PADMAJA AKELLA
Auburn Hills,MI
Summary
Accomplished IT Project Manager, Technical Project Manager, and Solutions Manager with expertise in delivering high-impact, cost-saving projects across industries. Proven success in driving operational efficiency and business growth through Salesforce implementations, Agile methodologies, and strategic solutions management. Known for strong analytical and communication skills, and the ability to foster positive team dynamics in fast-paced, technology-driven environments.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Sr. SOLUTIONS MANAGER/ ACCOUNT MANAGER
V2Soft
Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
12.2023 - Current
- Led the coordination and execution of high-impact demonstrations for executives, showcasing the capabilities of a proprietary AI-driven SDLC solution with potential cost savings of 40%
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to tailor AI tool presentations, ensuring alignment with business needs and strategic goals of key stakeholders
- Facilitated executive-level discussions, addressing technical and business inquiries, which successfully led to securing Proof of Concept (POC) to validate the tool’s efficiency and effectiveness
- Managed end-to-end planning of AI solution demos, driving stakeholder engagement and influencing decision-makers to explore adoption for enterprise-wide implementation
- Led the end-to-end process of RFP responses and SOW renewals, collaborating with the client’s procurement teams to ensure alignment with contractual, financial, and operational requirements
- Worked closely with internal stakeholders, including finance and presales teams, to structure competitive pricing models and cost estimations that optimized profitability while meeting client expectations
- Negotiated contract terms, pricing structures, and service deliverables, ensuring cost transparency and risk mitigation while strengthening long-term client relationships
- Supported account management efforts by analyzing historical project costs, forecasting budget allocations, and refining pricing strategies to drive revenue growth and contract retention
- Managed end-to-end client relationships across automotive, healthcare, and defense sectors, ensuring seamless staffing solutions that drove revenue growth and long-term partnerships
- Collaborated with internal teams, external stakeholders, and resource managers to identify, recruit, and deploy top technical talent, optimizing workforce efficiency and project success
- Led technical interviews and candidate assessments, ensuring alignment with client requirements while maintaining high hiring standards for specialized roles in critical industries
- Maintained data accuracy, created custom dashboards for improved forecasting, and trained sales teams to report activities in Salesforce for leadership reporting
- Spearheaded initiatives that increased business and revenue by 10%
- Generated business leads, expanding global reach
- Enhanced operational processes and coordinated charitable events, raising over $50,000
PROJECT MANAGER
V2Soft
Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
11.2021 - 08.2024
- Led the end-to-end execution of a $5M-$6M digital transformation project, overseeing the development of a high-performance eCommerce website for distillery, enhancing customer engagement and online sales
- Managed vendor integrations for POS systems, ensuring seamless synchronization between in-store and online transactions for a unified customer experience
- Coordinated the implementation of online shopping and shipping modules, optimizing order fulfillment, inventory management, and compliance with alcohol distribution regulations
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including developers, designers, and third-party logistics providers, to ensure timely project delivery, system scalability, and enhanced digital customer experiences
- Led process assessment and documentation efforts to align the distillery’s project and V2Soft project workflows with CMMI- Level 3 certification standards, enhancing process maturity and efficiency
- Collaborated with auditors and internal teams to conduct gap analyses, implement process improvements, and ensure compliance with CMMI frameworks
- Developed standardized procedures, quality assurance guidelines, and risk management strategies to streamline project execution and achieve CMMI certification
- Led the development of a secure Employee Portal with Single Sign-On (SSO), enhancing accessibility and security for both in-house employees and external contract workers
- Collaborated with internal teams to implement authentication mechanisms, role-based access controls, and seamless integration with enterprise systems
- Adopted Agile methodology for project management using JIRA
- Mentored university interns on portal development best practices while facilitating onboarding, training sessions to ensure user adoption
- Collaborated with cross-functional business leaders through interactive workshops to identify key pain points in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and developed a structured resolution plan
- Assessed and optimized the Salesforce CI/CD pipeline, designing a streamlined roadmap that enabled a two-week release cadence to enhance Agile Sprint efficiency
- Implemented best practices in SDLC governance, automation, and release management, improving deployment speed, reducing defects, and driving overall development efficiency
- Managed enhancements that registered 2000 suppliers and 120 buyers, boosting minority supplier engagement for MMSDC
- Conducted in-depth assessments of clients’ Salesforce and API management frameworks, identifying inefficiencies and areas for optimization to enhance scalability and performance
- Developed a strategic roadmap for establishing a Center of Excellence (CoE), outlining best practices, governance models, and automation opportunities to drive operational efficiencies
- Presented data-driven insights and cost-benefit analysis to key stakeholders, demonstrating how a CoE would streamline processes, reduce redundancies, and improve cross-functional collaboration
- Led the enterprise data migration from on-prem infrastructure to AWS PostgreSQL, enhancing scalability, performance, and cost efficiency
- Designed and executed a robust migration strategy, ensuring minimal downtime, data integrity, and seamless transition for mission-critical applications
- Optimized database architecture and cloud security, reducing infrastructure costs by $2M annually while improving resilience and compliance
SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST
TEK SYSTEMS
Detroit, MI, USA
07.2020 - 11.2021
- Led 30+ sessions using elicitation techniques, interviewing, and use case modeling
- Developed Agile project plans, managed cross-functional teams, and identified over 30 key features and 10 epics
- Partnered with ART teams for integration, data modeling, and testing strategies
- Coordinated with cybersecurity and UX teams for comprehensive technical specifications
BUSINESS PROCESS SPECIALIST/ IT MANAGER
TEK SYSTEMS
Auburn Hills, MI, USA
10.2015 - 03.2020
- Was able to manage multiple projects engaging with clients and internal departments throughout project implementation driving 20% savings
- Assisted the senior manager in preparing project costing reports by tracking burn rates across multiple projects, ensuring accurate budget allocation and financial forecasting
- Monitored resource utilization and budget consumption, categorizing project statuses as Red, Yellow, or Green based on burn rate trends and financial health
- Collaborated with senior managers to analyze and optimize APAC duty structures, implementing strategic sourcing and compliance measures that led to a 20% reduction in duty costs across multiple vendors
- Drove 25% cost savings, 85% schedule efficiency in migrating Ask Warranty helpdesk application to Service Now platform using Agile methodology
PROJECT MANAGER
Tweddle Group
Clinton Township, MI, USA
02.2015 - 10.2015
- Created JIRA dashboards for C-level executives, optimizing business efficiency by 30%
- Authored IT project proposals projected to generate over $500K in new revenue working with business and IT teams locally and globally
- Directed Agile projects with Sprint Ceremonies, increasing CI/CD delivery efficiency by 80%
TECHNICAL PROJECT MANAGER/ SENIOR WEB DEVELOPER
MRM Worldwide
Birmingham, MI, USA
12.2009 - 01.2015
- Led global custom form implementations and accelerated website development, increasing GM website traffic by 23% and sales efficiency by 35%
- Developed a scalable pricing model for 'Request a Quote,' 'Dealer Locator,' and 'Build & Price' web forms across multiple countries, ensuring cost efficiency and alignment with market demands
- Led a cross-functional project team to roll out these forms globally, maintaining strict budget control and optimizing resources to maximize cost savings
- Ensured seamless implementation within the quoted budget, enhancing client satisfaction by delivering a high-quality, localized user experience while driving lead generation and conversion
SENIOR WEB DEVELOPER
BBDO Detroit
Troy, MI, USA
03.2000 - 12.2009
LEAD PROGRAMMER ANALYST
Kelly Services
Troy, MI, USA
10.1998 - 03.2000
SYSTEMS DEVELOPER
Detroit Edison
Detroit, MI, USA
09.1997 - 10.1998
SYSTEMS DEVELOPER
Kmart World Headquarters
Troy, MI, USA
10.1995 - 09.1997
Education
MASTER OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WALSH COLLEGE
TROY, MIBACHELOR OF SCIENCE - ELECTRONICS
OSMANIA UNIVERSITY
HYDERABADSkills
- Communication & Collaboration
- BRD & Documentation Tools
- Business Modeling
- Functional Modeling
- Programming Languages
- Frameworks
- Platforms & Tools
- Database Systems
- Methodologies
Certification
- AWS Certified AI Practitioner
- SAFe 5.1 Practitioner
- AI Governance Certified (Securiti)
- Tricentis TOSCA (Udemy)
- Python (Udemy)
- LDAP Directory Services (Udemy)
- Generative AI for Project Management (LinkedIn)
Business Skills
- Communication & Collaboration, Proficient in tools like Microsoft Teams, G-Suite, SharePoint, Zoom, Webex, GOTO Meeting, Google Hangouts, and Skype.
- BRD & Documentation Tools, Experienced in writing Business Requirements Documents (BRD) using MS Word, Google Docs, and Grammarly.
- Business Modeling, Skilled in creating Performance Reports, Process Improvement Reports, Scope Models, Stakeholder Maps, and Product Roadmaps, Dataflow Diagrams, Process Flows, Mind Mapping, Organizational Charts, SWOT Analysis, and using Google Charts.
- Functional Modeling, Expertise in Activity Diagrams, Use Case Diagrams, System Architecture, UML, Data Modeling, and creating wireframes in iRise.
Personal Information
Status: US Citizen
Awards
- Bravo Award for vendor integrations at V2Soft Inc.
- Person of the week award at Chrysler for G-Suite migration
- Best Employee Award for migrating applications for GM at MRM Worldwide for Webform Migration project.
- Sterling Award for best employee at BBDO Detroit
Project Management Highlights
- Project Planning & Execution, Managed project scope, timelines, and budgets across multiple roles, leading digital transformation initiatives, including enhancing the digital presence for Shankar distiller’s project.
- Statements of Work & Stakeholder Buy-In, Prepared statements of work and secured stakeholder approval, including generating $500K in revenue from V2Soft Client project proposals.
- Team Coordination & Communication, Led cross-functional teams, managing communication and deadlines effectively, as seen in the OnStar-Honda Integration Project with 30+ stakeholder sessions.
- Cost & Schedule Management, Achieved over 85% of schedule efficiency and customer satisfaction by managing costs and maintaining schedules in the Warranty Project.
- Risk Identification & Mitigation, Assessed project pain points and recommended risk mitigation plan in the HAP SDLC project, delivering a bi-weekly release roadmap.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management, Managed stakeholder engagement and project adjustments, coordinating technical requirements as a Senior Business Analyst in OnStar Honda Project.
- Performance Tracking & Reporting, Created JIRA dashboards for executive reporting, optimizing business efficiency by 30% and tracking project metrics at Tweddle.
- Personnel Oversight & Task Assignment, Led Agile Sprint Ceremonies and assigned tasks as a Technical Project Manager, enhancing CI/CD efficiency by 85% in project delivery at MRM.
- Project Communication & Status Updates, Delivered clear project communication and updates, increasing supplier engagement in the MM365 Website project.
- Issue Escalation & Resolution, Ensured project success by managing critical issues and achieving $2M in savings in the Flagstar project.
- Technical Insight & Functional Collaboration, Collaborated on technical requirements, improving usability for the V2Soft Employee Portal and assessing Salesforce CI/CD pipelines in Flagstar COE projects.
Timeline
Sr. SOLUTIONS MANAGER/ ACCOUNT MANAGER
V2Soft
12.2023 - Current
PROJECT MANAGER
V2Soft
11.2021 - 08.2024
SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST
TEK SYSTEMS
07.2020 - 11.2021
BUSINESS PROCESS SPECIALIST/ IT MANAGER
TEK SYSTEMS
10.2015 - 03.2020
PROJECT MANAGER
Tweddle Group
02.2015 - 10.2015
TECHNICAL PROJECT MANAGER/ SENIOR WEB DEVELOPER
MRM Worldwide
12.2009 - 01.2015
SENIOR WEB DEVELOPER
BBDO Detroit
03.2000 - 12.2009
LEAD PROGRAMMER ANALYST
Kelly Services
10.1998 - 03.2000
SYSTEMS DEVELOPER
Detroit Edison
09.1997 - 10.1998
SYSTEMS DEVELOPER
Kmart World Headquarters
10.1995 - 09.1997
MASTER OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS - PROJECT MANAGEMENT
WALSH COLLEGE
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE - ELECTRONICS
OSMANIA UNIVERSITY