Darina Mateychenko
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
Warsaw, Poland
Toptal member since January 4, 2019
Darina is a highly skilled operator and manager who makes execution predictable. She designs the system behind shipping: ticket quality, acceptance criteria, dependency control, QA gates, and stakeholder visibility. Worked both with startups and big corporations, closely with founders and C-level leaders, increasing team dynamics and business metrics.
Project Highlights
Expertise
- Agile Project Management
- Backlog Management
- Business Administration
- Business Analysis
- Project Management
- Retrospective Techniques
- Scrum
- Sprint Planning
Work Experience
Product Manager
Bee Techy LLC
- Led end-to-end delivery as the client-facing PM, aligning scope, priorities, risks, and release commitments across a 1–5 person team per project.
- Translated stakeholder goals into PRDs and well-scoped tickets with explicit acceptance criteria, dependencies, and edge cases to reduce ambiguity at build time.
- Facilitated delivery cadence (planning, refinement, demos, retros) and maintained a prioritized backlog to keep work executable and sequenced.
- Managed scope change through documented assumptions, decision logs, and impact assessment on timeline, cost, and downstream dependencies.
- Produced stakeholder reporting based on delivery signals (status, risks, blockers, dependency map, confidence level).
Scrum Master | Team manager
AlphaSense
- Facilitated Scrum rituals (daily, planning, refinement, review, retros) and drove follow-through on actions, owners, and due dates to keep execution disciplined.
- Managed release traffic and cross-team coordination, aligning sequencing, dependency resolution, and readiness criteria across parallel workstreams.
- Standardized Jira/Confluence operating hygiene (ticket quality rules, workflow states, templates, working agreements) to improve visibility and reduce churn.
- Removed blockers by surfacing constraints early, routing issues to accountable owners, and tracking resolution through to closure.
- Supported team capacity and commitment management by clarifying sprint goals, negotiating tradeoffs, and protecting focus from unplanned intake.
Operations Manager | Product Strategy Lead
Corpsoft.io
- Built and ran the company's operating system for a 21–50 person org by defining ownership (who decides/executes), setting weekly planning and OKRs review cadences, and maintaining an escalation path so risks surfaced with named owners and due dates.
- Implemented a tailored Scrum framework by standardizing Jira workflows, enforcing backlog readiness rules (clear intent, acceptance criteria, dependencies), and running planning, refinement, reviews, and retros.
- Owned delivery unit economics by building a sprint-cost model, tracking delivery hours and overhead against revenue, monitoring utilization and margin at the team level, and using the data to adjust staffing, scope, and pricing decisions.
- Led bizdev and closed $80,000+ deals by running structured discovery calls, converting problem statements into scoped proposals with explicit assumptions and exclusions, and negotiating commercial terms tied to delivery risk and scope volatility.
- Set up end-to-end marketing and positioning by packaging services into clear offers, creating reusable discovery and proposal templates, and running a time-boxed discovery-to-proposal flow that reduced average deal closure time to around 1.5 weeks.
- Managed key accounts end-to-end (weekly status, milestone checkpoints, change control), maintaining escalation SLAs, and aligning delivery reality with stakeholder priorities to retain VIP clients for 3–5 years.
- Orchestrated continuity through COVID-19 and wartime disruption by moving operations to fully remote execution, formalizing async communication norms, and coordinating a controlled office transition to a European city without breaking delivery.
- Standardized internal processes by documenting playbooks, checklists, and working agreements in Confluence, enforcing consistent usage in Jira/Slack, and reducing reliance on tribal knowledge for onboarding and execution.
- Led staffing and performance management by defining role expectations, running regular 1:1 accountability loops, monitoring workload balance, and intervening when delivery signals showed burnout, underutilization, or skill mismatches.
- Developed leadership bench by training and mentoring the PM/admin function through shadowing, progressive delegation, and documented operating routines, enabling a deputy COO successor to maintain performance after exit.
Program-level Project Manager | Product Enablement
Samsung Next
- Managed external projects, ensuring commitments were kept, and deliverables were accurate and on time.
- Ensured and facilitated smooth communication with clients and the sales team about new features and product improvements.
- Worked on documenting processes and keeping the knowledge base up to date.
- Facilitated Agile and Scrum process improvements so the team could operate effectively and with maximum performance.
Project Manager
Whisk.com
- Acted as a liaison between the sales and tech teams, ensuring commitments were kept and deliverables were accurate and on time.
- Led assignments, project planning, execution, and control.
- Ensured and facilitated smooth communication with clients and the sales team about deliverables, deadlines, and commitments.
- Maintained and improved processes to ensure the team operated effectively and achieved maximum performance.
- Coordinated assignments involving multiple teams, ensuring timely information sharing and involving the necessary people when needed.
- Created process diagrams to visualize workflows, documented processes and agreements, and maintained the related knowledge base.
External Scrum Master and Agile Coach
Kuehne + Nagel
- Facilitated team transformation towards better agile work.
- Created and ran a number of workshops and training to improve mind pliability.
- Ran a number of workshops and events to reveal team potential in greater collaboration, unlocking trust and removing the fear of productive conflict.
- Facilitated and moderated scrum ceremonies to maximize team performance.
- Encouraged and helped the proxy product owner grow, enhancing their skills to become a greater leader in managing the roadmap, scope, and value delivery.
- Helped systematize and organize processes and approaches.
Scrum Master | Delivery Manager
Funkgeräte-Vermietung.de — Spreenauten GmbH
- Consulted on and facilitated agile approaches and scrum ceremonies within the development team.
- Ensured development efforts were focused on the goals outlined by senior management.
- Ensured priorities were in line with senior management's strategies.
- Facilitated communication, process improvements, continuous feedback loop, and blocker removal within the IT department.
- Facilitated backlog grooming work. Consulted on team management and work culture.
Product Manager
Crowdbotics
- Evaluated scope and defined project management methodology in line with company standards. Staffed the team and led the delivery to achieve predictable and expected results.
- Conducted market and industry research to keep tool features in line with expected user models.
- Participated in pre-sale activities and calls with leads and conducted initial project discovery.
- Managed external projects and coordinated resources for smooth project delivery.
- Reported project progress and managed internal project dependencies.
Project Manager | Proxy-product Manager
Zfort Group LLC
- Conducted the discovery phase, gathered the project's initial information, and defined the product strategy and initial backlog.
- Created product roadmaps based on strategic direction and regular information exchange with clients.
- Led and structured the hiring process to effectively do the staffing of project teams.
- Created the development schedule and plan. Controlled the execution of the project and supervised developers.
- Set up the Scrum process, supervised and guided clients and teams.
- Formed and prioritized product backlogs and reported progress toward backlog realization during projects progress.
- Guided and educated clients about proper user stories and epics' ideation process during requirements analysis. Prioritized workpieces in the backlog and clarified them to the team.
Project Coordinator
Global Logic Ukraine
- Managed time-sheets and time allocation of distributed engineering team.
- Supported team in visa/travel arrangements and client visit organization.
- Maintained account statistics (expenses, travel, overtime, salary related payments, vacations etc.).
- Worked with team on facilitating smooth communication flow with client's team.
Project Manager
Dev Pro
- Served as the main point of contact between the client and the dedicated team assigned.
- Managed a dedicated team formed for a client account.
- Oversaw the development of the client's custom CMS for one legal niche.
- Oversaw the implementation of custom web projects using the client's CMS platform.
- Managed the maintenance of a client's project portfolio.
Team Lead
Dev Pro
- Gathered assignments from clients or internal departments and distributed them to team members. Ensured the workload was stable and well-balanced.
- Coordinated assignments execution and reporting. Ensured results delivery to requesters.
- Checked timesheets, reports, and accounting statistics and ensured they were filled in correctly and on time.
- Monitored team motivation level and ensured there was a healthy climate inside.
- Staffed the team, onboarded new mates, and ensured they were up to speed with assignments.
- Dealt with conflicts and negotiations inside the team or on levels like team to client and team to other departments.
Project History
Custom Telemedicine Software Development for Vision Screening and Testing Platform
https://remonihealth.com/Managed a squad that ran over 30 sprints and worked on platform innovation components. Co-managed backlog with product owners.
The initial telemedicine software platform was built on WordPress. However, as the logic grew and became more complex (along with more powerful and innovative eye tests), it required a rebuild to a more advanced technology stack.
As a result, squad improved the platform by extending its capabilities, modifying its user interface and branding, and introducing new features that increased the value of the platform for users. One of the most important business advantages was that the platform was developed with HIPAA compliance, which helped accredit it as a telemedicine software solution.
One of the key points we are most proud of is that we have not only fixed and validated incompetent tests but also developed another innovative test for this telemedicine software service. It involved computer vision technology for the sight screening process.
All-in-One Custom CRM Solution for Back-Office Business Operations
https://myofficehelp.com/The efficiency gains realized through this platform translated to an estimated annual savings of $200,000 for the company. The platform attracted a surge of new orders from users, positioning the company significantly ahead of its competition.
The client’s request was to adjust or rebuild an existing MySQL and PHP application that tracks incoming calls, employee time, and leave. They would like to create a custom CRM solution able to support all their back-office management.
The client considered two solutions: fixing the current errors and implementing further phases or rebuilding the application from scratch. After an assessment of the code base identified that the code structure was in poor condition, we agreed to create a custom application to avoid future risks and financial losses.
CRM became a virtual solution that provides scheduling, dispatching, customer relationship management, marketing, business coaching, social media management, web design, and graphic design support for the home service industry. Following the company owners’ request, we created a custom complex solution. It allows management of all business operations via a single application with the ability to integrate with other services and support all current company services in the future.
We also introduced a streamlined onboarding process, leading to significant cost savings. We used Scrum, which has sprint-based development and fast shipment increments.
Cognitive Food Platform
Led project from the discovery phase to launch, coordinated work of several teams, and launched a project on time and within schedule.
A platform for smarter food decisions. Using an advanced AI Food Engine, the platform for smarter food decisions has been delivered to a medical institution that helps patients with special food needs keep up with their diets.
The platform allows users to analyze, process, and enhance recipe content with great accuracy using highly trained AI to deliver smarter, personalized recommendations.
Education
MBA in Executive Master of Business Administration
Quantic School of Business and Technology - Washington DC
Master's Degree in Management of Foreign Economic Activity
Simon Kuznets National University of Economics - Ukraine
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Management
Simon Kuznets National University of Economics - Ukraine
Progress Toward a Degree in Computer Science
V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University - Ukraine
Certifications
AI26
The CEO University
Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
Scrum Alliance
Skills
Tools
Jira, Asana, Slack, Skype, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Slides, Project Management & Work Tracking Tools, Miro, Confluence
Paradigms
Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Agile Project Management, B2B, Management, B2B2C, Agile Delivery, Requirements Analysis, Iterative Delivery
Platforms
Android, iOS, WordPress
Industry Expertise
Healthcare, Digital Marketing
Other
Project Management, Product Discovery, Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), Backlog Management, Product Management, Business Administration, Stakeholder Management, Project Scoping, Customer Experience Management, Communication, Accountability, Project Timelines, Project Planning, Sprint Planning, Retrospective Techniques, Project Coordination, Sprint Ceremonies, Business Analysis, User Experience (UX), B2B Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Product Owner, Data Analysis, Agile Coaching, Management Consulting, Project Discovery, Software Development, Notion, Email, Team Management, Microsoft 365, Computer Systems, Economics, Business Development, Marketing, Sales, Contract Negotiation, Key Account Management, Financials, Feature Backlog Prioritization, User Needs, Business, Projects, Account Management, Client Delivery Management, Customer Service, Startups, Risk Management, Operations, Discovery Workshops, Product Development, PMO Processes, Business Process Management (BPM), Process Flows, Story Mapping, Process Mapping, SaaS, Software as a Service (SaaS), Scrum Master, Design Sprints, Discovery, Planning, Strategic Planning, Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Resourcing, Artificial Intelligence as a Service (AIaaS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Gmail, Release Management, release traffic, Backlog Grooming, Sprint Backlog, Sprint Retrospectives, Cross-departmental Collaboration, Dependency Management, Product Requirements Documentation (PRD), Iteration Management, API Platforms, CI/CD Pipelines, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
Share your needs
Choose your talent
Start your risk-free talent trial
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring