Muazam is available for hire

Muazam Sarfaraz

Verified Expert in Product Management

Product Manager

Location

Birmingham, United Kingdom

Toptal Member Since

September 25, 2019

Drawing upon his 20 years of experience from startup to enterprise and working from vague concepts, Muazam has successfully launched several products. Working both independently or as a team player, Muazam has gained in-depth experience across graphics, VR, biometrics, payment, identity, finance, supply chain, procurement, automotive manufacturing, driving autonomy, and AI-constrained optimization.

Product Management Stakeholder Management Technical Project Management App Product Management Project Management Data Science Product Manager SaaS Software as a Service (SaaS)Internet of Things (IoT)Artificial Intelligence (AI)Artificial Intelligence Product Manager Robotics Agile Project Management Blockchain Agile Product Management Robotic Process Automation Product Management Payment Product Management Business Process Automation (BPA)

Project Highlights

XEN | Autonomous Supply Chains for Manufacturing

Led the creation of an autonomous supply network using self-driving tech for supply chains—optimizing the auto value chain.

AiPEX: Tennis Hawkeye in Your Pocket

Took this computer vision-based AI tennis umpire app from concept to prototype and followed first principles.

AutoSource | Digital Procurement for Automotive Suppliers

Built an automotive procurement platform which digitizes and automates mainly paper processes—ultimately saving time.

Expertise

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Business Process Automation Business Process Optimization Go-to-market Plans Payment Processing Procurement Project Management Technical Product Management

Work Experience

Chief Technical Officer

2023 - 2023

PharmaCentrum

Scoped, planned, and launched the Specials procurement platform for pharmaceutical goods, linking specialist manufacturers and warehouses with buyers.
Developed modern data architecture to help map license manufacturers with PID and SNOMED products and monthly pricing lists from NHS.
Leveraged growth marketing understanding to develop outreach systems to automated customer acquisition.

Program Manager

2022 - 2023

Toyota Material Handling, Inc - Main

Directly supported the senior new-products management team to support requirements and lead testing and cyber-security experts to deliver on multiple gated milestones. Set up digital project planning to aid the transition from complex suppliers.
Set up and adapted Azure DevOps to facilitate project planning and reporting.
Created technical documentation to explain end-to-end product processes to communicate.
Performed a cross-workstream mapping of dependencies and liaised with stakeholders across procurement and IT to coordinate workshops and planning.

Business Analyst

2022 - 2022

medONE Corporation

Helped scope and begin the implementation of the "with the patient" module for the platform to facilitate the insurance-compliant diagnosis and payment journey.
Worked on the module that allowed quick retrieval of medical records and access to the "best configuration" of medicines to enable compliance with the insurance regime.
Helped inform AI/ML efforts to inform cross-data model integrity across complex SNOMED data taxonomy mapping with ailments and prescriptions.

Technical Product Manager

2020 - 2021

Relate Ventures (Freelance via Toptal)

Created a comprehensive go-to-market strategy with a large retailer.
Forecasted a detailed P&L and cash flow for growth used to gain marketing support from VISA.
Collaborated on a technical strategy with proven processing partners.

SVP Product

2018 - 2020

Project XEN

Managed and was responsible for the overall product, architecture, epic/user story creation, work backlog, agile and sprint planning, roadmap, and delivery.
Performed face-to-face customer interaction and requirements elicitation to inform user stories and agile planning.
Implemented complexity mapping across domains of procurement, supply chain, manufacturing, and finance.
Developed a full go-to-market plan, forecasts, and project team management to engage with channel sales teams.
Created a platform strategy, structuring value units for both suppliers and buyers.
Led discussions with major automotive OEM and tier 1 suppliers to gain support and a roadmap for simulations and orders.
Worked closely with founders to build a seed-funding ready pitch deck, financial plan, and MVP plan.

Launch Product Manager

2018 - 2019

Dynamical Systems Research

Supported entrepreneurs and business leaders to create startup software projects for solving business issues and enabling new business models.
Developed a complete launch and go-to-market plan with detailed product planning from MVP and beyond.
Transitioned the AiPEX’s AI tennis app with a virtual umpire from a spatial protocol to a computer vision approach using an iPhone camera and onboard inference.
Created a working and demonstrable prototype for AiPEX in two weeks.
Built an entire pitch deck, competitive position, funding plan, and product roadmap for AiPEX.
Devised an end-to-end competitive approach that focused on candidates rather than recruiters due to a competitive market, as well as the career compass concept for Talent-able, a diversity recruitment app.
Generated a complete go-to-market plan, technical feasibility, product roadmap, and UI prototypes for Talent-able.
Conducted enterprise client interviews and provided customer training for Talent-able.
Analyzed the discount frequency at leading supermarkets for Nomad Plc.
Supervised a team of machine learning researchers that analyzed the take-rate data for discounted products to inform better discount cadence and timing for Nomad Plc.

Digital Purchasing Specialist

2017 - 2018

JAGUAR LAND ROVER

Performed a purchasing/procurement digitalization feasibility study on complex production purchasing for an automotive organization. This included cross-functional stakeholder mapping, a value chain analysis, and Agile planning.
Conducted end-to-end research on the business requirements, design, technical feasibility, and a lean-launch plan. Enhanced the bill of material (of a supply chain optimization process) by minimizing the complexity of scheduling.
Held user interviews for UI/UX planning and implemented a BPM analysis for complex system interactions, including computer vision (OCR/RPA), email flow, one-touch compliance, and reporting.
Developed a backlog creation using epic, story, and task methods and combined Agile and Waterfall planning.
Created a platform-transforming business model for a procurement purchasing platform.
Leveraged the latest understanding of platform business models to apply to a large legacy automotive organization, interacting with suppliers and working on legacy processes and current BAU (business as usual) purchasing projects.
Composed a complex purchasing platform's architecture, design, and development roadmap.
Implemented a web-based platform approach on the Angular front end and the Firebase back end for rapid development and iteration.
Performed a JIT manufacturing and supply chain optimization analysis by mapping with the current best-in-class mathematical approaches to optimization, including multi-agent AI optimization.
Facilitated detailed senior stakeholder communication to explain complex digitalization methods to supplant existing tried and tested legacy processes.

Senior Buyer | Research Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence

2016 - 2017

JAGUAR LAND ROVER

Established a cross-functional artificial intelligence forum working group. This included leading the training of 150 senior engineers and four AI work streams across the vehicle manufacturing operations and business innovation.
Supported multiple engineering partner relationships with university, research, and business collaborations, including competitive advice, technical maturity, contract negotiation, and internal stakeholder alignment between research and production.
Assisted the completion of a complex government-funded collaboration to showcase self-driving, working with multiple partners and stakeholders.
Completed a full value chain analysis of autonomy provision while using independent feedback from engineering and manufacturing.
Served as a supplier liaison for autonomy, compute (GPU/FPGA/ASIC), vision (camera, lidar, UV, high dynamic range), cam control, mapping, and simulated environments using Unreal gaming engine technology.
Set up the communication between research and InMotion Venture (internal venture) collaboration to identify investment opportunities and co-management.
Bought a ground-breaking single electrical hypervisor initiative for vehicle ECU/domain controllers to meet the functional safety of ISO 26262/ASIL D standards.

General Partner

2011 - 2016

Euro Accelerator

Developed an "NOA award-winning" solution for the scrap metal industry (www.metalcashcard.com) to aid the industry in meeting new regulations in cashless payments. It's used by the second argest shredder in the UK.
Combined a bespoke mobile unit with full mobile KYC, prepaid Visa card, six-to-six back office provision.
Pioneered the "Authentication by Selfie," a first in the industry with live deployment.
Made innovative use of outsourced supplier model to satisfy regulatory requirements. It was fully bootstrapped and used 3D printing for prototyping.
Enabled gold as currency via card technology for Bullioncard.
Ran a full analysis from gold bullion holding to prepaid card provisioning known as Bullioncard.
Built an augmented reality (AR) tool to visually convert currency using a phone camera in real time (client: CurrencyLens); this included live currency conversion using XE.com.
Created the product plan, pitch deck, and MVP planning for standalone identification and authentication using industry-standard KYC procedures from a mobile phone for Ascertme.
Structured the processes for Henfield Energy. This included waste tires pyrolysis oil, business planning, site identification, supply chain mapping, and deal structuring.
Researched and chose prepaid card and remittance technologies for 37 countries for World United. This included scoping, forecasting, architecture, and planning.

Owner

2009 - 2011

EMNOON

Chose the pre-patent technology stack based on the patent cluster method.
Designed, scoped, and defined the delivery plan. This included patent and trademark drafting and filing.
Created an innovative leasing provision based on a rental model for ILC. This included a finance provider liaison, documentation, and deal sourcing.
Established the drug delivery process, starting from the dispensary for pCentrum (pharmaceutical technology company). This included logistics, the UI/UX design for the MVP, and product planning.
Delivered a type of anti-shaking technology for phone camera apps for Steadify.
Handled business creation, deal sourcing, leasing, and provisioning for Bioisys, engaged in biometric time attendance.

Interim CEO

2006 - 2008

FingerPIN PLC

Worked for a startup biometric security business focused on selling to commercial, financial, and retail sectors.
Raised £1 million to take the business to the pre-private listing status within a year. Spearheaded the process of flotation up to a private listing.
Developed brand awareness and created technical, product, marketing, and sales strategies. Grew the technical, sales, and operations teams.
Built a significant channel base which led to several large opportunities (UK Post Office, Poste Italiane, SBI, and more.).
Delivered two software products and built a technology platform to leverage business sales and marketing model.
Created a software design which instigated a recurring revenue model critical to the business and multiplier.
Fostered excellent relationships with channel partners including CA, ActivIdentity, Wavesys (DELL), BioScrypt (HP), and Mastercard. Maintained ongoing relationships with System Integrators Accenture, BT Labs, and LogicaCMG.
Developed a highly innovative multitier business strategy favorable to the public market with the business designed to deliver high growth.

Owner

2001 - 2007

Boss Synergy Ltd

Founded a multifaceted small business, ranging from IT consultancy, graphic design to 3D virtual visualization.
Sponsored a swimming pool design competition for the UK (SPATA 2003). 110+ sites were visited to create spherical 3D photos using Stitcher.
Designed and licensed a solution for the swimming pool industry integrating 3D VR, calculation, and eCommerce.
Worked on an innovative six-stage water purification system for EnviroTech Investment.

Business Development Director

2003 - 2006

Senselect Ltd

Worked for a highly innovative startup biometric security business, focused on government and high security.
Raised £1million seed capital over two years.
Communicated new concepts to different audiences of stakeholders.
Strategically developed the business to position for eBorders security and ID card projects worldwide.
Worked with large system integrators T-SYS, Fujitsu, Qinetic, and G4S.
Presented to CESG and GCHQ UK Security Services.

Project History

XEN | Autonomous Supply Chains for Manufacturing

https://xd.adobe.com/view/cadc56e6-d4e8-46a3-6517-886bdd5aa78b-bced/?fullscreen

Led the creation of an autonomous supply network using self-driving tech for supply chains—optimizing the auto value chain.

I simplified complex procurement processes into a single platform—giving manufacturers, buyers, and suppliers control and a single view of the supply chain, logistics, and bill of materials.

By focusing on manufacturers, buyers, and suppliers, I was able to create a simplified system that facilitated communication, booking, credential verification, scheduling, and payments.

AiPEX: Tennis Hawkeye in Your Pocket

https://xd.adobe.com/view/7b5a8c4a-6460-411a-76de-1552a8628e6f-0d6b/?fullscreen

Took this computer vision-based AI tennis umpire app from concept to prototype and followed first principles.

I built the full plan, forecast, roadmap, UI/UX, and business model. This project also included a technology demo for computer vision-based ball and player tracker using an iPhone camera.

AutoSource | Digital Procurement for Automotive Suppliers

https://xd.adobe.com/view/7e91e5e1-faf3-4622-b334-41bb87514f98

Built an automotive procurement platform which digitizes and automates mainly paper processes—ultimately saving time.

I handled the automotive OEM digitization of an end-to-end procurement process. It gives buyers digital access to the entire production purchasing process from market analysis to negotiation before the contract award.

ABLE Talent | Diversity Recruitment Concept

https://xd.adobe.com/view/ea339ef4-5e48-4da6-45eb-1a398532ebfe-9c02/?hints=off

Created the concept, pitch deck, and UI prototype for a candidate-centered recruitment app.

Taking a first-principles approach, I created a product in a crowded market that focused on the candidate's user experience as opposed to the recruiter's. Basically, I designed a career compass to help guide candidates to find the career that best suits them.

Education

1998 - 2001

Joint Bachelor of Science (BSc) Degree with Honors in Mathematics and Computer Science

Imperial College London - London, UK

Certifications

DECEMBER 2020 - PRESENT

Advanced Growth Strategy

Reforge

JULY 2001 - PRESENT

Associate of Royal College of Science

Imperial College London

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