Operations & People Development

Julia Illanes

I build the structure that lets people, projects, and organizations thrive.

I coordinate projects and events, deliver large-scale processes, and coach people - the things I do best, and the things I like doing most.

Portrait of Julia Illanes
10x membership growth at a community organization
250+ people trained across a 3-country SAP rollout
150 attendees at annual conferences planned end-to-end
6 mo office relocation led end-to-end, full ownership

About me

Structure and people, in equal measure


I'm the person who turns a good idea into something that actually happens, on time, within budget, and with the right people in the room. Over the past several years I've coordinated international SAP rollouts, grown a community from a small group into a movement 10 times its size, as well as trained and coached people to do their best work.

I hold a Master's in Business Administration and an ICF-Standard coaching qualification, and I move fluently between structure and people. Most organizations are missing one or the other. I believe in staying curious, in doing the work with consistency rather than shortcuts, and in genuinely listening to the people I work with.

Experience

Grouped by what I do, not by chronology


Event & Community Building

NoMo Social · Event Coordinator · Nov 2024 – present

Recurring events for 100–200 guests, end to end: budget, vendors, volunteers, and the operations behind them. Membership grew tenfold.

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  • Coordinate recurring socials, book clubs, and festivals for 100–200 guests, from vendors and volunteers to run-of-show.
  • Helped to grow organization's membership 10x since taking over coordination.
  • Run social media, ticketing, and website operations.
Crew at a NoMo Social event.

Large-Scale Project Coordination

Mettler-Toledo · Project Coordinator · Oct 2023 – Oct 2024

A year-long SAP implementation across Sweden, Denmark and Norway: UAT coordination, defect tracking, and training for 250+ users.

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  • Coordinated SAP training and business simulations for 250+ users across Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
  • Ran the User Acceptance Testing phase: test cases, defect reporting, status reports, and follow-up meetings.
  • Led preparations for the Cutover and Hypercare phases, and planned annual company conferences for 150 people.
  • Provided executive and administrative support to project leadership and the management team.
Project launch, EU-10 Blue Ocean Program, Nordics team.

People Development & Coaching

ICF coach · Business Coach (self-employed) & Bromma KFUM · 2021 – 2023

Coaching individuals and teams, plus a training program built and delivered for organizational leaders.

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  • Coached individuals and companies on business development, career, and personal growth.
  • Built and delivered training programs and courses for leaders at Bromma KFUM.
  • Designed and ran workshops for personal and professional development.

Operations & Office Leadership

Bromma KFUM · Administrator & Project Assistant · Aug 2021 – Oct 2022

Led a six-month office relocation across three premises, planning, renovation, procurement, and systems, alongside daily operations.

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  • Led a complex office relocation end-to-end over 6 months: archiving, renovation, procurement of furniture, tech, and interiors.
  • Ran daily operations across 3 sites: access systems, vendors, property contacts, and visitor experience.
  • Owned seasonal program operations: recruiting and training leaders, online processes, invoicing, and member contact.

Product & Process

Enkla Financial · Product Owner · Apr 2018 – May 2020

Turned user needs into a prioritized backlog and shipped features, translating between technical and business teams.

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  • Owned and prioritized the product backlog with the team and stakeholders.
  • Coordinated user testing, quality assurance, and feature launches between technical and business teams.
  • Mapped processes to find improvements and ran internal trainings on them.

Values

What I stand for


Structure that serves people

I build systems and plans that make work easier for everyone around me. If a process doesn't do that, I change it. It's what let a six-month office relocation and a three-country SAP rollout land smoothly.

Growth through consistency

Real growth comes from showing up and doing the work well, week after week. It's how a small community organization grew ten times over on my watch.

People development

I invest in helping people get better at what they do. My coaching qualification and the training programs I've built and delivered are both an expression of that.


Adaptability

I've moved across different roles and industries and gotten fluent fast in each one. I bring that same speed and openness into any new team or challenge.

Empathy & communication

I coordinate, coach, and lead the same way: figure out what people actually need, and make sure they feel heard.

Curiosity & innovation

There's almost always a better way to do something. Finding it is the part I enjoy.

Skills

What I bring to a team


Coordination & Operations
Project coordination
A year-long SAP rollout across three countries.
Event coordination
Recurring events for 100–200 guests, end to end.
Budgeting & procurement
Mapping and reworking processes at Enkla to find what actually needed fixing.
Office & Administration
Office & facilities
Three premises at Bromma KFUM, plus a six-month relocation led end to end.
Contracts, invoicing & procurement
Contract handling, purchasing, and payments.
Vendor & supplier relations
Property owners, contractors, and suppliers, as the main point of contact.
People
Coaching ICF-STANDARD
Individuals and teams, since 2021.
Training & onboarding
250+ users trained through a system change.
Recruitment & facilitation
Hiring support and workshop facilitation.

Education

Analytical and human, by training


2006 – 2011

Master's in Business Administration

State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, St. Petersburg


Taught me to look at the whole organization, not just my side of it, which is why I want the full context before I take on a task.

2021 – 2022

ICF-Accredited Coaching Certification

ACSTH · Coaching Mastery, Integrative Approach


Taught me to ask questions and understand needs before advising or acting. That habit runs through my project work and daily operations just as much as it runs through my coaching.

Interests & passions

Curiosity is the red thread

A hunger for exploration and self-discovery, learning new things, and rebuilding my worldview as I go. Everything below comes out of that.


Reading & research

Deep-diving into the topics I'm curious about. Psychology, evolutionary biology, meditation and many others.

Music and dance

Resting my mind with my favorite tunes.

Julia on stage with a microphone

Creative pursuits

Restoring furniture, and whatever else I can find at a thrift store.

Julia on a bike ride through the forest

Physical activity

Weightlifting and rock climbing, ideally in good company.

Let's get acquainted!

Get to know me


Video introduction

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Testimonials

What people say


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Contact

Let's talk

Looking for someone who brings structure, warmth, and momentum to your team? I'd love to hear from you.

Stockholm, Sweden