Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Notablehighlights
Accomplishments
Affiliations
Certification
References
Websites
Timeline
Generic
Kishan Anivilla

Kishan Anivilla

Summary

Results-driven Product Leader with a Master’s in Software Engineering and Agile certifications, demonstrating expertise in Product, Program, and Engineering Management across Retail Compliance, eCommerce, and Supply Chain. Proven track record of building high-performing teams that boost customer satisfaction through innovative product solutions. Strong skills in stakeholder management and strategic planning facilitate impactful results within fast-paced environments. Recognized for adaptability and delivering exceptional quality under pressure.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Product Leader (Cost to Serve, Inventory and PMO)

Amazon
09.2021 - Current

Org Mission: Our mission is to protect customers from products that are unsafe, illegal, illegally marketed, controversial, or otherwise in violation of Amazon’s policies, while enabling our Selling Partners (SPs) to offer their broadest selection of safe and compliant products.

  • Defined a classification and appeal automation strategy with an ML-first vision to meet ongoing business goals.
  • Developed a robust, long-term strategy for risk oversight across essential segments to meet financial goals.
  • Built strong relationships with internal and external customers and vendors, coordinating, and communicating company requirements and delivering against initiatives for cost reduction and cost avoidance.
  • Recruited and trained team members in order to build a high performing product team.
  • Delivered coaching programs and spearheaded team career development initiatives.
  • Adept at managing cross-regional team interactions spanning NA, LATAM, EU, APAC, and the Middle East.

Technical Product and Program Management

JCPenney
Plano, USA
09.2013 - 08.2021

Team Vision: The product vision is to build an intelligent sourcing engine that can support the customer experience and drive efficient order fulfillment by dynamically considering where the inventory will be fulfilled from during the customers' purchasing journey.

  • Re-platform transaction sensitive Order Management system from monolith application to use microservices, Caching Layer, No SQL Database reducing deployment time to less than an hr
  • Delivered HOT Inventory, sourcing and promise system from scratch for 24X7 availability, by significantly reducing system downtime and controlling production incidents
  • Collaborated with team to build Machine Learning Model for determining Safety Stock of SKU units at each store according to sales and pick patterns.
  • Facilitated the movement of features into Production by coordinating with multiple cross-functional teams.
  • Developed and managed an end-to-end program roadmap to ensure successful delivery of projects.
  • Managed cross-functional teams comprised of engineers, product managers, designers, and other stakeholders.
  • Managed multiple initiatives: Ship from Stores, Markdown Optimization, Dynamic Safety Stock, Automate Exclusions

Technology Lead

Walmart
Bentonville, USA
01.2010 - 08.2013
  • Participated in product design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, product designs, schedules, or potential problems.
  • Led training sessions for new testers on topics such as automation frameworks, debugging techniques.
  • Monitored bug resolution efforts and tracked quality assurance metrics such as defect densities and open defects.
  • Identified opportunities for improvement within existing processes or procedures related to testing activities.
  • Designed comprehensive regression suites for use in regression testing prior to release cycles.

Technology Analyst

Arrow Electronics
Hyderabad And Denver, India And USA
06.2006 - 12.2009
  • Designed and executed data migration plans for system upgrades or replacements, ensuring data integrity and minimal disruption.
  • Developed detailed project plans outlining timeline and deliverables expectations.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to gather system requirements and translate them into technical specifications.
  • Managed a team of testers in the execution of manual and automated tests.
  • Worked with Agile and Scrum methodologies to accomplish project milestones and meet demanding timelines.

Education

M.S. - Software Engineering

University of Texas
Dallas, TX
12.2020

Skills

  • Compliance and regulations
  • Integrated Order Fulfillment
  • Product lifecycle management
  • Product vision
  • Product analytics
  • Business case development
  • Feature prioritization
  • Data-driven decision making
  • Documentation and reporting
  • Innovation management
  • Stakeholder management
  • Cross functional leadership
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Business performance management
  • Resource allocation
  • Generative AI Expertise
  • Large Language Model Proficiency
  • Agile Methodologies Expertise
  • Building technical teams
  • Strategic thinking
  • Product launch
  • Design thinking
  • Roadmap planning
  • Natural language processing
  • Architecture
  • Engineering design
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Neural networks
  • Relationship building
  • Database management

Notablehighlights

Notable Highlights

1. Cost Optimization and Scaling (12/2024):

• Defined a cost-to-serve risk strategy enabling the launch of 10x more compliance controls with a 50% reduction in operational expenses.

2. AI and Automation (09/2024):

• Built custom Large Language Model (LLM) adaptors to automate operationally intensive tasks, particularly in classification and seller correspondence.

3. Product Strategy and ML Integration (12/2023):

• Developed product strategies and roadmaps to achieve S-Team and VP-level goals, leveraging ML models to classify non-compliant products effectively.

4. Agile Transformation Leadership (09/2017 – 08/2021):

• Played a key role in Agile transformation, PMO, and release management for JCPenney.com, defining Agile KPIs such as sprint accuracy, dependency management, and backlog health.

5. Cross-Organizational Program Management (09/2018 – 08/2021):

• Program-managed critical initiatives, including BOPIS, Thanksgiving sales, Appliance Rollout, Ship from Store, Accurate Delivery Dates, and Curbside Pickup.

6. Operational Efficiency Improvements (09/2018 – 08/2019):

• Improved store pick rate from 71% to 84% and overall order fulfillment to 93% by implementing key projects like Buy Online Pick Up In Store and enabling all stores to fulfill JCPenney.com orders.

7. Testing Process Optimization (12/2015):

• Defined key metrics for TCoE leadership and optimized end-to-end test management processes, including automation and golden test data management, saving approximately 2,000 hours annually.

Accomplishments

1. Infosys Awards of Excellence

• Honored with the prestigious Infosys Awards of Excellence for significantly reducing regression testing efforts by developing an automated test suite based on orthogonal array risk assessment techniques.

2. Infosys Zero Distance Award

• Received the esteemed Award for implementing a Markdown optimization strategy, leading to cost savings of $2 million annually and enhancing operational efficiency.

3. MVP and Center of Excellence Awards

• Recognized multiple times as a Most Valuable Player (MVP) and by the Center of Excellence for exceptional contributions, showcasing technical expertise, innovation, and leadership in delivering impactful solutions

Affiliations

  • Held the position of IEEE Chairman during undergraduate studies, demonstrating leadership and organizational skills. Successfully organized and executed multiple technical events, workshops, and seminars, fostering innovation and learning among peers.
  • A passionate cricket player with a proven track record of leading teams at school, college, and professional levels.
  • Actively engaged in volunteering with numerous non-profit organizations, contributing to community upliftment and social impact

Certification

  • Advanced Scrum Master - 2017
  • Certified Product Owner - 2015
  • SAFe Agilist - 2019

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Product Leader (Cost to Serve, Inventory and PMO)

Amazon
09.2021 - Current

Technical Product and Program Management

JCPenney
09.2013 - 08.2021

Technology Lead

Walmart
01.2010 - 08.2013

Technology Analyst

Arrow Electronics
06.2006 - 12.2009

M.S. - Software Engineering

University of Texas
Kishan Anivilla