design to final reporting, coordinating human resources, procurement, and logistics within budget requirements.
    • Monitored project performance to identify areas of improvement and make adjustments for context challenges (such as epidemics, armed conflicts, etc.).
    • Coordinated with cross-functional teams to create tools for planning, procurement, and activities supervision
    • Provided detailed technical supervision and operational direction to quickly intervene in mistakes or delays.

Public Health Consultant

Oxfam Italia (UCODEP)
03.2011 - 05.2011
  • Designed and delivered Water and Sanitation courses for Indigenous University.
  • Set up of hospital water analysis lab including officers' training

Wash Technician

CESVI
06.2010 - 10.2010

Internship, feasibility study for introduction of Manual Drilling Techniques

Project Coordinator

Social Cooperative “Il Fontanile”
01.2007 - 06.2010

Fundraising, organization of activities and volunteers in the "Spare Time" service for people with severe disabilities

Education

M.D. - Land Use, Water Management in Developing Countries

University of Milan Bicocca
Italy
11.2010

Bachelor of Science - Physics

University of Milan
Italy
04.2009

Skills

  • Analytical and Strategic Thinking
  • Operations Management
  • Proposal development and fundraising
  • Policy and procedure improvements
  • Strategic planning and execution
  • Hostile environment and security operation
  • Financial and Resource Management
  • Project Management and Team Leading
  • Environmental analysis and footprint calculation

Certification

Gender & Humanitarian Action (IASC, 2013)

Engaging Citizens: A Game Changer for Development? (World Bank, 2017)

Evaluating Social Programs (World Bank, 2020)

Hostile environment awareness training (SAFE Foundation, 2021)

Dam removal and river restoration (Massachusetts River Institute, 2024)

Additional Information

Technical design: Autocad, Epanet, WaterGems, SketchUp

Publication: Photoshop, Publisher, Pinnacle, Première

Programming: Fortran, R, C, C++, LaTeX, R

GIS: ArcGIS, ArcMap, GVSig

Data analysis and visualization: PowerBi, Tableau, R, SNA

Languages

French
Advanced (C1)
Italian
Bilingual or Proficient (C2)
English
Advanced (C1)
Spanish
Upper intermediate (B2)

Personal interests

  • Facilitation of Workshops on Climate crisis (Climate Fresk, 2tonnes, Digital Impact...)
  • Slow traveling (donkey hiking across Italy)
  • Climbing
  • Agroecology and sustainable farming

Timeline

Deputy Country Director for Programmes

WeWorld
11.2020 - 12.2022

Water Program Manager and Technical Advisor

GVC
02.2016 - 12.2022

Water and Sanitation Project Manager

Action Contre La Faim
05.2014 - 07.2015

Water and Sanitation Expert

CESVI
05.2011 - 12.2013

Public Health Consultant

Oxfam Italia (UCODEP)
03.2011 - 05.2011

Wash Technician

CESVI
06.2010 - 10.2010

Project Coordinator

Social Cooperative “Il Fontanile”
01.2007 - 06.2010

M.D. - Land Use, Water Management in Developing Countries

University of Milan Bicocca

Bachelor of Science - Physics

University of Milan
Elena Diato