Mike is available for hire
Hire MikeMike Lee
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
Toronto, ON, Canada
Toptal member since January 1, 2020
Bio
Mike is an agile delivery consultant and project management professional with a proven track record of innovation, problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement. He is highly experienced in leading cross-functional teams to success across a wide range of products, industries, and organizations.
Project Highlights
Agile Transformation at Mining Company
Coached a global mining company undergoing an agile transformation of their entire business.
Agile Transformation at Bank
Led an agile transformation for a derivatives trading platform at a major Canadian bank.
Agile Adoption for a Wires Modernization and Compliance Program
Successfully implemented agile sprint practices within a traditional SDLC Waterfall program.
Expertise
- Agile
- Agile Coaching
- Agile Project Management
- Agile Transformation
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
- Consulting
- Process Design
- Scrum
Work Experience
Senior Scrum Master
2022 - PRESENT
TD Bank Group
- Led agile delivery for multiple development teams in a scaled agile program implementing real-time payment processing in back-end banking systems.
- Implemented a tailored hybrid scrum process for a US wires ISO compliance SDLC program to leverage agile teams and practices to fast-track the development of back-end systems using an iterative delivery approach.
- Coached teams through the adoption of Agile best practices, sprint ceremonies, and collaboration tools to simplify and streamline workflows and communication across the program.
- Developed strategies to translate traditional business requirements into user stories in order to plan, deliver, and test features incrementally through sprints for faster value delivery.
Senior Scrum Master
2020 - 2022
BMO Bank of Montreal
- Worked with multiple Agile digital teams, enhancing the Canadian and US consumer web and mobile banking applications with artificial intelligence and self-service capabilities.
- Established team Agile delivery processes, facilitated Agile ceremonies and set up collaboration and progress tracking tools.
- Helped product owners build effective product roadmaps, user story maps, and product backlogs based on business priorities and dependencies.
- Worked with other Agile leads to establish and improve shared practices for the program, including performance metrics reporting, impediment escalations, compliance tracking, and release planning.
Senior Scrum Master
2020 - 2020
Scotiabank
- Led the Agile practice for a large digital transformation program, working across multiple teams and implementing a variety of products and initiatives for a complex modern web-based derivatives trading platform.
- Served as scrum master for a large global financial regulatory initiative, bringing together 15 team members across multiple disciplines and groups for a multi-phase implementation over two years.
- Formed multiple new Agile teams and coached them through adopting scrum best practices and an Agile mindset of collaboration, transparency, frequent delivery of business value, and continuous improvement.
- Designed and rolled out new project delivery tools, processes, and workflows to streamline planning, communication, and collaboration between teams within the program.
Agile Coach | Senior Scrum Master
2019 - 2020
Deloitte
- Guided a global mining client through an Agile transformation to fundamentally change the way they work by adopting Agile/Scrum practices and mindset to improve efficiency, collaboration, transparency, and adaptability.
- Supported multiple teams across different geographies as an agile coach and scrum master to help deliver value to end-users and stakeholders more effectively.
- Implemented Agile principles and sprint ceremonies with teams integrating new technology inside mines to lower operating costs, track assets, and reduce the risk of injuries and vehicle accidents.
- Introduced new software tools and strategies to better define, prioritize, and track activities using user stories and Kanban boards.
- Introduced new metrics and methods to measure team success to find opportunities for performance improvement.
- Guided projects through scope definition, release planning, and product roadmap sessions to set a clear path for success.
- Coached business owners, mining operations, and vendors to improve collaboration through Agile practices.
Senior Scrum Master
2018 - 2019
Royal Bank of Canada
- Served multiple agile teams on a digital transformation program with ten workstreams, building a single-point-of-entry investment and treasury platform for partner clients.
- Worked closely with product owners to define clear client objectives, prepare product roadmaps aligned to goals, and translate prioritized features into effective user stories for iterative delivery.
- Led cross-functional teams through effective sprint ceremonies, coached them on good Agile principles, removed impediments and external distractions, adopted continuous improvement practices, and tracked team metrics to measure success.
- Helped plan and launch a new client application using the MVP approach. This allowed us to bring it to market quickly with enough features to deliver immediate value to first adopters and obtain early feedback.
- Worked with Agile leadership and fellow scrum masters to develop strategies for scaling Agile practices beyond individual teams, improving collaboration and transparency across the program.
Scrum Master
2017 - 2017
Scotiabank
- Led Agile delivery for a digital transformation program of 70 team members across multiple product workstreams to deliver a highly complex modern web-based platform for derivatives trading by the bank.
- Served as a scrum master to multiple teams, guiding them through effective planning and delivery of working software aligned with the product roadmap and business goals.
- Coached teams through an Agile transformation to foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, continuous improvement, user focus, and frequent delivery of business value.
- Implemented project delivery processes, workflows, and tools across the program to improve productivity, quality, visibility, and collaboration within and between teams.
- Worked with business leads and product managers to plan releases based on clear business objectives, communicate that vision clearly within the program, and develop effective user stories and epics that aligned with those goals.
- Supported program management, business leads, and delivery teams to identify lessons learned and remove program and team impediments through continuous feedback loops and retrospective activities.
Scrum Master
2015 - 2017
Rangle.io
- Served Agile teams of UI/UX designers, developers, QA, and product owners to deliver responsive web and native mobile applications for eCommerce, financial services, and a wide range of other industries for a next-generation JavaScript consultancy.
- Coached client teams through Agile transformations to achieve greater teamwork, higher visibility, and a greater focus on end results for users and stakeholders.
- Worked closely with clients and stakeholders to prioritize features based on business value, plan product releases focused on business outcomes, and break down work into valuable user stories.
- Contributed to building the organization's Agile thought leadership through involvement in communities of practice, Agile conferences and meetups, and contributions to internal training workshops and project delivery processes.
Scrum Master | Project Manager
2014 - 2015
Architech
- Led multiple Scrum teams for a full-service digital studio and software development consultancy, delivering innovative web, mobile, and IoT solutions across various platforms for a diverse client base.
- Straddled the line between the project manager, scrum master, quality analyst, and product owner to deliver solutions in close collaboration with customers to ensure their business needs and objectives were met.
- Worked closely with sales to lead engagements from the prospecting stage, estimating budgets and schedules, writing proposals, participating in client sales presentations, and preparing statements of work.
- Managed a multi-million dollar platform modernization engagement for a government organization. Managed schedules and budgets, tracked program risks and issues, and reported to a steering committee of C-level executives across five project streams.
Scrum Master | Project Manager
2012 - 2014
Deloitte
- Managed the end-to-end delivery of software development projects for a geographically dispersed Microsoft technologies team.
- Led the 1st large-scale Agile project delivered within the Canadian IT organization. Developed Agile processes to be adopted across all teams while working closely with leadership, a global community of practice, and external Agile consultants.
- Performed business analysis supporting project delivery, including authoring business requirements, functional specifications, process flow diagrams, use cases, test cases, and conceptual design wireframes.
Project Manager
2008 - 2012
Manulife Financial
- Managed the planning, requirements definition, development, and implementation of application development, systems integration, and process design projects for the corporate treasury PMO.
- Developed project delivery processes, procedure manuals, and project deliverable templates used by the PMO to govern project execution.
Project Manager
2005 - 2008
MTS Allstream, Inc.
- Provided program manager and project management services to large banking and enterprise clients as an embedded member of client project delivery teams. As a project management consultant, I developed project delivery processes, deliverable templates, and training guides for both the consulting practice and client organizations.
Project History
Agile Transformation at Mining Company
Coached a global mining company undergoing an agile transformation of their entire business.
A mining company desired to modernize its way of working through an agile transformation of its entire organization.
I prepared agile training materials and delivered training to employees. I also set up new tools for agile project delivery to be adopted by all projects in the organization. I organized new agile delivery teams and ran pilots to build the team's skills. I implemented sprints and user store practices to translate work into incremental objectives to be prioritized and delivered in sprints. Finally, I facilitated discovery workshops to define new project opportunities and product roadmaps.
I prepared agile training materials and delivered training to employees. I also set up new tools for agile project delivery to be adopted by all projects in the organization. I organized new agile delivery teams and ran pilots to build the team's skills. I implemented sprints and user store practices to translate work into incremental objectives to be prioritized and delivered in sprints. Finally, I facilitated discovery workshops to define new project opportunities and product roadmaps.
Agile Transformation at Bank
Led an agile transformation for a derivatives trading platform at a major Canadian bank.
Developed and refined an agile delivery process for a program of over 70 employees working across five different project teams. I introduced and set up tools to improve the visibility of work and track progress and team collaboration. Using an iterative delivery process, I guided the team through production releases every two to three months.
eCommerce Website for Shoe Retailer
Guided the relaunch of an international eCommerce site for a major shoe retailer to improve the customer experience.
Served as Scrum Master for a large project team consisting of a client and three vendor teams working from four different geographic locations. I led the organization through its first-ever Agile project, and improved collaboration through iterative delivery, regular demos, and team retrospective activities.
Scaled Agile at Bank
Guided multiple teams to success as Scrum Master on a digital transformation program to build an investment platform.
Served as Scrum Master for multiple teams on a digital transformation program building a single-point-of entry investment and treasury platform to consolidate several disparate systems to serve partner clients better. Helped develop strategies for scaling Agile practices to improve collaboration and transparency across the entire program through consistent practices, collaborative planning, and tracking of common metrics. Coached product owners and cross-functional teams to improve Agile practices and maximize their potential.
eCommerce Website for Ski Retailer
Guided successful development and launch of a new responsive international eCommerce website for a ski retailer in Europe.
Served as Scrum Master for a multi-disciplinary digital product team building a responsive website for a European ski retailer client. Introduced and coached Agile practices to team geographically dispersed between Canada, Europe, and Asia. Worked closely with the product owner to build a product roadmap, define the MVP, and create compelling user stories for the team to deliver.
Agile Adoption for a Wires Modernization and Compliance Program
Successfully implemented agile sprint practices within a traditional SDLC Waterfall program.
The program desired to introduce agile practices within its SDLC initiative to improve collaboration among team members and allow them to adapt more quickly to changing needs and timelines.
This was accomplished by establishing agile delivery teams within the larger program and implementing a streamlined agile workflow using sprint practices to translate business requirements into user stories for collaborative grooming, iterative delivery and continuous prioritization. This allowed teams to react quickly to changing requirements and dependencies and complete releases on time.
This was accomplished by establishing agile delivery teams within the larger program and implementing a streamlined agile workflow using sprint practices to translate business requirements into user stories for collaborative grooming, iterative delivery and continuous prioritization. This allowed teams to react quickly to changing requirements and dependencies and complete releases on time.
Education
1995 - 2000
Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering
University of Toronto - Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Certifications
DECEMBER 2014 - PRESENT
Certified Scrum Master
Scrum Alliance
DECEMBER 2007 - PRESENT
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Skills
Tools
Jira, Confluence, Pivotal Tracker, Microsoft Project, Rally, Atlassian, Big Room Planning, Slack, Azure DevOps Services, Atlassian Suite
Paradigms
Scrum, Agile, Agile Workflow, Agile Project Management, Agile UX, Agile Leadership, Release Trains, Azure DevOps, Kanban, Agile Product Management
Industry Expertise
Financial Services, Banking & Finance, Mining
Other
Consulting, Scrum Master, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Agile Sprints, Product Owner, Project Delivery, Backlog Grooming, Product Roadmaps, Certified Project Manager, IT Project Management, Software Project Management, Jira Administrator, Process Design, Scrum Coaching, Agile Deployment, Project Discovery, IT Projects, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Release Management, Project Management Office (PMO), Mobile, Mobile UI, Agile Coaching, Agile Transformation, Business Processes, Project Management, Program Management, Agile Program Management, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office, IT Consulting, Training, Scrum Product Owner, Customer Service Management (CSM), Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Story Mapping, Project Management & Delivery, Agile Product Delivery, Sprint Retrospectives, Sprint Planning, Sprints, Sprint Ceremonies, Jira Administration, Continuous Improvement, Product Discovery, Scrum of Scrums, User Stories, IT Program Management, Backlog Management, Clients
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