Vani is available for hire
Hire VaniVani SuriaPrakash
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Toptal member since March 14, 2024
Bio
Vani is an experienced agile and life coach with over 15 years of expertise in strategic coaching and training for diverse teams. Proficient in the Agile methodology integration and fostering positive approaches, she is skilled in product management tools and adept at navigating challenges. Vani is a strong communicator and collaborator and has established successful stakeholder relationships.
Project Highlights
Product for Media and Entertainment
Handled the market research, set the requirements, and conducted the testing for the product.
Media Project
Started with one team as a business analyst, took on the dual role of business analyst and scrum master, and eventually transitioned to a full-time scrum master role for three teams within the same project.
Insurance Project
Started with one team and then slowly started coaching multiple teams in client organizations for agile adoption.
Expertise
- Agile
- Agile Coaching
- Agile Sprints
- Career Coaching
- Jira
- Planning Poker
- Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
- Scrum Master
Work Experience
Associate Principal Consultant | Scrum Master | Agile Coach
2023 - 2024
Nagarro
- Joined as a consultant and began mapping the process of agile adoption, leveraging tools as a unique selling proposition (USP). Initially engaged with a client for three months; the engagement was extended for an additional 6-month period.
- Set up boards and projects and developed dashboards using both out-of-the-box and custom-made gadgets. Created release-level and senior management dashboards, configured the Tempo Planner, conducted demos, and set up advanced roadmaps.
- Streamlined the process and started with story point estimation using the Planning Poker app in Microsoft Teams.
Scrum Master | Agile Lead
2021 - 2023
Goldman Sachs
- Joined as a scrum master/agile leader, breaking the 6-month delivery deadlock to achieve success in three months. Enhanced team visibility through robust tracking systems while implementing tailored agile practices aligned with organizational culture.
- Implemented transformation strategy, establishing agile practices and addressing delivery bottlenecks. This dual-focus approach built sustainable processes while delivering immediate stakeholder value.
- Created enhanced team visibility and transparency through robust systems tracking dependencies, risks, and deliverables. Improved cross-team collaboration and decision-making, preventing delivery blockers proactively.
Agile Consultant | Scrum Master
2019 - 2021
Bank of America
- Trained 3500+ personnel across India and the US. Implemented Kanbanize tool and Kanban Maturity Assessment, enhancing workflow visualization. Drove 10% productivity gain through process optimization and targeted development.
- Set up workflow processes and Jira swimlanes and helped teams prioritize expedited vs. fixed-date and SLA-related activities, which improved the TAT reduction and improvement.
- Worked closely with the Agile CoP to instill an agile mindset, share knowledge, and learn as a community about best practices. Led the women's group w.r.t agile transformation and upskilling.
Manager
2018 - 2019
Capgemini
- Supported a banking client as part of private wealth management. Started as a scrum master for one team and was extended to three teams in three months. I also started heading the agile transformation group for clients.
- Set up a process with dependent teams on a regular cadence and helped mitigate the dependency and risk early in the game, which was one of the major issues when I joined, where surprises and issues were reported on delivery day.
- Improved backlog health by 30%, as a scrum master for teams in India and Singapore. Aligned leadership with Agile principles, represented Agile coaching community, and implemented strategic Jira dashboard to enhance team performance and collaboration.
Deputy Manager
2017 - 2018
Renault Nissan Technology Business Centre India
- Guided teams in adopting Scrum, facilitating events, and fostering transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Balanced delivery and quality alongside process adoption. Successfully facilitated Kanban implementation for multiple teams.
- Mentored new and to-be scrum masters. Facilitated workshops for product owners and BAs on User Story writing and effective ways to conduct refinement calls. Closely worked with leaders as an information radiator to maintain delivery and agile adoption.
- Delivered Agile leadership training to VPs and executives globally, impacting 500+ members, including PMs and Scrum Masters. Boosted organizational performance by 10% via strategic KPIs, maturity assessments, and cross-functional Agile methods.
Application Development Team Lead
2017 - 2017
Accenture
- Worked for a communication client to set up the initial agile process. Trained teams w.r.t Scrum and Agile.
- Worked on people management for members in the same organization and maintained their growth and aspirations.
- Supported clients to see the progress of agile adoption and incrementally worked on the process by ensuring the delivery was happening as per the schedule and getting feedback from users on the delivered solution.
Biz Analyst
2014 - 2017
Cognizant
- Supported an internal project for the Agile CoE. Then, I played dual roles for the same team—BA and Scrum Master. The application was delivered, and at the same time, I built a high-performing team that was deployed in various projects.
- Supported a media client. Owned the delivery of the teams. Started with one team and got extended to three teams. Client and senior stakeholders elevated my role as scrum master for the project and started supporting five teams in the program.
- Supported an insurance client and traveled to the UK. Played the role of scrum master and was extended as senior scrum master and coach for the entire unit, enabled the best practices, and ensured we moved towards a 3-month delivery timeline.
Technology Analyst
2009 - 2014
Infosys
- Started in Agile way of working. Explored the agile adoption as it was a greener field. Instilled best practices and majorly worked as a single BA for homegrown products.
- Performed market research and came up with features and functionalities for media and entertainment-related products. Created the requirements and the user testing before launch.
- Started playing dual roles—BA and scrum master. Took ownership of deliverables. As a BA, I moved from requirement documents to user stories.
Project History
Product for Media and Entertainment
Handled the market research, set the requirements, and conducted the testing for the product.
Collaborated with the business unit (BU) and department unit (DU) leaders, conducted market research, formulated requirements, and crafted the app design. I functioned as a business analyst (BA) and scrum master (SM) and performed acceptance testing within BA duties.
Media Project
Started with one team as a business analyst, took on the dual role of business analyst and scrum master, and eventually transitioned to a full-time scrum master role for three teams within the same project.
Highlighted the risks and dependencies early in the process, which aided both management and the team in successfully delivering the project. I ensured adherence to delivery commitments and provided clear plans and roadmaps for each milestone and action. I was also involved with the client head in retrospectives and planning as an observer to address recurring challenges, offering stakeholders accurate insights and enabling proactive steps for improvements.
Insurance Project
Started with one team and then slowly started coaching multiple teams in client organizations for agile adoption.
Instilled an Agile methodology mindset, empowering the teams and achieving better delivery results. The teams successfully met the release window through the implementation of small practices, making agile adoption easy and enjoyable for all members.
Education
2004 - 2008
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
GKM College of Engineering and Technology - Chennai, India
Certifications
JULY 2023 - JULY 2024
SAFe Practice Consultants (SPCs)
Scaled Agile Framework
DECEMBER 2020 - DECEMBER 2026
Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
International Coach Federation
JULY 2020 - PRESENT
Enterprise Agile Coaching (ICP-ENT)
ICAgile
JUNE 2020 - PRESENT
Kanban Management Professional (KMP)
Kanban University
JULY 2018 - PRESENT
Professional Scrum Master Level II (PSM II)
Scrum.org
JULY 2018 - PRESENT
Professional Scrum Master Level I (PSM I)
Scrum.org
DECEMBER 2017 - PRESENT
Agile Coaching Certification (ICP-ACC)
ICAgile
Skills
Tools
Jira, Zoom, Trello, Atlassian, Confluence, TFS
Paradigms
Agile, Scrum, Planning Poker, Kanban, Agile Delivery
Other
Agile Sprints, Scrum Master, Scrum@Scale, Scrum Coaching, Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Coaching, Agile Coaching, Career Coaching, Leadership & Coaching, Scrumban, Microsoft Teams, Roadmaps, Enterprise Coaching, StoryAuthoring, Test Cases, Stakeholder Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Agile Transformation, Managing dependency, Managing risks, Cross-functional Team Leadership, Culture Management, Maturity assessment, Dependency Management, Risk Management, Facilitation, People Management, Scrum of Scrums, IT Business Analysis, Delivery Management
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