Sterling Blackheart
San Diego
Summary
Driven, dynamic, and innovative professional with 30+ years of progressive career experience. Excel even under pressure in fast-paced, competitive settings that call for adaptability and flexibility. Call on a proactive and resourceful nature to mesh big-picture concepts with hands-on project plans that seek to optimize constituency assets. Advocate for the use of cutting-edge strategic platforms, and technical processes and programs that promise hard-hitting results to advance corporate objectives. Thrive in team settings or as an independent contributor with rugged, indirect management skills. Now in search of an Agile Coach role that will call on transferable skills and allow for continued career progression. Multi-talented associate director applies several years of experience in operations. Manages diverse business areas with eye for efficiency and quality.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director - Agile Transformation
LTIMindtree
01.2024 - Current
- Executed on SAFe Implementation Roadmap and Lean Agile Center of Excellence.
- Developed a long-term strategy to transform organization to SAFe, an agile mindset, and necessary methodologies.
- Analyzed organization's existing infrastructure and implemented improvements (Delta 3) to progressively streamline processes and create efficiencies.
- Provided individual and group mentoring in SAFe Scrum, SAFe DevOps, SAFe Values and Principles, etc.
- Created and led agile workshops (Value Stream Mapping, PI Planning, Working Agreements, etc) for Agile Release Trains, development teams, functional teams, and stakeholders.
- Mentored and guided leadership & employees in how to figure out the best solutions for their specific domain and departmental challenges.
- Implemented Lean Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) as custodians of Agile ways of working.
- Shared best practices and community, provide coaching and learnings for all internal agilests, operated as scrum of scrums, addressed Business Agility skill & knowledge gaps, and to deliver on shared expertise and activities to support continuous improvements.
- Created dashboards, scorecards, and other intelligence tools.
- Provided strategical communications for transparency to leadership.
- Regularly measure team productivity and provide feedback.
Sr. Consultant/Agile Coach
Coppei
01.2021 - 01.2022
- Contribute actively within the DAI & MTO organization to lead coaching efforts, as well as devise Agile standards and best practices.
- Join with PMO to introduce changes in working processes, fueling a slow adoption via a trial period.
- Refine backlog using portfolio, product, release, sprint and daily planning processes.
- Fuel the success of sprints, partnering with management and stakeholders to protect teams from the unrestrained injection of work changes.
- Identify and eliminate impediments to achieve swift resolution.
- Integral to developing release process and Agile release train.
- Brought to life a strategic planning process spanning from initiative to tasks, along with workback schedule(s) and fixed target dates.
- Shaped and defined the JIRA Administration to adhere to industry standards, calling on a 'less is more' mentality to allow for freedom of innovation and minimize the use of prescribed approaches.
- Coached and motivated three Data Science and Engineering Teams in cross-functional Agile practices, achieving 93% on-target commitment delivery.
Business Operations PM/ Agile Coach
Collabera
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Developed viable business operations across the Global Marketing Division, transitioning its transformation business model from channel-based to customer-centered.
- Coached and trained the organization on Agile methodologies and developed Agile teams to guarantee effective organizational outcomes, leading the organization during implementation.
- Managed SAFe methodologies, serving as a change agent and documenting best practices.
- Brought to life Agile Marketing methodologies for eight teams.
- Formulated a strategic planning process to implement against a Balanced Scorecard in four organizations.
Release Manager/Agile Coach
Saint Di
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Directed all facets of the Release Management lifecycle encompassing scheduling, organization and release management throughout the enterprise for applications across portfolios.
- Guided the release processes from code through to the development, test and production environments.
- Joined with Tech Leads and Product Owners to produce a Release Calendar.
- Integral to implementing the Atlassian suite, ensuring integration with the release process.
- Created scalable release across teams and divisions, centralizing efforts to bolster shared resource efficiency.
- Leveraged this standardized scalable Agile process to recruit new hires and assess staff performance cutting recruitment time by more than half and enhancing performance by 300%.
Director of Business Operations
Saint Di
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Developed corporate objectives and policies, revamping and migrating an in-house product application.
- Oversaw the progress of domestic and European branch expansion.
- Crafted a new business model to restructure the company.
- Set into motion a business model conducive to solution delivery and outsourcing.
- Created recruitment standard operating procedures (SOPs) to improve client SLAs.
- Brought to life Standards of Engineering and Agile Transformation.
Principal Business Operations & Strategist/ Agile Coach
Starbucks
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Created Agile framework to foster cross-departmental harmony.
- Alignment.
- Guided risk mitigation efforts, resolving blockers in the process.
- Led organizational planning and business rhythm development.
- Devised an Agile Business Model within a marketing technology platform, leading adoption of methodologies.
- Fueled the Mobile Order Pay Team to grow from a $2M to $12M revenue stream within 10 months.
Agile Coach
Experis
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Conferred with Product Owner and Development Teams to note, document and size user stories and acceptance criteria, defining the minimal viable product.
- Teamed with the Product Owner to prioritize the product backlog and sprint backlogs.
- Oversaw the release/sprint roadmap, planning for Sprint 0.
- Guided the team through all ceremonies and releases.
- Created a semi-automated weekly reporting system to increase work items' visibility with executive summaries.
- Increased maturation across the Business Intelligence chasm from spreadmart to datamart.
- Devised a 'Demo Day' review process allowing seven teams to present their top 1-2 developed items in a sprint to executives, Business Owners, Product Owners and other organization members.
Senior Security Operations Program Manager
Microsoft
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Managed infrastructure security and compliance for GFS customers.
- Collaborated with stakeholders and Microsoft Product Groups to achieve security, compliance, and reliability objectives.
- Implemented a centralized business model to enhance operational efficiencies across the organization.
- Developed a semi-automated weekly reporting system that provided visibility into work items.
- Facilitated transition from spreadmart to datamart to improve Business Intelligence capabilities.
Security & Compliance Program Manager
Prithvi Catalytic-Microsoft
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Executed business modeling and rhythm of business for Security and Compliance in O365 SharePoint.
Designed and improved security policies for 2.6M users in MS Cloud environment. - Established Agile methodologies within a single product line, expanding implementation across the suite.
Directed Security Initiatives from inception to sustained engineering support. - Created secure device model allowing secure terminal connectivity to production environments.
- Facilitated cross-team collaboration by centralizing security efforts at organizational level.
Global Operations Program Manager
Prithvi Catalytic-Microsoft
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Established planning model prioritizing global standards in quality and project management.
- Designed and implemented executive project portfolio tracking tool, increasing global adoption.
- Facilitated approach to enhance clarity on strategic objectives and planning initiatives.
- Reduced total programs from 130 to 55, streamlining focus on customer Lifetime Loyalty.
- Delivered monthly reporting and analysis on Segment Health and Quality Performance.
- Analyzed Impact vs. Effort, ensuring alignment with executive priorities and status assessments.
Operations Manager (Business Intelligence)
Microsoft
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Managed Business Intelligence staff of 10, delivering data consultation and reports to CSS, PG, and BG.
- Coordinated database management with GCS Biz Ops team and BI Platform Administrators.
- Implemented successful BI applications including reporting, analytics, dashboards, and metrics.
- Standardized BI framework and methodology across teams for consistent adoption.
- Utilized TDWI Assessment process to roadmap BI maturation and delivery model.
- Evaluated Business Intelligence architecture, culture, stewardship, value & cost, and technology positions.
- Developed end-to-end BI self-discovery process to enhance delivery effectiveness.
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Business Transfer
Bellevue Community College
Bellevue, WA06-2004
Some College (No Degree) - Economics
Columbia University
New York, NYSkills
- Agile Transformation
- Agile methodologies
- SAFe implementation
- Value stream mapping
- JIRA administration
- Team coaching
- Stakeholder engagement
- Process improvement
- Business agility
- Strategic planning
- Data analysis
- Work prioritization
- Change management
- Effective communication
- Mentoring leadership
- Operations management
- Onboarding and training
- Performance evaluations
- MS office
- Diversity and inclusion initiatives
- Fiscal oversight
- Staff scheduling
- Systems development
- Project management
- Resources allocation
- Event planning
- Schedule coordination
- Public speaking
- Scrum
- Project Management
- Relationship building
- Hiring and training
- Key relationship management
- Crisis management
- Technical implementation
- Decision-making
- Strategic leadership
- Verbal and written communication
- Reporting and documentation
- Coaching and mentoring
- Organizational development
- Product management
- Recruiting and interviewing
- Project methodology
- Key relationship development
- Financial leadership
- Program development
- Budget management
- Corporate governance
- Contract negotiation
- Budgeting expertise
- Negotiation
- Staff coordination
- Team operations
- Consulting
- Storyboard development
- Contract management
- Business planning
- Employee relations
- Business administration
- Regulatory compliance
- Work Planning and Prioritization
- Expense control
- Corporate communications
- Professional networking
- Team collaboration and leadership
- Analytical thinking
- Critical thinking
Roles And Responsibilities
- Senior Security Operations Program Manager, Microsoft, 01/01/13, 12/31/15
- Security & Compliance Program Manager, Prithvi Catalytic-Microsoft, 01/01/12, 12/31/13
- Operations Process Manager, Prithvi Catalytic-Microsoft, 01/01/12, 12/31/12
- Global Operations Program Manager, Prithvi Catalytic-Microsoft, 01/01/10, 12/31/12
- Operations Quality Program Manager, Allyis Inc.-Microsoft, 01/01/10, 12/31/10
- Operations Manager (Business Intelligence), Microsoft, 01/01/09, 12/31/10
- Operations Program Manager, Microsoft, 01/01/07, 12/31/09
Affiliations
- San Diego Pride
- Competitive Endurance Runner
- Jeweler and Artist
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Associate Director - Agile Transformation
LTIMindtree
01.2024 - Current
Sr. Consultant/Agile Coach
Coppei
01.2021 - 01.2022
Business Operations PM/ Agile Coach
Collabera
01.2020 - 01.2021
Release Manager/Agile Coach
Saint Di
01.2019 - 01.2020
Director of Business Operations
Saint Di
01.2019 - 01.2020
Principal Business Operations & Strategist/ Agile Coach
Starbucks
01.2019 - 01.2020
Agile Coach
Experis
01.2019 - 01.2020
Senior Security Operations Program Manager
Microsoft
01.2013 - 01.2015
Security & Compliance Program Manager
Prithvi Catalytic-Microsoft
01.2012 - 01.2013
Global Operations Program Manager
Prithvi Catalytic-Microsoft
01.2010 - 01.2012
Operations Manager (Business Intelligence)
Microsoft
01.2009 - 01.2010
Associate of Applied Science - Business Transfer
Bellevue Community College
Some College (No Degree) - Economics
Columbia University
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