Ante Rejo, Product Manager in Split, Croatia
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Ante Rejo

Verified Expert  in Product Management

Bio

Ante is a seasoned professional who excels in streamlining operations and enhancing business processes through the fusion of technology and data. He has over 13 years of software development, data analysis, product management, and team leadership expertise. Ante empowers organizations to spearhead crucial projects, construct exemplary products, and navigate the realms of technology, innovation, and strategic expansion.

Project Highlights

Financial Transaction and Invoicing System Startup
Founded a digital retail startup by developing financial transaction and invoicing software for retail stores and agencies using Java and PHP. Marketed the product, secured sales, and delivered continuous 24/7 customer support.
Ludum (Formerly Rowe.rs)
Oversaw the product development of the coaching platform's new version, offering some outstanding features.
X24Factory
Conceptualized, architected, and executed a new iteration of an innovative online furniture store, attracting 1+ million unique visitors per month and increasing site performance by 40%.

Expertise

  • Agile Product Delivery
  • Cross-functional Collaboration
  • Data Analysis
  • Jira
  • Product Ownership
  • SQL
  • Team Management
  • Technical Product Management

Work Experience

Manager, Business Operations

2022 - 2024
Toptal
  • Headed a globally distributed team, including a project manager, business analyst, and enablement manager, to drive scaling and growth initiatives at Toptal.
  • Collaborated cross-functionally with product, business operations, engineering, design, and legal teams on driving conversion, customer retention, and service quality of Toptal's matching team.
  • Handled the end-to-end implementation of new business processes and frameworks that reduced the workload of 60 staff members by 25%.
  • Drove critical business optimization projects and developed operational strategies in an organization with $200 million in annual revenue and a continuous hypergrowth mode.

Product Operations Manager

2019 - 2022
Toptal
  • Liaised with cross-functional teams, including product, sales, operations, engineering, and business analytics, to ideate, scope, and execute projects with critical business impact that generated significant revenue.
  • Headed and executed 50+ strategic product initiatives, employing tools like SQL, Excel, Jira, and Confluence, enabling the organization to make data-driven decisions and increase operational efficiency to meet target KPIs.
  • Steered the enablement strategy of new product releases and operational frameworks, ensuring the seamless rollout of training, processes, and tools across 100+ team members.

Director of Engineering

2018 - 2020
Toptal
  • Helped over 200 clients, comprising startups, businesses, and organizations, by matching them with the exclusive network of the best engineering experts in the world.
  • Evaluated and quantified the business impact of long-term projects. Helped clients translate requirements into actionable deliverables while performing feature discovery, estimation, and prioritization.
  • Gathered and assessed project requirements, provided technical guidance, and consulted clients on the best direction for project development.
  • Organized the communication needed for remote work and executed the initial scope and business analysis, helping clients improve their remote workflows.
  • Met target KPIs in conversion and speed month over month, landing in the top 10% performing team members and leading to a subsequent promotion.

Project Architect | Lead Developer (via Toptal)

2018 - 2018
X24Factory
  • Architected and developed a new version of a furniture store using Nuxt for JavaScript server-side rendering, the Vue framework with Vuex store, and multiple RESTful API services.
  • Oversaw a team of four and coordinated with multiple other teams to achieve the most efficient task planning.
  • Implemented multiple external API services and a headless, browser-based content management system.
  • Built the integration with the Algolia search platform. Configured and created several custom components for managing indices and displaying search results.
  • Executed language configuration and localization to serve multiple versions of the site based on the domain.
  • Developed a search engine optimization (SEO) friendly single-page app, focusing on refactoring the components by reducing the number of requests for better site optimization.

Lead Front-end Developer (via Toptal)

2017 - 2017
Rowe.rs Limited (now Ludum)
  • Architected and developed a new version of the Rowe.rs sports platform using the Vue framework and leveraging a RESTful API service.
  • Built an authentication module and a dedicated JavaScript package for user signup and registration using OAuth2 tokens.
  • Created an event calendar system with additional features like drag-and-drop creation, auto-updating, event synchronization, and custom calendar views.
  • Implemented a detailed sports results entry and overview system, including parsing imported JSON files and visualizing GPS data using interactive charts and graphs.
  • Developed a messaging system for better user communication throughout the app, including file, image, and video attachments.
  • Designed and implemented a modularized state management system with Vuex, which various app components used.

Full-stack Software Developer (via Toptal)

2017 - 2017
Content Launch
  • Built integrations using 3-legged OAuth2 with 3rd-party services such as HubSpot, Google Drive, Analytics, LinkedIn, Mailchimp, and Dropbox.
  • Developed an application subscription module that uses the Stripe API integration to make new and manage existing user subscriptions and plans.
  • Rewrote the existing PHP and Backbone.js legacy code to Vue 2 components and new API endpoints.
  • Created a content export module for converting and downloading user content as Word and PDF documents.

Senior Software Developer (via Toptal)

2016 - 2017
AD Lifestyle Network
  • Migrated several websites and led the management system to a managed virtual private server (VPS).
  • Implemented a 3rd-party API for user input verification using Ajax.
  • Fixed multiple issues with caching plugins, data storage, and environment variables.
  • Modified and updated an existing PHP template engine configuration.
  • Worked on a custom CRM lead management system and optimized content landing pages.

Senior Software Developer

2015 - 2017
Coda J.d.o.o.
  • Developed and worked on several custom management and marketing systems.
  • Built a Laravel-based custom-designed web crawler app for search indexing, collecting, sorting, and displaying results.
  • Worked with the Luminati proxy network API and rewrote the existing PHP application for work through a proxy.
  • Created a headless browser with PhantomJS, which collects sets of dynamic web content.
  • Constructed a URL builder with a user interface for managing advertisement campaign parameters on platforms like Yahoo, Taboola, and Outbrain.
  • Engineered a custom RSS feed builder for a marketing website with multiple exporting options.
  • Contributed to multiple WordPress sites by creating themes and plugins, implementing new features, and redesigning existing sites.
  • Implemented a header-bidding framework used on a publishers' site for running pre-bidding and advertisement auctions.
  • Designed relational databases and developed and maintained MySQL migration scripts.

Software Engineer

2013 - 2015
Static
  • Developed a custom web-based financial transaction software for sales management, income control, and connecting with receipt authorization services.
  • Designed and deployed multiple custom CMS-based travel agency websites with features like a travel reservation system, booking calendars, and payment tracking.
  • Created a subscription system for a rent-a-car agency newsletter.
  • Built a point-of-sale (POS) application based on the Openbravo Java platform and created a configurable payment module for the client.
  • Wrote script for handling X.509 digitally-signed documents, with the ability to modify signatures and certificates through a GUI.
  • Devised an XML and CSV document parser in PHP to import various data formats into an online CMS.
  • Integrated the JSON Web Token authentication through a REST API on multiple online stores and systems.

Software Engineer

2010 - 2013
Freelance Work
  • Created an open-source temporary mailbox script with PHP for receiving emails from random addresses.
  • Built a web-based system application that handles user-group authorization and student grades for a local university. Created an API to allow integration into an existing faculty system.
  • Rearchitected a large multi-user application using MVC coding style. Wrote a module for interacting with Microsoft SQL DB on a Linux server.
  • Designed a complete CMS solution and a website for a motorcycle dealer company.
  • Customized procedural logic and modified existing features in a PHP invoicing app.
  • Developed an API interface for a multiplatform app used by rent-a-car agencies to manage and share in-house vehicle data.

Project History

Toptal's Matching Process Optimization

http://toptal.com

Spearheaded a multidisciplinary team that provides strategy and operations management support to Toptal's organization, helping the matching team increase operational efficiency and meet OKRs.

I managed the scoping, prioritization, and execution of multiple revenue-generating projects by collaborating closely with cross-functional teams in operations, product, engineering, and sales, significantly improving the team's conversion, speed, and efficiency.

Financial Transaction and Invoicing System Startup

Founded a digital retail startup by developing financial transaction and invoicing software for retail stores and agencies using Java and PHP. Marketed the product, secured sales, and delivered continuous 24/7 customer support.

I created a custom web-based financial transaction software for retail sales management, income control, and connecting with a government receipt authorization service. I led the project development of the new software solution on two distinct platforms: desktop and web. I also met tight deadlines in product development and ensured timely delivery of new product iterations within the defined budget.

Ludum (Formerly Rowe.rs)

https://ludum.com/

Oversaw the product development of the coaching platform's new version, offering some outstanding features.

Ludum is a sports platform for rowers, both coaches and athletes, to manage their training programs and data and communicate effectively. I managed a team of four engineers while implementing advanced GPS tracking and event calendar systems, which resulted in the real-time visualization of rowers' positions during competitions and enhanced training scheduling in less than 30 seconds. While providing leadership and technical guidance to the team, I facilitated their upskilling in Vue and Node.js and helped them transition to more senior roles within six months.

X24Factory

https://www.moebel24.de/

Conceptualized, architected, and executed a new iteration of an innovative online furniture store, attracting 1+ million unique visitors per month and increasing site performance by 40%.

I managed a team of four engineers in rearchitecting and rebuilding Moebel24's existing internet presence while leading the development of two complementary home furniture websites, moebel24.de and hometiger.com.

Content Launch

https://contentlaunch.com/

Participated in developing contentlaunch.com, a content marketing platform for digital agencies and small- and medium-sized businesses.

Content Launch is the first content marketing platform focused on entrepreneurs, content producers, influencers, and thought leaders. I helped create the initial version of the platform by leading the implementation of critical integrations with various external services such as Stripe, LinkedIn, and Google Drive.

Education

2014 - 2016

Master's Degree in Computer Science

University of Split, FESB - Split, Croatia

2008 - 2011

Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Computer Science

University of Split, FESB - Split, Croatia

Certifications

JULY 2024 - PRESENT

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Six Sigma Academy Amsterdam

AUGUST 2023 - PRESENT

Google Data Analytics Professional

Google | via Coursera

Skills

Tools

Asana, Slack, Jira, Zoom, Trello, Confluence, Amazon Cognito, Tableau

Paradigms

Agile Software Development, Agile, Web Architecture, Agile Product Management, Requirements Analysis, Scrum, Six Sigma

Platforms

Monday.com

Other

Software Development, Data Analysis, Agile Product Delivery, Cross-functional Collaboration, Product Management, Project Management, Feature Backlog Prioritization, Technical Product Management, SQL, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, HTML, CSS, Business Process Optimization, Technical Analysis, Web Development, Software Architecture, Team Leadership, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Operational Efficiency Improvement, Team Management, Product Ownership, Enablement, Technical Project Management, Vue, Node.js, Vuex, jQuery, WordPress, Content Management Systems (CMS), Product Owner, Computer Science, Cryptography, REST APIs, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Negotiation, Nuxt.js, Amazon DynamoDB, Algolia, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Laravel, Java, Web Design, Sales, IT Support, Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems, Python

Collaboration That Works

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