Nicole Malone
ASSOCIATE DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT OWNER
Bolingbrook,IL
Summary
Associate Digital and Technology Product Owner aligning backlog prioritization, agile planning, customer listening, and product requirements definition to deliver higher-value work for the Talent Analytics team. Lead discovery, quarterly business planning, and PI planning by synthesizing stakeholder input into clear decision paths and stronger team focus. Strengthens cross-functional execution through facilitation, follow-through, and team coaching during transitions.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Digital and Technology Product Owner
American Family Insurance
09.2024 - Current
- Sustain 4 customer listening sessions by facilitating feedback capture, leadership share-outs, and follow-up across transitions.
- Refine the Talent Analytics backlog by prioritizing high-value work against customer needs, team capacity, and strategic direction.
- Lead agile ways-of-working improvements through standardized ceremony proposals that strengthen collaboration, engagement, and team maturity.
- Facilitate quarterly business planning and PI planning by synthesizing inputs and insights into clearer operational priorities.
- Design and run decision-making exercises, including Start/Stop/Continue, SWOT, round robins, etc.
- Strengthen cross-functional partnerships through clear communication, expectation-setting, customer transition messaging, onboarding support, and dependable follow-through.
Senior Inclusive Excellence Specialist
American Family Insurance
04.2022 - 09.2024
- Developed inclusive excellence program plans aligned with business priorities and employee feedback.
- Coordinated cross-functional partners to translate feedback into practical inclusion improvements.
- Prioritized recurring improvement requests and routed them to appropriate partners for action.
- Defined clear requirements for inclusion initiatives, training updates, and communication deliverables.
Deployment Strategy Senior Consultant
Allstate Insurance Company
10.2020 - 04.2022
- Partnered with leadership on the strategic design, planning, and implementation of sales programs and processes supporting business objectives.
- Analyzed program, project, and process data to identify improvement opportunities and recommend action alternatives.
- Translated business strategies into market-specific recommendations, communication plans, and materials for cross-functional leaders.
IT HR Business Partner
Allstate Insurance Company
10.2018 - 10.2020
- Advised C-suite leaders on organizational development, team effectiveness, change management, employee engagement, and talent strategy.
- Led project management and implementation for diversity and inclusion initiatives across a global organization of up to 4,000 employees.
- Developed KPI strategies to support organization-wide measurement of engagement, inclusion, and talent outcomes.
- Partnered across centers of expertise to deliver talent solutions aligned with emerging business needs.
- Improved business-process efficiency through cross-functional coordination and practical HR problem solving.
- Supported employee engagement efforts by translating leadership priorities into actionable people strategies.
- Coordinated change-management efforts that reinforced adoption of new organizational practices.
HR Case Manager
Allstate Insurance Company
11.2017 - 10.2018
- Investigated and resolved payroll, policy, compensation, leave, and employee-relations inquiries across 60–100 active cases.
- Applied independent judgment to resolve escalated employee issues and move cases through completion.
- Acted as a customer advocate, clarifying concerns and guiding employees through complex HR case details.
- Handled sensitive payroll, policy, compensation, and leave matters with consistent attention to detail and confidentiality.
- Managed employee-relations follow-up to close cases accurately and keep resolutions moving.
HR Customer Care Specialist
Allstate Insurance Company
09.2016 - 10.2017
- Support HR business partners by translating exit-interview data into weekly turnover updates and consistent follow-up.
- Handle employee and manager questions with clear guidance on payroll, timekeeping, compensation, and organizational management topics.
- Manage the enterprise exit-interview database to keep employee feedback organized and accessible for HR review.
Education
Bachelor's Degree - Organizational Communication
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL01-2016
Skills
- Product lifecycle & roadmaps
- Backlog & epic prioritization
- Customer research & validation
- Agile PI planning & facilitation
- Product requirements definition
- Cross-functional stakeholder leadership
- Team coaching
Timeline
Associate Digital and Technology Product Owner
American Family Insurance
09.2024 - Current
Senior Inclusive Excellence Specialist
American Family Insurance
04.2022 - 09.2024
Deployment Strategy Senior Consultant
Allstate Insurance Company
10.2020 - 04.2022
IT HR Business Partner
Allstate Insurance Company
10.2018 - 10.2020
HR Case Manager
Allstate Insurance Company
11.2017 - 10.2018
HR Customer Care Specialist
Allstate Insurance Company
09.2016 - 10.2017
Bachelor's Degree - Organizational Communication
Western Illinois University