Years of Agile, Project Management professional experiences
Mark Anthony Cruz Sr.
Enterprise Agile Coach, Certified SAFe SPC 6.0
Wesley Chapel,FL
Summary
Dynamic and results-driven Certified SAFe® Scrum Master and Agile Coach with 11+ years of experience leading large-scale Agile transformations across Power Utilities, Financial Services, and Healthcare sectors. Expert in facilitating seamless transitions from traditional waterfall methodologies to Agile frameworks, leveraging deep expertise in SAFe principles, Jira Align, Azure DevOps (ADO), and Power BI to drive transparency, continuous improvement, and efficient delivery. Skilled facilitator of cross-functional Agile Release Trains (ARTs), adept at coaching teams and stakeholders in adopting Agile mindsets, empowering self-management, and improving sprint velocity. Proven track record of delivering complex projects on-time, within budget, and meeting stringent regulatory standards. Certified SAFe® Program Consultant (SPC 6.0), Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®), and experienced in hybrid methodologies integrating Agile and PMP practices.
Overview
13
13
8
8
Professional Agile & IT Certifications
Work History
Senior Scrum Master / Agile Coach / RTE
TCS Tata Consultancy Services
05.2023 - Current
- Partnered with central PMO, DPRM, and Business Management to meet firm-wide tracking and reporting requirements, utilizing tools such as Jira Align, Confluence, and Power BI for effective program and portfolio-level management
- Configured real-time dashboards in Power BI to elevate transparency in stakeholder reporting, leading to a 20% uplift in OKR achievement rates
- Coordinated diverse technology groups to ensure streamlined project execution, applying agile methodologies to optimize schedules and manage budgets and risks
- Leveraged Jira Align and Confluence to synchronize cross-functional ARTs in Agile practices, boosting project delivery speed and efficiency by employing tactful stakeholder engagement strategies
- Optimized agile risk management procedures through data analytics, yielding a 20% reduction in project impediments and increased team alignment
- Applied strategic engagement techniques to maintain consistent alignment with senior leadership, resulting in a 35% increase in realized business value
- Managed the scope definition process for multiple Agile Release Trains, aligning project objectives with stakeholder expectations and reducing project delays by 15% through effective use of Jira Align
Enterprise Agile Coach / Agile Project Manager / RTE
Lennar Homes
03.2022 - 05.2023
- Led the organizational transition effectively by applying a blend of proven Waterfall and Agile methodologies as both Project Manager and Agile Coach, guiding change across all echelons—from the C-suite to middle management and cross-functional teams, including agile software development
- Optimized squad performance and solution scalability through structured implementation of Power Platform workflows, resulting in a 25% reduction in manual processing errors
- Implemented Power Platform/SharePoint Online strategies that decreased manual activities by 25%, utilizing cutting-edge low-code applications to elevate enterprise-wide cooperation
- Introduced Agile workflows that increased efficiency by 30%, strengthening GRC compliance reporting frameworks and corporate governance
- Facilitated the transition to a tailored Agile framework that combined SAFe, Scrum, Kanban, and Lean methodologies, optimizing delivery pipelines and driving measurable improvements in program execution
- Built the Agile Center of Excellence, hosting Communities of Practice (COP) sessions for Product Owners and Scrum Masters to foster knowledge sharing, refine best practices, and drive team development
- Designed and delivered Power BI dashboards and performance reports, providing stakeholders with real-time visibility into key metrics such as delivery health, program maturity, and compliance adherence
- Directed cross-functional teams in integrating Agile methods into PDLC, increasing release reliability by 15% across three quarters, while leveraging Jira and Confluence for enhanced collaboration and documentation
- Aligned stakeholder priorities and improved release predictability by 20% through effective release plan updates utilizing Jira and Confluence over four quarters
- Established 'Definition of Ready' criteria through collaborative workshops, advancing Agile teams' sprint planning accuracy by 20% using Jira and Confluence for enhanced backlog refinement
Principal Consultant / Agile Coach / Delivery Lead
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
10.2017 - 03.2022
- Delivered customized Agile transformation workshops in finance and manufacturing using Jira and Confluence, achieving a 30% enhancement in team collaboration
- Led Agile transformations in finance, banking, and manufacturing sectors, aligning business goals with Agile practices while driving successful delivery of Power Platform/SharePoint Online and GRC-focused initiatives
- Oversaw the development of Power Platform/SharePoint Online solutions to streamline workflows, automate processes, and enhance cross-departmental collaboration, achieving a 20% improvement in team productivity
- Strengthened GRC frameworks by introducing Agile principles to compliance and risk management processes, ensuring adherence to regulatory policies and improving reporting accuracy
- Revitalized a financial services client's CRM platform project by integrating Scrum-Fall practices, enabling successful delivery within three months while optimizing expenditure and enhancing user-centric initiatives
- Improved data analytics operations by leveraging Jira dashboards to track progress and key metrics, reducing rework and delivery times by three months
- Championed the adoption of PPM tools (Jira, Jira Align) to drive collaboration, improve transparency, and achieve 15% increased velocity with 100% on-time delivery for high-priority projects
- Addressed project challenges by implementing tailored Agile strategies, resulting in a three-month reduction in delivery timelines and enhanced project transparency through effective use of Jira Align
- Spearheaded issue escalation processes by leveraging Agile frameworks and Jira, reducing resolution time by 25% and ensuring 95% adherence to project timelines over six months
Agile Coach / Scrum Master
AgileThought LLC
09.2016 - 11.2017
- Facilitated alignment of project roadmaps and team objectives through workshops using Agile practices, achieving a 20% enhancement in executive collaboration
- Leveraged agile methodologies and frameworks to improve project outcomes, driving an increase in process efficiency within the financial services sector by 15%
- Facilitated the adoption of agile practices across 40 teams by tailoring workshops, achieving a 20% reduction in backlog delivery time using (TFS) Team Foundation Server / Azure DevOps and SharePoint
- Enhanced velocity (35%) and reduced defect rate (35%) for 3 scrum teams through agile techniques and process improvements in the realm of agile software development
- Partnered with Product Owners, SMEs, and development teams to identify process improvements, reducing release time by 15% in the context of agile software development
- Coordinated vendor collaboration through Agile methods, enabling a 25% decrease in SaaS integration timelines via Azure DevOps
Lead Consultant - Delivery Manager - Sr. Scrum Master
Rulesware LLC | Healthfirst
03.2016 - 09.2016
- Implemented Agile methodologies for data analytics team, leading to enhanced business-IT collaboration and full department Agile adoption utilizing Jira
- Led collaboration efforts with Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and PMO to optimize Scrum processes, contributing to a 120% increase in team velocity using Jira and Agile methodologies
- Guided Scrum teams in agile transformations, resulting in a 10% boost in employee satisfaction, 20% lower turnover, and 50% higher team productivity via Scrum
- Implemented bi-monthly retrospectives for a 10-consultant team, fostering productivity, communication, and autonomy, using Jira reports to track action items and improvements
- Facilitated scaled agile understanding and adoption, helping teams achieve annual OKRs and implementing agile best practices
- Managed program-level activities across various areas, implementing Scrum methodology to improve project delivery
Sr. Scrum Master / Agile PM
JPMorgan Chase
12.2015 - 03.2016
- Implemented strategies to facilitate collaboration between teams while following agile and scrum methodologies, resulting in increased development throughput with 92% of tickets delivered on time
- Utilized Agile methodologies to enhance the predictability and execution of sprint cycles, leading to a 20% increase in deliverable alignment and satisfaction among stakeholders
- Streamlined the software development lifecycle by implementing lean agile and delivery methods and managing communication between all stakeholders
- As a scrum master for the Banking Services Technology team, implemented cross-functional collaboration, collective ownership, and iterative development in order to increase team productivity by 15% and reduce technical debt by 20%
- Directed workshops to gather customer requirements using JIRA and Confluence, enhancing product accuracy and reducing specification errors by 25% over 6 months
- Facilitated cross-domain knowledge sharing sessions to deepen product domain expertise, achieving a 30% reduction in feature delivery time across quarterly sprints using JIRA and Confluence
Agile Coach / Scrum Master
4 Corners Resources | WellCare Health Plans
04.2015 - 12.2015
- Assigned as Agile Coach / Scrum Master to WellCare Health Plans, Inc
- PEGA to Salesforce Provider Implementation and Integration and WellCare PEGA Complaints and Grievances Scrum teams
- Optimized a multi-million-dollar program, aligning Salesforce and Pega Systems, advancing the first product launch by 6 months using story mapping designing thinking technique
- Led Scrum pilot at healthcare client within data analytics that improved collaboration between business and IT, leading to the entire Analytics department's Agile adoption
- Implemented agile methodologies for release-level success, enabling four scrum teams to achieve project milestones for PEGA systems intuition in a condensed timeline of 3 months
- Facilitated daily stand-ups, sprint planning meetings, and sprint reviews to increase team velocity by 10% and team morale by 50% using Agile techniques and Scrum Ceremonies
- Mentored cross-functional teams in Scrum principles, resulting in a 30% enhancement in agile execution within 4 months, employing custom learning modules and hands-on workshops
Sr. Scrum Master - Technology
DISYS | American Express
03.2014 - 04.2015
- Contractor with DISYS assigned as Scrum Master to American Express Serve Presentation Layer Web Onboarding Team
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams to streamline product management processes, leading to a 35% improvement in workflow efficiency for large-scale projects
- Enhanced sprint retrospectives with advanced insights through Rally PPM, contributing to a 95% improvement in team productivity within the first 2 months after becoming Scrum Master to the team
- Implemented effective sprint planning and review techniques leading to a tripled team velocity in the initial two months through precise goal setting and stakeholder engagement
- Utilized technical skills, such as Agile methodologies and Frameworks (Scrum, Kanban) to effectively manage cross-functional teams and facilitate successful project delivery
- Optimized sprint planning using Rally for data-driven decision making, boosting successful sprint outcomes by 9%
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Digital Communications And Media
SUNY College At Old Westbury
Old Westbury, NYCareer Highlights
- Reduced chaos and improved predictability within 80% reliability by leading large-scale Agile rollouts across diverse clients, launching over 20
- Agile Release Trains (SAFe ARTs) or multi-team programs for Fortune 500 companies.
- Achieved 80% buy-in to change initiatives by integrating change management practices with iterative development cycles to ensure seamless transitions and maximize team adoption during Agile transformations.
- Led project-to-product initiatives that leveraged Agile, design thinking, and data-driven decision-making to increase customer satisfaction score (CSAT) by 15% in 6 months, driving customer retention rate up by 25%
Certification
- Certified SAFe® Program Consultant (SPC 6.0)
Scaled Agile Inc • 2022 - Certified SAFe® Release Train Engineer (RTE 6.0)
Scaled Agile Inc • 2024 - SAFe® Enabled - Certified Ready to Train
Scaled Agile Inc • 2022 - Certified SAFe® Scrum Master (SSM 6.0)Scaled Agile Inc • 2024
- Certified SAFe® Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM 6.0) Scaled Agile Inc • 2022
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) - Scrum Alliance.
- Certified Scrum Product Owner® (CSPO®)
Scrum Alliance • 2015 - ICAgile Certified Professional (ICP)
ICAgile • 2015
Industry Skills
- Frameworks and Methodologies: Proficient in implementing the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) methodology adept at Agile practices including Scrum, Kanban, Waterfall.
- Agile Tools: Jira, Jira Align, Confluence, Azure DevOps, Rally PPM, Planview.
- Data Visualization: Power BI.
- Development Practices: CI/CD pipelines, Agile Risk Management, GRC Compliance.
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Accomplishments
- Managed complex, cross-functional programs across Banking, Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Energy sectors, leading large-scale Agile rollouts and improving predictability by 75%. Launched and managed over 20 Agile Release Trains (SAFe ARTs), overseeing schedules, budgets, risk management, and program-level reporting for Fortune 500 companies.
- Led project-to-product transformations, integrating Agile methodologies, design thinking, and data-driven decision-making to increase customer satisfaction (CSAT) by 15%, driving a 25% increase in customer retention within six months.
- Successfully implemented Agile methodologies using Jira, Jira Align, Azure DevOps, CA Rally, and Planview, creating and maintaining product, program, and portfolio roadmaps to align business objectives with development teams. Delivered accurate status reports to business partners and senior leadership, ensuring transparency and alignment with firm tracking requirements.
- Collaborated with subject matter experts, stakeholders, and business teams to develop solutions, leveraging Confluence to document processes, create collaborative spaces, and enhance communication, improving team efficiency.
- Managed financial forecasting, budgets, and risk management for multiple Agile programs, applying Lean Six Sigma principles to identify and eliminate waste, while collaborating with central PMO and business management teams.
- Identified and eliminated waste through Lean Six Sigma principles, driving significant.
- Achieved 80% buy-in for change management initiatives, integrating them into iterative development cycles during Agile transformations. Ensured smooth transitions and maximized team adoption by utilizing Agile Program Management tools such as Jira Align, Azure DevOps, and Rally for portfolio-level tracking and reporting.
Skills
- Facilitating Scrum ceremonies
- Removing obstacles
- Promoting agile practices
- Fostering collaboration
- Shielding the team
- Coaching and mentoring
- Stakeholder communication and management
- Release planning
- PI Facilitation and Planning
- Development team trainings
- Lean principles
- Stakeholder management
- Software development lifecycle
- Project management
- Product lifecycle management
- Agile frameworks
- Cross-functional coordination
- Team motivation
- Workflow Analysis
- Agile best practices
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Affiliations
- NYC Agile Coaches Circle Meetup group
- Scaled Agile SPC's Group
- Agile Leadership Network Meetup group
- Tampa Bay Scrum Masters Guild
- Tampa Bay Product Group
Quote
“Improvise, adapt, and overcome”
US Marie Corps
Software
AtlassianmJira and Jira Align
Azure DevOps
Rally PPM
Planview PPM
MS Project
Atlassian Confluence
MS Teams
Power BI
Salesforce
PEGA Systems
Interests
Podcasting
Public Speaking
Coaching
Photography and Video Content Creating
Fantasy Football
Pickleball
Timeline
Senior Scrum Master / Agile Coach / RTE
TCS Tata Consultancy Services
05.2023 - Current
Enterprise Agile Coach / Agile Project Manager / RTE
Lennar Homes
03.2022 - 05.2023
Principal Consultant / Agile Coach / Delivery Lead
Cognizant Technologies Solutions
10.2017 - 03.2022
Agile Coach / Scrum Master
AgileThought LLC
09.2016 - 11.2017
Lead Consultant - Delivery Manager - Sr. Scrum Master
Rulesware LLC | Healthfirst
03.2016 - 09.2016
Sr. Scrum Master / Agile PM
JPMorgan Chase
12.2015 - 03.2016
Agile Coach / Scrum Master
4 Corners Resources | WellCare Health Plans
04.2015 - 12.2015
Sr. Scrum Master - Technology
DISYS | American Express
03.2014 - 04.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Digital Communications And Media
SUNY College At Old Westbury
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