Paola Palacio Aranza
Verified Expert in Management Consulting
Management Consulting Expert
Mexico City, Mexico
Toptal member since June 7, 2022
Paola is a results-driven management consultant with over 20 years of experience, specializing in empowering people as the key drivers of change. She leads high-performing teams, streamlines processes, and delivers exceptional results. With expertise in retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and global shared services, Paola aligns strategy and operations with team dynamics to drive growth and transformation. Her focus on people creates lasting, impactful change.
Career Highlights
Education Highlights
Certification Highlights
Case Studies
Brand Differentiation
From Chaos to Consistency: Scaling Success in a Rapidly Growing Coffee Shop Chain
Change from a Manual Process to a Software as a Service Automatic System
Expertise
- Business Strategy
- COO
- Executive Coaching
- Human Capital Strategy
- Leadership
- Management Consulting
- Mentorship & Coaching
- Negotiation
Work Experience
Senior Director of Operations and Customer Experiance
Grupo Rijoci
- Developed a customer service support platform leveraging ChatGPT, enabling employees with minimal training to provide after-sales technical support, improving response times by 30% and customer satisfaction by 20%.
- Negotiated a franchise model with a key client, boosting sales and brand exposure by 30%, with projections for a 20% monthly increase in revenue.
- Opened multiple retail locations, strategically positioned to maximize foot traffic and brand visibility, driving a 25% increase in sales within the first quarter.
- Led the development and growth of key departments, including People & Culture, Logistics, Customer Experience, Retail Sales, and After-Sales Support, driving cross-functional alignment and operational excellence across the organization.
Operational Excellence Consultant
Freelance
- Conducted assessments of company operations to identify areas for improvement.
- Designed and implemented operational improvement plans.
- Provided guidance on process standardization and cost control.
- Developed and executed growth strategies for clients.
- Collaborated with clients to ensure a successful implementation of recommendations.
Entrepreneur and Business Manager
Ideas
- Led business development efforts and brand development.
- Managed and motivated a diverse team to enhance productivity.
- Developed short and long-term plans to drive company growth.
- Identified new opportunities and set strategic objectives.
- Maintained financial discipline through budget management.
- Ensured compliance with legal guidelines and policies.
- Successfully initiated operations in Costa Rica, managing a $60,000 budget within a 3-month period.
Business Manager and Startup Leader
High Technology Solutions
- Provided leadership and direction for company operations.
- Led cross-functional teams in executing growth strategies.
- Evaluated employee performance and implemented improvement plans.
- Developed and managed comprehensive budgets.
- Ensured compliance with legal requirements.
- Oversaw resource allocation and optimization.
- Spearheaded the opening of operations in Costa Rica, managing a $140,000 budget within an 8-month period.
Production Engineering Leader
Baxter International
- Spearheaded high-volume production lines overseeing 140 employees, optimizing efficiency.
- Ensured compliance with FDA regulations for medical device manufacturing.
- Engineered resource optimization initiatives, driving production output, machine performance, and ergonomic improvements.
- Orchestrated the successful implementation of process enhancements, including robotic integration.
- Gained distinction for contributing to the recognition of the best production line during the initial semester of 2004.
Inventory Management Analyst
Hanes Brands
- Oversaw the comprehensive supply chain process, optimizing product ordering, storing, and distribution.
- Orchestrated meticulous inventory control, employing analytical audits to ensure compliance and accuracy.
- Developed and implemented corrective measures to bridge discrepancies and enhance logistics efficiency.
- Spearheaded annual production inventory across diverse levels and plants, driving process optimization.
Strategic Communications and Quality Assurance Specialist
Sykes
- Crafted and executed effective communications strategies, fostering improved organizational network interactions.
- Managed internal communications, deploying memos, newsletters, and interactive communication boards.
- Pioneered the creation of the first internal company newspaper, fostering improved employee engagement.
- Conceptualized and implemented employee-centric spaces, enhancing breaks and relaxation environments.
- Led the execution of an employee satisfaction program, enabling effective idea communication.
- Played a vital role in the COPC certification implementation team.
Education
Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering
International University of the Americas - San Jose, Costa Rica
Certifications
Executive Coach
International Association of Professions Career College
Change Management Specialist
Management and Strategy Institute
Pricing Strategy
Six Sigma Foundations
A3 Problem Solving for Continuous Improvement
Scrum Master
TestDome
Remote Work Revolution for Everyone
Harvard University
Storytelling in the Workplace
Rochester Institute of Technology
Strategic Management
Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Managing a Restaurant
Musmanni
Problem-solving and Decision Making
Kepner-Tregoe
Project Management
Kepner-Tregoe
Customs Procedures
PROCOMER
Skills
Industry Expertise
Industrial & Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma
Finance
Pricing, Market Research, Financial Modeling
Other
Employee Communication, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Negotiation, Administration, Change Management, Human Resources (HR), Training & Training Content Development, Inventory, Administrative Procedures, Continuous Improvement, Process Design, Customer Experience, Project Management, Business Operations, Organizational Design, Operational Excellence, Business Process Flow (BPF), Business Process Management (BPM), Executive Coaching, Process Improvement, Inventory Management, Human Capital Strategy, Learning, Mentorship & Coaching, Operating Models, Target Operating Models, Business Management, Business Strategy, Process Mapping, Process Flows, Digital Transformation, Digital Strategy, Management Consulting, Operations, Warehouse Management System (WMS), Supply Chain, Business Development, Storytelling, Brand Identity, Branding, Chief Operations Officer (COO), Growth Strategy, COO, Organizational Change Management (OCM), Market Segmentation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Projects, Psychology, Asset Quality Review, Production, Quality Control (QC), Head Hunting, Startups, Information Logistics, Decision Analysis, Restaurant Operations, Strategy, Business, Communication, Management, Training, Agile, Scrum, Scrum Master, Six Sigma, Stress Resistance, Resource Management, Internal Communications, People Management, Logistics & Warehousing, Retail Strategy, Customer Experience Management, Customer Service Support, CX Strategy, Organizational Development, Brand Strategy, Operational Efficiency Improvement, Leadership Coaching, Customer Experience Strategy, Conflict Resolution, Strategic Planning, Stakeholder Management, Team Leadership, Brand Positioning, Client Relationship Management
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