Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
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ALEX THINNES

Charlotte,NC

Summary

As a motivated individual with an expertise in web-based digital technology and business analytics, I carry a history of consistently driving business wins using advanced interpersonal skills and dedicated rigor. This results in an acute ability to flourish in high pressure, deadline driven environments that demand effective cross collaboration for success.

Overview

10
10
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Sr. Product Manager, University Platform Products

University of Phoenix
08.2022 - Current
  • Platform Product Manager for multiple user profile databases.
  • Management of database products throughout the life cycle, from strategic planning to tactical execution and end-of-life; work closely with the product team to define and deliver a product vision and strategy.
  • Successfully drove migration of the University student, alumni, and faculty profile data to the AWS cloud.
  • Led product team to develop a widely-adopted, user friendly data base retrieval tool, maximizing team on-call efficiency.
  • Participate in daily Agile ceremonies to maintain alignment with the cross-collaborative team.
  • Lead prioritization of user stories and features in product backlogs to align business initiatives and drive effective developmental enhancements.
  • Sunset numerous legacy applications, processes, and road blocks to increase data base efficiency by 73% in first six months post launch.
  • Collaborating with customers (prospects, students, alumni and faculty) and business leaders to identify the most critical problems to solve and work with a product team to discover viable, valuable, usable and feasible solutions; influence teammates, colleagues, stakeholders, and key executives on proposed product solutions.
  • Develop and maintained key internal relationships with teams including compliance, legal, and engineering teams to drive product success.
  • Contribute and gain knowledge of our customers and users to the product team by developing leading and lagging indicators by identifying and refining the key data points about how our customers engage with our platformed based products.
  • Identified key outcomes that assist the product team to narrow focus on the most important way to “move the needle” for our customers and business.
  • Tracking industry trends and the competitive landscape as they pertain to our team’s owned applications.
  • Recognizing and understanding the business constraints (enrollment, marketing, service, technology, finance, and legal), and developing a customer product in a way that ensures buy-in from key stakeholders.
  • Driving collaboration with the product team by facilitating discovery activities, aligning team members on project outcomes, bringing clarity where there is ambiguity, and keeping everyone aligned throughout delivery.

Sr. Product Analyst, End Investor Experience

LPL Financial
03.2020 - 08.2022
  • Product analyst for multiple digital web-based financial planning applications including eMoney Advisor, MoneyGuide, RightCapital, and AdvicePay.
  • Successfully developed, launched, and maintained an Advisor Portal, bringing all of LPL’s product offerings together to maximize advisor efficiency and client success.
  • Through product launches and updates, advisor revenue grew 34% and client satisfaction reached all-time highs.
  • Drove product strategy/road maps based on analytics and data received from end users, my own product vision, and companywide strategic initiatives.
  • Participated in daily Agile ceremonies to maintain alignment with the cross-collaborative team.
  • Led prioritization of user stories and features in product backlogs to align business initiatives and drive effective developmental enhancements.
  • Led numerous projects and initiatives to onboard new firms to LPL financial planning applications through new mergers and acquisitions requiring cross collaboration with Compliance, Legal, and Procurement teams.
  • Maintained internal relationships with teams including compliance, legal, and development teams to drive product success.
  • Through the Agile process, oversaw the API development efforts for product enhancements, defects, and development of new product white labeled instances.
  • Drove cross collaborative conversations and completion of vendor contracts and data transmission agreements.
  • Resolved escalated issues from users through problem solving analysis and/or triage to numerous internal support groups.
  • Balanced business, compliance, and legal requirements with needs of LPL advisors and their clients in a financial planning space.

Lead Project Analyst, Point of Sale Integrations

Synchrony
03.2018 - 03.2020
  • Project/product manager for multiple ongoing point of sale eCommerce shopping cart technology integrations.
  • Served as product owner to multiple Synchrony point of sale shopping cart technologies, i.e. Magento and Shopify in the Electronics, Auto, OPE, Luxury, and Furniture online retailer industries.
  • In a sales support role, managed multiple product client pipelines to determine onboarding schedule and available Synchrony technology resources.
  • Drove process improvement for multiple Synchrony consumer financing products from pilot stage to market.
  • Developed and maintained deep cross collaborative relationships to drive processes and deliver results.
  • Was a designated Synchrony Certified Supply Manager and serve as Supply Manager for multiple Synchrony partners and vendors.
  • Owner of the over the phone point of sale disclosure and compliance procedures for the Payment Solutions platform.
  • Led initiatives to streamline client onboarding processes in multiple product life cycles to integrate Synchrony technologies faster and more efficient.
  • Analyzed competitive data and landscapes on an ongoing basis to drive specific product initiatives and recommendations.
  • Served as a liaison between client IT groups and Synchrony IT groups to drive project builds and new client integrations.
  • Was lead on multiple other projects involving Synchrony online retailer technologies as assigned by manager.
  • Contributed to successful project outcomes by providing accurate forecasts and risk assessments.
  • Monitored ongoing projects for adherence to prescribed timelines, suggesting operational changes where needed.
  • Tracked ongoing project advancement towards predefined milestones, reducing instances of missed deadlines by 32%.

Sr. Technology Analyst, Advisor Product Success

MetLife
05.2015 - 03.2018
  • Product manager supporting MassMutual internal business partners and third-party technology vendors including but not limited to the web-based eMoney Advisor and MorningStar Advisor Workstation platforms.
  • Developed training modules, presentations, and user guides to encourage a high advisor skill level for maximum client benefit.
  • Led projects to drive efficient training, promotion, and day to day support.
  • Partnered with vendors to deliver in-person and remote trainings.
  • Built and maintained relationships with eMoney Advisor personnel, as well as MassMutual associates for ongoing collaboration.
  • Oversaw monthly reporting for distribution and presentation to MassMutual upper management. Use the Microsoft Word suite of tools on a daily basis.
  • Successfully rolled out an eMoney Advisor enterprise agreement to over 3,000 MetLife users, more than tripling the overall users on the platform.
  • Oversaw the UAT testing and implementation of numerous integrations, system releases, bug patches, and system transitions involving MassMutual sales tools data technologies.
  • Completed FINRA Continuing Education requirements to maintain security licenses.
  • Using Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), work with product team and external partners to simplify case management processes and reduce customer application cycle times.
  • Using Workfront, coordinate project management efforts with internal business partners in the Compliance, UAT, Marketing, Quality Assurance, and CRM areas to support, enhance, and deliver MetLife products.
  • Obtained Leading Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification.

Education

B.A. - Communications

University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
06.2005

Skills

  • SAFe Agile
  • Procurement
  • SQL
  • Tableau
  • Power BI
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Sheets
  • JIRA
  • Oracle Analytics Cloud
  • Microsoft Excel
  • SAP Ariba
  • Amplitude
  • Confluence
  • Cflow
  • Aha!
  • Miro
  • SAS
  • Figma
  • SharePoint
  • ChatGPT
  • Azure DevOps
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Product roadmaps
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Product launches
  • Strategic planning
  • Product roadmapping

Certification

Obtained Leading Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) certification.

Timeline

Sr. Product Manager, University Platform Products

University of Phoenix
08.2022 - Current

Sr. Product Analyst, End Investor Experience

LPL Financial
03.2020 - 08.2022

Lead Project Analyst, Point of Sale Integrations

Synchrony
03.2018 - 03.2020

Sr. Technology Analyst, Advisor Product Success

MetLife
05.2015 - 03.2018

B.A. - Communications

University of Cincinnati

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ALEX THINNES