Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Certification
Awards
ENGINEERING & PRODUCT LEADER
Timeline
Generic

Matthew De Decker

Roselle,IL

Summary

Engineering and product leader with 20+ years of experience building mission-critical software, hardware, and service solutions. Proven success in leading cross-functional global teams, driving product innovation, and delivering scalable systems across industries including public safety, telecommunications, and life sciences. Strong expertise in Agile methodologies, embedded development, and SaaS platforms. PMP and SAFe certified.

Overview

26
26
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Career Break

12.2013 - Current
  • Took intentional leave to provide care and support for extended family health needs.
  • Maintained professional development through personal technology projects and continued education in blockchain and IoT.
  • Actively preparing for re-entry into leadership roles with renewed focus and perspective.

Engineering Director

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation
02.2020 - 11.2023
  • Directed Cognizant Naperville Development Studio, delivering digital engineering solutions to clients across financial, retail, and life sciences sectors.
  • Spearheaded pandemic-driven transition to fully remote project execution, ensuring zero delivery interruptions and exceeding KPIs.
  • Mentored and scaled high-performance engineering teams to align with evolving client needs.

Global Product Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
01.2016 - 02.2020
  • Directed the global strategy, roadmap, and lifecycle management of WAVE, a mission-critical Broadband Push-to-Talk (BBPTT) SaaS solution deployed across PC, Android and iOS platforms.
  • Spearheaded the successful global product launch, expanding into new markets and partner channels, resulting in double-digit sales growth and increased enterprise adoption.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams (engineering, sales, and marketing) to prioritize feature development, resolve customer pain points, and enhance platform scalability and reliability.
  • Led competitive analysis initiatives across public safety, commercial, and government sectors to inform product positioning and long-term vision.
  • Championed customer engagement by supporting technical sales demos, responding to RFI/RFPs, and gathering client feedback to drive continuous improvement.
  • Partnered with security and compliance teams to ensure product met stringent standards, enhancing trust with government and enterprise clients.

Software Engineering Section Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
01.2014 - 12.2015
  • Led and mentored multiple Agile scrum teams in the design, development, and maintenance of embedded software for standards-based public safety communication systems.
  • Directed cross-functional collaboration across engineering, program management, marketing, and release teams to ensure high-quality, on-time delivery.
  • Oversaw interoperability initiatives, driving conformance to public safety standards and achieving cross-vendor compatibility.
  • Managed team performance, career development, and culture-building efforts to promote innovation and accountability.
  • Provided technical guidance and program status updates to senior leadership, escalating issues and influencing key release decisions.

Feature Project Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
06.2012 - 12.2013
  • Led a global, cross-functional effort of 20 product teams and stakeholders in the development of Lifecycle Automation features, enhancing upgrade efficiency for mission-critical communication systems.
  • Delivered innovative solutions that reduced system upgrade costs by 75%, significantly improving field support ROI.
  • Coordinated Agile and Waterfall development efforts across multinational teams to meet aggressive timelines and system integration requirements.

System Test & Performance Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
06.2005 - 05.2012
  • Managed system-level functional, performance, and scalability testing for large private communication networks, ensuring compliance with public safety requirements.
  • Spearheaded test optimization initiatives that cut execution cycles by over 50% (13 weeks to 6 weeks), accelerating delivery timelines.
  • Led the development and enhancement of the System Metrics Suite, enabling data-driven decisions across QA and product teams.
  • Directed system design and test planning, and successfully transitioned testing operations to Poland, ensuring knowledge continuity and quality control.

Test Engineer / Architect

Motorola Inc.
07.1999 - 05.2005
  • Designed and implemented performance, stress, and system integration tests for mission-critical communications infrastructure.
  • Developed and maintained a configuration management system to track hardware/software deployments across complex networks.
  • Drove 25% improvement in defect discovery rates through application of Statistical Process Control and Software Reliability Engineering principles.
  • Served as System Process Engineer, leading quality audits and continuous process improvements across engineering workflows.

Education

Bachelor of Engineering and Management - Electrical/Computer Engineering with Computer Science and Commerce coursework

McMaster University
Hamilton, ON

Skills

  • Leadership & Management: Engineering Management, Product Strategy, Global Team Leadership, Agile & Scrum
  • Program & Project Execution: Roadmapping, Budgeting, Risk Management, Lifecycle Development
  • Technologies: Embedded Systems, IoT (ESP32/8266), SaaS, BBPTT, Android/iOS Apps, Ethereum
  • Tools & Methods: Jira, Confluence, Statistical Process Control, Software Reliability Engineering

Accomplishments

  • Launched global SaaS product that boosted enterprise sales by 35%.
  • Reduced upgrade costs by 75% with innovative Lifecycle Automation system.
  • Cut testing cycle time from 13 to 6 weeks, improving speed-to-release.
  • Delivered mission-critical communications systems for public safety and government clients.

Certification

  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • SAFe Agilist (SA)
  • UC Berkeley Certificate: Blockchain Technologies & Cryptocurrency
  • Six Sigma Black Belt Training (Completed)

Awards

Launched global SaaS product that boosted enterprise sales by 35%., Reduced upgrade costs by 75% with innovative Lifecycle Automation system., Cut testing cycle time from 13 to 6 weeks, improving speed-to-release., Delivered mission-critical communications systems for public safety and government clients.

ENGINEERING & PRODUCT LEADER

Scalable Systems | Mission-Critical Solutions | PMP, SAFe Agilist | Embedded Systems & SaaS

Timeline

Engineering Director

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation
02.2020 - 11.2023

Global Product Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
01.2016 - 02.2020

Software Engineering Section Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
01.2014 - 12.2015

Career Break

12.2013 - Current

Feature Project Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
06.2012 - 12.2013

System Test & Performance Manager

Motorola Solutions Inc.
06.2005 - 05.2012

Test Engineer / Architect

Motorola Inc.
07.1999 - 05.2005

Bachelor of Engineering and Management - Electrical/Computer Engineering with Computer Science and Commerce coursework

McMaster University

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