Dawn Couch
Castro Valley,CA
Summary
Drawing on my background as an Agile Transformation Coach and Senior Program Manager, I focus on driving organizational change to enhance Agile integration in complex large-scale enterprise initiatives. As a seasoned IT Program Manager, I bring vast expertise in Enterprise Resource Planning and Enterprise Performance Management solutions. I utilize Business Intelligence for instant data analysis to enhance decision-making and operational effectiveness. Through leadership supervision and stakeholder management, I foster strong collaborations and teamwork among colleagues and executives. My approach is geared towards achieving success and delivering results
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Product Line Agile Coach & Program Manager
Gaptechnologiesinc
01.2022 - Current
- Mentor teams in value creation, strategy development, and OKR achievement
- Aid in self-assessment, continuous enhancement, and sprint performance evaluation
- Organize Release Train Quarterly Planning for 15 Product Teams
- Enhanced team productivity by implementing Agile methodologies and facilitating daily stand-up meetings.
- Transformed project delivery by coaching teams on Scrum, Kanban, and Lean principles.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement through retrospective meetings and process refinement.
- Reduced time to market with the introduction of cross-functional teams and efficient backlog management.
- Streamlined communication between departments by creating a centralized platform for project updates and progress tracking.
- Developed customized training materials for Agile adoption, ensuring relevance to organizational needs.
- Increased stakeholder satisfaction by providing timely status reports and incorporating feedback into project iterations.
Sr Program Manager & Agile Coach
Robert Half Global Staffing
10.2016 - 10.2020
- Manage feature delivery and functionality across Robert Half's Web and Mobile App platforms
- Work closely with business and technology teams to create solutions that provide maximum value to customers
- Manage program escalations across internal and external teams for prompt issue resolution
- Provide ERP and EPM Financial Systems programs Agile coaching and guidance to 8 product teams, aiding in developing team-specific agile frameworks for increased productivity
- Oversee ERP and EPM 3rd Party vendor schedules, deliverables, and feature integrations
- Track dependencies across different financial systems to ensure smooth and high-quality release cycle
- Provide coaching and training for new project managers/scrum masters to support program and project achievements.
Financial Systems Project & Product Manager
Uber Technologies
05.2015 - 09.2016
- Orchestrated end-to-end product deployments for EPM applications, overseeing vision, execution, and iterations
- Acted as product owner for EPM financial systems, providing management oversight for 3rd party implementation partners
- Managed 3rd party vendor services including vendor selection through project delivery
- Managed product backlog and supported Scrum framework for monthly sprint releases
- Led various aspects of Scrum framework, including sprint planning, backlog grooming, daily scrums, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives
- Conducted recruitment and hiring processes to fulfill client project demands, encompassing technical evaluations
- Assumed project leadership roles and mentored team of 4 project managers/scrum masters to enhance program and project accomplishments.
Financial Systems Product Manager
OpenTable Inc
03.2014 - 04.2015
- Streamlined product development process for faster time-to-market and improved efficiency.
- Collaborated with internal stakeholders and third-party vendors to implement ERP and EPM product improvements
- Managed 3rd party ERP and EPM vendor services from initial vendor selection process through to project completion including budget management
- Responsible for ERP and EPM SOW for 3rd parties to ensure contract terms of delivery and support aligned to overall program needs
- Oversaw ERP and EPM backlog management, epic creation, and user story development for leading five financial product teams
- Acted as primary contact for all financial systems project teams, overseeing program execution and budget control
- Organized ERP and EPM design discussions and resolutions among six internal departments and teams, including steering committee.
- Directed planning and budgeting efforts.
EPM Product Manager
Tidemark Systems
07.2013 - 03.2014
- Supervised EPM Application Product Backlog in Jira by creating epics and user stories
- Enhanced team efficiency by implementing Agile methodologies and guiding daily scrum meetings
- Managed 3rd party vendor applications relationships including contract negotiations
- Engaged in Agile ceremonies and demos, representing customer's perspective
- Aligned EPM backlog with customer revenue goals, collaborating closely with Product stakeholders
- Aimed to boost team productivity, customer-centric practices, and goal alignment.
EPM Project Manager
Column 5 Consulting
06.2010 - 07.2013
- Developed and initiated EPM projects, managed costs, and monitored performance
- Helped during sales cycle to support onboarding of new clients
- Ensured timely completion of projects through diligent scheduling and resource allocation.
- Fostered relationships with vendors to promote positive working relationships
- Updated EPM operational methods, oversaw accounting procedures, tracked information, and compiled data to improve efficiency
- Achieved EPM project deadlines by coordinating with contractors to manage performance
- Led multidisciplinary teams to successful project completions, fostering collaborative environment.
Financial Planning & Analysis Manager
VMWARE Tech Software
01.2007 - 01.2010
- Managed Monthly and Quarterly financial planning process, resulting in more accurate forecasting and informed decision making.
- Forecasted trends and recommended improvements based on financial risk analyses.
- Monitored budget and revenue trends, compiling reports for company leadership to inform decision-making.
- Prepared and managed large capital expenditure budgets to effectively handle infrastructure investment and long-term operations.
- Researched and facilitated software integration to streamline accounting and financial processes.
- Enhanced financial reporting accuracy by streamlining data collection and analysis processes.
- Implemented innovative budgeting techniques to optimize resource allocation and minimize costs.
- Developed comprehensive financial models to support decision-making and drive business growth.
FP&A Financial Analyst
Polycom Telecommunications
01.2005 - 01.2007
- Participated in quarterly reviews with executive leadership, presenting key metrics and performance highlights to inform decision-making processes.
- Implemented new software systems to improve data accessibility, enhancing quality of financial analysis conducted across organization.
- Analyzed historical cost structures to identify inefficiencies, leading to significant savings through process optimization.
- Provided financial support during new product development initiatives, ensuring budget adherence and profitability analysis.
Sr. Financial Analyst
PeopleSoft
01.1999 - 01.2004
- Increased financial accuracy by conducting in-depth analyses of financial data and trends.
- Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements through diligent review of financial documents and reports.
- Played pivotal role in annual budget planning, collaborating with department heads to allocate resources strategically.
Education
Certified SAFe -
Scaled Agile, Inc.
Remote2024
Certified Scrum Professional -
Scrum Alliance
Remote2018
Certified Scrum Master -
Scrum Alliance
Remote2018
Certified Product Manager -
Scrum Alliance
Remote2017
Bachelor’s Degree - Economics & Accounting
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA12.1999
Skills
- Agile Coach, Scrum, Kanban & Enterprise
- Performance Metrics Implementation (Power BI)
- Cross functional Team Builder
- Stakeholder Management
- Developing project strategy
- Enterprise Scaled Agile
- Interpersonal Communication
- Creative Problem-Solving
- Budget Administration
- Program Monitoring and Tracking
- Coaching and Development
- Vendor Management & Partnership
Timeline
Product Line Agile Coach & Program Manager
Gaptechnologiesinc
01.2022 - Current
Sr Program Manager & Agile Coach
Robert Half Global Staffing
10.2016 - 10.2020
Financial Systems Project & Product Manager
Uber Technologies
05.2015 - 09.2016
Financial Systems Product Manager
OpenTable Inc
03.2014 - 04.2015
EPM Product Manager
Tidemark Systems
07.2013 - 03.2014
EPM Project Manager
Column 5 Consulting
06.2010 - 07.2013
Financial Planning & Analysis Manager
VMWARE Tech Software
01.2007 - 01.2010
FP&A Financial Analyst
Polycom Telecommunications
01.2005 - 01.2007
Sr. Financial Analyst
PeopleSoft
01.1999 - 01.2004
Certified SAFe -
Scaled Agile, Inc.
Certified Scrum Professional -
Scrum Alliance
Certified Scrum Master -
Scrum Alliance
Certified Product Manager -
Scrum Alliance
Bachelor’s Degree - Economics & Accounting
University of San Francisco