Erita Skendaj
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
Tirana, Tirana County, Albania
Toptal member since January 14, 2021
Erita is a certified project manager with 17 years of experience managing technical projects from initiation to deployment, following agile or predictive approaches. She has expertise in software engineering and a strong interest in cloud, big data, and machine learning. Erita has considerable experience in product and solution development, implementations, and migrations. Customers admire her remarkable business acumen and her passion for innovation. She was previously employed by AWS.
Project Highlights
Expertise
- Agile Project Management
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- IT Project Management
- Needs Analysis
- Software Engineering
- System Design
- System Migration
- Team Leadership
Work Experience
Fractional IT Director
Eden Textile Ltd.
- Developed a digital transformation strategy for the company centered around eCommerce re-platforming and orientation toward data-oriented decision-making.
- Wrote a request for proposal (RFP) detailing requirements for an eCommerce platform and integration with the company ERP system.
- Guided the company into implementing Tableau as a data intelligence platform.
Delivery Solutions Architect
Databricks
- Architected and delivered migration from Microsoft AAS to Databricks for the largest European semiconductor company—the region's largest engagement—shipping multiple application waves to production ahead of schedule.
- Led a large telecommunication migration from Oracle EDW to a modern Databricks Lakehouse architecture, compressing the delivery timeline from 18 to 12 months (33% faster).
- Contributed to the initiation of migration and technical architecture best practices for the role.
Customer Solution Manager | Migrations
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Helped hundreds of customers in EMEA streamline their migration to AWS.
- Implemented an Agile methodology for managing team-wide initiatives based on Asana.
- Automated team reporting by leveraging AWS Lambda, Amazon RDS, and Amazon Quicksight.
- Leveraged machine learning to predict customers' spend on specific services/programs.
Technical Project Manager
Integrity Home Buyers LLC
- Led the discovery phase, established the product vision, and helped the customer hire a cross-functional and self-sufficient team.
- Applied Scrum as the chosen working methodology, with clear planning, demonstration, and retrospective frequency, insisted on delivering at the end of each sprint.
- Played the role of a product owner and proxy to facilitate decision-making on the customer side.
- Coordinated the launch of the POC and the first commercial version of the web application.
Technical Project Manager | Technical Expert
Techno Miam LLC
- Set up the project management infrastructure, consisting of Jira, Slack, and Google Drive. Scheduled and ran team meetings.
- Advised the owner on the product vision and translated it into a roadmap, serving as a blueprint for product development and launch.
- Redesigned the business model by pushing for a "per use" feature, one of the product's key differentiators, often mentioned in investor pitches.
Agile Project Manager
Atos
- Hired to lead the deployment of a SmartCity project for a large city in the South of France.
- Chose to adopt and adapt an approach based on Agile at scale and found a way to align 100+ stakeholders, namely executives, vendors, subject matter experts, and a technical team, around my approach.
- Achieved success by building an MVP in the domain and leveraging it to get the buy-in of new sponsors.
Implementation Project Manager
Amadeus
- Led first commercial implementation of one of the newest company products, merchandising web-based solution, for the third-largest airline in PACA, by serving as the main point-of-contact for the customer.
- Adopted an Agile approach to planning and conducting several cutover events for airlines launching in production multi-channel business-critical solutions, directly affecting their pricing strategy.
- Navigated a global organization to provide fast resolution to technical and organizational-related problems impacting the projects and customers for which I was accountable.
- Collaborated with all feature development and technical teams to standardize and streamline as much as possible the implementation process of merchandising web solutions.
Software Engineering Manager
Communication Progress
- Managed the daily operations of 20+ software professionals organized into four teams.
- Held directly accountable for the success of software development projects for the financial and public sectors, with a total annual project budget overpassing EUR 1 million.
- Piloted ten first implementations of the company's flagship product (ERP package) in the role of product manager, in charge of designing and managing the product roadmap and market penetration strategy.
- Led the department's continuous improvement efforts; piloted and then streamlined Kanban and Scrum as principal software development methodologies.
- Led the team responsible for marketing the company at the largest international IT trade fair, CeBit, in Hannover, Germany, in 2014 and 2015.
- Investigated local market needs, opined to select Microsoft as a strategic partner, and guided the team towards Gold competencies in .NET development and CMS (SharePoint) in 1.5 years.
Project Manager
Scopic Software
- Led the design, developement, and launch of a portfolio of cross-platform mobile apps and websites.
- Managed and went beyond expectations of US-based customers by coordinating a globally distributed team of freelancers.
- Initiated, circulated, and issued a procedure of managing mobile application development, from graphics design to quality assurance, to their publishing in stores.
IT Project Manager
Albanian Deposit Insurance Agency
- Managed the design and implementing of the institution’s core software system, used to guarantee the national financial system's stability and potentially impacting 2,000+ users.
- Achieved buy-in from key actors of the financial sector in the country, such as the National Bank and all 15 commercial banks, for the launch of the institution's core system. This was achieved Through communication and engagement strategies.
- Initiated the digitalization of the organization's internal workflows and the update of legacy systems and IT-related procedures.
- Managed the annual budget of the IT department by defining strategic goals, identifying and prioritizing needs, doing market research, running and controlling procurements, and completing variance analysis.
Software Integration Specialist
Plus Communication
- Programmed a custom middleware in Java to synchronize the billing/CRM system with SIM card registry (HLR), which the company used for six years before substituting it with a commercial one.
- Built a Java-based library to identify vanity (beautiful) mobile numbers and associate them to a pricing list, according to the requirements of the marketing team.
- Elicited the requirements, participated in partner selection, and followed implementation and delivery of a software system implementing complex workflows related to mobile number portability.
Software Developer
PrintecGroup
- Developed, tested, and launched the first terminal chip processing solution (EMV) for the two largest banks in Albania.
- Optimized embedded software solutions for multi-threading by making use of the latest libraries issued by payment terminal producers.
- Implemented and enhanced a centralized system for the remote management of payment terminals (remote software update and configuration).
Project History
Migration of City IoT Data Platform Towards Cloud
Coordinated the customer technical team and AWS expert by using an Agile approach enabling a piece-by-piece migration towards the cloud, while increasing the customer confidence in the cloud and reusing as much as possible the existing customer code.
Led the successful migration of an IoT data platform built on Node.js. Gathered the data of more than 1,000 devices towards AWS. Designed a master plan defining high-level objectives while allowing for agility in the migration strategy. Assisted the customer in designing and running a set of test cases to accept delivery.
National Deposit Insurance Agency Central System
By applying Agile principles in a project whose beneficiary was a national financial regulator, I managed to get the buy-in of all national commercial banks, who strongly contributed to the successful building and launch of the system.
Performed needs analysis and benchmarking with relevant agencies in other countries to identify detailed functionalities of a web based system that collects data related to 2+ million citizens and helps the organization quickly respond to a financial crisis.
Managed and coordinated executive management of the public entity, several contracted providers, project donors, and all national commercial banks towards the successful launch of the system, built on Microsoft .NET and SQL Server.
Migrating One of the Largest Airlines in North America: Digital Merchandising Solution
Using management by influence, led a cross-functional team of product managers and developers towards a one-night cutover event for the airline's migration towards its digital merchandising solution.
Carried out a GAP analysis between customer needs and existing features. Prepared functional and technical system requirements. Designed a highly detailed list of activities necessary for the migration and organized rehearsals to ensure they function well. Coordinated a cross-functional global team towards the successful delivery of the solution.
Banking Web Application for Custody of Securities
Under a very tight deadline, I redesigned and launched into production a custom-developed software that replaced a legacy system and greatly enhanced the productivity of the security custody department.
Led a team of two business analysts, three developers, and one tester to perform needs analysis, system design, development, testing, and deployment in production. I convinced the customer to experiment with an agile approach within the limits of a fixed-price contract. I maintained communication with the customer at both a technical and executive level.
Technical Project Management for a Social Video Conferencing System
http://beeyou.tvLaunched the 1st commercial version of the videoconferencing social platform built by a remotely distributed team.
Managed a team of 10+ developers spread over four different time zones. I set up Jira, Slack, and Google Drive for project management. I also managed the product roadmap and coordinated development cycles, eliciting requirements for each new product feature and breaking them into user stories (billing engine, statistics, analytics module, etc.). I validated each developed feature before the final release. I also organized and coordinated platform stress testing, analyzed the platform’s costs, and devised a sustainable business model.
CRM for a Real Estate Investment Firm
As a product/project manager, I guided the client into a step-by-step journey from an idea to a fully operational v1 of the product in several months.
Ran an initial discovery phase, defined the scope, approach, plan, stack, and resources needed, built up the team, and executed the project in Scrum cycles. I owned the roadmap and the product backlog. I also facilitated team meetings and validated/tested the implemented functionalities.
Forecast of Customers’ Spend Using Machine Learning
Led the development of a tool capable of forecasting the customers' spend under a specific migration program based on three years of collected data.
Developed the business case for the forecasting tool and got leadership buy-in. Also, I initiated and implemented the forecasting tool by leading a team of a data scientist, a DevOps engineer, and a business analyst. Furthermore, I advocated for the adoption of MLOps best practices.
Migration of Key Data Workloads to Databricks for a Large Chip Manufacturer
Managed the design and implementation of a large data warehouse project from several vendors to Databricks.
WORK DONE
• Scoped and phased the project
• Participated in high-level architecture definition
• Prioritized jobs/workloads for migration
• Prepared and validated cutover plans
• Managed timeline and schedule
• Handled general project governance
Implementation of Odoo as ERP and Magento as eCommerce for Jewelry Wholesaler/Retailer
Implemented a complex ERP system for a jewelry franchise system involving modules such as manufacturing, accounting, CRM, POS, etc. Implemented Magento as an eCommerce platform connected to Odoo as an ERP.
I managed a team of Odoo and Magento developers, business analysts, and QA. This was a long-term project that lasted at least one year. Both Odoo and Magento had a high level of customization, and it was rolled out in at least 20 shops. My work included training a large team on the customer side and managing the relationship with the customer.
Education
Master's Degree in Economics and Management
Universita Aldo Moro di Bari - Italy
Master's Degree in Computer Science
University of Greenwich - United Kingdom
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
University of New York - Albania
Certifications
Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate
Databricks
Databricks Certified Data Engineer Associate
Databricks
AWS Certified Data Analytics
AWS
AWS Certified Solutions Architect
AWS
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
AWS
SAFe 5 Agilist
Scaled Agile
Certified Scrum Master
Scrum.org
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Microsoft Project 2010: Managing Projects
Microsoft
Skills
Tools
Microsoft Project, Project Management & Work Tracking Tools, Excel 365, Odoo, Confluence, Jira, Asana, SQL, Slack, Shopify Plus
Paradigms
Agile Leadership, Agile Project Management, Waterfall Delivery, Agile, Scrum, Requirements Analysis, Change Management, Kanban, Agile Workflow, Implementation Project Management, Lean, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Azure DevOps, Agile Product Management, DevOps, Microservices, AI Project Management, B2B
Platforms
Amazon Web Services (AWS), AWS IoT, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Shopify, Magento, Amazon EC2
Industry Expertise
Public Sector, Banking & Finance, Travel & Leisure
Other
System Requirements, Strategic Planning, Web App Development, Project Planning, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), IT Project Management, Software Development, CRM APIs, API Integration, Project Management, Stakeholder Management, Communication Management, Gantt Chart, Mobile App Development, Team Leadership, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Needs Analysis, Cloud Migration, Migration, System Migration, System Design, Technical Project Management, Project Discovery, Backlog Management, Mobile Apps, User Stories, Scrum Master, Discovery Workshops, CRM Systems, Cloud, Travel, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Estimation & Planning, Web Applications, Product Requirements Documentation (PRD), Workshop Facilitation, Communication, Business Processes, Risk Management, Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Timelines, Requirements & Specifications, Business Analysis, Agile Coaching, Digital Project Management, Sprint Planning, Timelines, Project Scoping, Waterfall Methodology, Project Reporting, Consulting, Enterprise Architecture, Scope of Work (SOW), Staffing, Business Process Analysis, Business Process Management (BPM), Risk Assessment, Proof of Concept (POC), SaaS, Scope Management, Client Portals, Customer Experience, Stakeholder Engagement, Agile Sprints, Feature Planning, Remote Team Leadership, Technical Project Monitoring, Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), Web Project Management, Process Documentation, Budgeting, Executive Presentations, Project Scheduling, Applications, Resource Management, Roadmaps, Planning, Reporting, Project Delivery, eCommerce, Project Rescue, Project Tracking, System Implementation, Progress Reporting, Software Project Management, Software Implementation, Tracking, Operational Assessments, Documentation, User Experience (UX), User Journeys, Business to Business (B2B), Integration, Complex Problem Solving, Process Optimization, Team Mentoring, Coaching, Risk Analysis, Quality Assurance (QA), Web Development, Requirements, Agile Program Management, Discovery, Feature Backlog Prioritization, GAP Analysis, Databricks, System Integration, Program Management, Software as a Service (SaaS), Data Warehousing, Operations, ERP Implementation, Innovation, Partnership Strategies, Technical Delivery Management, Technical Program Management, Workflow Automation, Project Coordination, Chief of Staff, Software Engineering, Databases, Billing Systems, Software Architecture, Procurement, Product Management, Launch Strategy, Product Launch, Amadeus, MySQL, Scrum Product Owner, Project Budget Management, Smart Cities, REST APIs, Vendor Management, Microsoft Teams, Mobile Applications, Technical Leadership, Cost Estimation, Product Owner, Product Ownership, Product Strategy, Data Integration, Process Analysis, Process Improvement, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Lean Startups, Intranets, Large-scale Projects, Startups, Data Migration, Mentorship & Coaching, Jira Administrator, SDKs, AWS Cloud Architecture, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Leadership, Creative Thinking, Data Management, Order Management, Chief Operations Officer (COO), Clients, Financial Transformation, Database Architecture, Java, Embedded Software, Node.js, React, Agile Transformation, AWS Certified Solution Architect, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Video Conferencing, User Research, Pitch Decks, Social Media Apps, ISO 27001, Inventory Management, AWS Lambda, Amazon QuickSight, Amazon RDS, AWS Config, FinOps, Big Data, Big Data Architecture, Machine Learning, Snowflake, IT Projects, Web, Request for Proposal (RFP), Customer Success
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