Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic
Melissa Lane

Melissa Lane

Penfield,NY

Summary

Experienced Product Owner with over 10 years of experience in Agile methodologies, adept at driving product vision and strategies. Excels in developing efficient processes, ensuring high standards, and aligning efforts with organizational goals. Excellent time management and problem-solving skills. Known for reliability and adaptability, with swift capacity to learn and apply new skills. Committed to leveraging these qualities to drive team success and contribute to organizational growth.

Overview

2026
2026
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Product and Contract Process Owner

Excellus BCBS
04.2016 - Current
  • Partner with product development, business stakeholders, scrum master, delivery manager and business systems analysts to define, refine, and align on vision, strategy, priority, scope, and roadmap.
  • Manage the product development and sales intake process, reviewing all new request and working with business process and business systems analysts to triage and ensure it fits the “definition of ready” for execution
  • Obtain input and agreement from subject matter experts and stakeholders throughout the product lifecycle.
  • Lead the product development and sales product family implementation and execution deliverables that align with business goals.
  • Represent the voice of the customer to the agile teams and ensure they understand the business value; Lead, coach, mentor, and assist other agile team members when necessary.
  • Prioritize and manage the team’s product backlog
  • Accountable for the health and readiness of the team backlog for quarterly and annual planning.
  • Validate that the solution and functionality meet the product vision; incorporate feedback from sprint demos.
  • Provide precise and concise regular status updates to leadership and stakeholders.
  • Identify risks and dependencies and proactively mitigate them.
  • Accept completed stories that meet the “definition of done” and quality expectations.
  • Drive communication and change management activities for the enhancements being delivered.
  • Monitor and share execution progress, including risks and impediments, to proactively communicate deliverable timeline impacts.

Product Owner

Calero Software, Inc.
07.2015 - 04.2016
  • Oversaw product design, product implementation and developed the product roadmap.
  • Collaborated with the development, operations, client support and implementation teams in order to manage stakeholder needs and priorities.
  • Coordinated the product launch and release planning along with the IT Delivery Manager.
  • Facilitated regular backlog grooming activities.
  • Identified and recommended policies and procedures for increased efficiency, quality and productivity.
  • Collaborated and facilitated discussions with business stakeholders, product managers, engineering and IT to evaluate and translate high level requests into epics and user stories with detailed acceptance criteria.
  • Created workflow diagrams and use case analysis through regular requirement sessions.
  • Participated in daily scrums, backlog grooming, estimation and retrospectives.
  • Collaborated with UX (user experience) designers to come up with mockups, designs and prototypes.
  • Regularly met with stakeholders to confirm their needs were being met, reprioritized their requests and reviewed development output with stakeholders.
  • Assisted with user acceptance testing by writing script scenarios.

Enterprise Application Services Business Analyst

Ithaca College
02.2013 - 06.2015
  • Assisted Project Manager in defining project scope and vision
  • Collaborated with departments across campus to identify, define and document business requirements
  • Translated business requirements into technical definitions
  • Performed system, application and data analysis as required
  • Worked with Project Managers, EAS architects, developers and other staff on implementation efforts
  • Supported the development of training and implementation material
  • Provided post-implementation support

Lead Business Analyst

Standard & Poor's Global
09.2008 - 01.2013
  • Collaborated with credit analysts, technical and vendor partners to determine appropriate system resources and solutions to implement new technologies to better analyze their companies.
  • Provided qualitative and quantitative information and feedback to key stakeholders to support technology related decision-making.
  • Translated business requirements into epics and user stories with defined acceptance criteria.
  • Regularly met with stakeholders to confirm their needs are being met, reprioritize their requests and to review development output with stakeholders
  • Researched, analyzed and assisted in the resolution of user and system problems.
  • Assisted trainers and technical staff in writing release notes, application-specific newsletters, help, user and reference guides.

Senior Business Analyst, AVP

Lehman Brothers
2005 - 2008
  • Liaison to Lehman Listed Options trading desk, Compliance, Legal, technical and vendor stakeholders to develop trading software.
  • Worked with traders, vendors, and developers to gather and define system and reporting requirements.
  • Wrote business and functional specifications that included business process flows, use case design, data mapping requirements, and user acceptance test plans.
  • Developed and executed testing-related activities, including but not limited to risk analysis, test plans, test use cases and/or results analysis; coordination of testing activities, diagnosis of application or process deficiencies. Ensure appropriate regression testing between impacted systems.

Business Analyst, AVP

Bank of New York, ConvergeEx
1999 - 2005
  • Worked with end-users and developers to gather and define system and reporting requirements.
  • Wrote business and functional specifications that included business process flows, use case design, data mapping requirements, and user acceptance test plans.
  • Performed revenue vs. cost analysis prior to project implementation.
  • Point person for client demos, installation, training, and ongoing technical support.
  • Developed and maintained online help systems -Assisted the connectivity services group with FIX connections, vendor, ECN, and network setups.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - English Literature

Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY
05-1997

No Degree - Art, Liberal Arts, Psychology, Biology

SUNY, Purchase
Purchase, NY
01-1994

Skills

  • Certified Product Owner
  • Strategic and highly analytical
  • Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills
  • Time management and organizational skills
  • 10 years of experience in Agile product owner or related role, digital, technology, or related field
  • Experience in financial, higher education, telecommunications and insurance industries
  • Knowledge of agile methodologies and frameworks
  • Experience with agile lifecycle management tools (Rally, Jira, Agile Manager, Azure)
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to understand audiences, tailor messages, and influence outcomes
  • Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Self-motivated, highly organized, and able to handle multiple high-priority demands
  • Proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, and MS Teams

Certification

  • Certified Product Owner - CSPO, Scrum Alliance

Timeline

Product and Contract Process Owner

Excellus BCBS
04.2016 - Current

Product Owner

Calero Software, Inc.
07.2015 - 04.2016

Enterprise Application Services Business Analyst

Ithaca College
02.2013 - 06.2015

Lead Business Analyst

Standard & Poor's Global
09.2008 - 01.2013

Senior Business Analyst, AVP

Lehman Brothers
2005 - 2008

Business Analyst, AVP

Bank of New York, ConvergeEx
1999 - 2005

Bachelor of Arts - English Literature

Binghamton University

No Degree - Art, Liberal Arts, Psychology, Biology

SUNY, Purchase

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