Prajakta Wani
Cross-Disciplinary Professional | Product Owner, Project Manager, IT Business Analyst, Scrum Master| Proven Success In Agile And Delivery Excellence
Buffalo,NY
Summary
Results-driven leader with 16+ years of experience delivering complex technology initiatives across financial services, compliance, and client integration. Proven expertise in Agile (Scrum, Kanban, hybrid), SDLC, and cross-functional team leadership from ideation to production. Brings a versatile background in business analysis, test analysis, Agile coaching, and end-to-end project/program delivery. Adept at stakeholder engagement, backlog and roadmap management, risk resolution, and driving continuous improvement. Skilled in operations oversight, cost management, and process optimization, with a keen ability to anticipate issues and implement effective solutions. Known for mentoring high-performing teams and consistently aligning delivery with business strategy for optimal value and operational efficiency. Proactive, adaptable, and results-focused—with a commitment to learning, leading, and contributing to team and organizational growth.
Adept at deconstructing and planning stories in order to promote improvements to product design and implementation. Excellent relationship-building, organizational, and project management skills with a focus on overcoming technical challenges and implementing successful resolutions.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Product Owner / Business Analyst
M&T Bank
05.2025 - Current
- Performed testing while acting as Product Owner and IT Business Analyst for IAM and authentication initiatives, managing the backlog and writing user stories aligned to business value, security needs, and regulatory requirements (GDPR, SOC2).
- Worked closely with stakeholders, architects, and engineering teams to design and deliver secure authentication and entitlement solutions using OAuth 2.0, OIDC, SAML, MFA, PKI, and SSO.
- Translated business requirements into clear functional specs, process flows, and acceptance criteria within Agile/Scrum delivery.
- Led SIT and UAT, created test scenarios and test cases, validated authentication and access flows, and supported defect resolution to ensure smooth, secure releases.
- Collaborated across business, tech, and security teams to ensure IAM solutions aligned with enterprise security standards and best practices.
- Managed backlog prioritization, ensuring alignment with business goals and stakeholder expectations.
- Implemented Agile methodologies to increase team productivity and enhance overall project outcomes.
Project Manager/Vice President
BNY Mellon / Pershing
05.2023 - 08.2024
- Led regulatory and compliance projects, ensuring they aligned with business goals and governance standards.
- Managed cross-functional teams to deliver projects smoothly, overseeing timelines, risks, budgets, and resources.
- Handled multiple initiatives at once, prioritizing based on urgency, impact, and overall business alignment.
- Introduced reporting automation and developed dashboards to improve efficiency and support data-driven decisions.
- Managed PMO budgets, tracked costs, and supported leadership with portfolio prioritization and roadmap planning.
- Maintained strong stakeholder engagement through clear communication, proactive risk management, and timely issue resolution.
- Planned and structured project phases for large-scale initiatives, ensuring steady execution from start to finish.
- Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks according to urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals.
Agile Project Manager and Scrum Master
HSBC Bank USA
04.2021 - 11.2022
- Delivered regulatory programs, including data pipeline migrations for U.S. compliance.
- Led Agile transformation through team coaching and Scrum facilitation.
- Managed backlogs, sprint planning, and compliance/security projects.
- Facilitated Scrum of Scrums, driving global collaboration.
- Provided transparency via dashboards, roadmaps, and executive summaries.
- Drove continuous improvement through retrospectives and feedback loops.
- Managed budgets, vendor contracts, and third-party onboarding.
- Facilitated Scrum framework – sprint planning, backlog grooming, daily scrums, sprint reviews, and sprint retrospectives.
Agile Business Analyst
HSBC Technology & Services
02.2015 - 09.2020
- Defined strategies, roadmaps, and MVPs with product sponsors.
- Drove Agile transformation in Compliance, CRM, and Global Banking.
- Led requirements gathering, user stories, and backlog prioritization.
- Facilitated Agile ceremonies to ensure timely project delivery.
- Worked with UX and technical teams to align functional requirements.
- Facilitated open communication between developers, testers, and product owners, ensuring seamless coordination on project tasks.
Senior Business Analyst
HSBC Technology & Services
08.2014 - 02.2015
- Led Capital Markets, GLCM, and CMB initiatives focused on equities and derivatives.
- Conducted AS-IS/TO-BE analysis to optimize business processes.
- Translated business requirements into functional specifications.
- Developed test cases based on data analysis to ensure high-quality outcomes.
- Managed defect tracking and resource allocation for timely delivery.
- Managed stakeholder expectations through transparent communication and timely status updates, ensuring alignment between project deliverables and business objectives.
Business Test Lead
HSBC Technology & Services
09.2011 - 08.2014
- Streamlined testing processes, improving efficiency and reducing cycle time.
- Conducted regression testing, ensuring product stability and quality.
- Identified defects, performed root cause analysis, and implemented fixes.
- Used automation to reduce human error and improve product delivery.
- Conducted regression testing of existing products.
- Streamlined testing processes for increased efficiency and reduced overall test cycle time.
Business Test Analyst
HSBC Technology & Services
07.2009 - 08.2011
- Delivered consistent results under tight deadlines with effective workload management.
- Championed QA best practices, becoming a trusted advisor.
- Collaborated across teams to ensure smooth integration and quality.
- Implemented agile methodologies to improve project efficiency and testing outcomes.
- Reduced project delivery times by streamlining communication between development and testing teams.
Education
Bachelor of Engineering - Electronics And Tele Communications Engineering
Walchand Institue of Technology
Solapur, India06-2009
Skills
Project planning and management
Cross-functional collaboration
Agile project management and prioritization
Agile & Scrum Methodologies
JIRA dashboards , Power BI reporting & tracking
Executive reporting & governance
SDLC & Agile , SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)
Project Lifecycle Management
Business & Functional Analysis
Global Stakeholder Management
Financial & Resource Planning
Cross-Functional Team Leadership
User story creation
Timeline
Product Owner / Business Analyst
M&T Bank
05.2025 - Current
Project Manager/Vice President
BNY Mellon / Pershing
05.2023 - 08.2024
Agile Project Manager and Scrum Master
HSBC Bank USA
04.2021 - 11.2022
Agile Business Analyst
HSBC Technology & Services
02.2015 - 09.2020
Senior Business Analyst
HSBC Technology & Services
08.2014 - 02.2015
Business Test Lead
HSBC Technology & Services
09.2011 - 08.2014
Business Test Analyst
HSBC Technology & Services
07.2009 - 08.2011
Bachelor of Engineering - Electronics And Tele Communications Engineering
Walchand Institue of Technology
CORE COMPETENCIES
Banking, Client Relationship Management, Portfolio Management, Client Onboarding, SharePoint, JIRA, ITSA, Rational Team Concert, Clarity, SQL, Control M, GSD, Cognos, Quality Centre, ALM, Confluence, IRise, Visio, Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, Kanban, Data Analytics, Negotiation, Stakeholder Management, Global Delivery Experience, Agile ceremonies, Finance, Forecast, Budgeting, Project Management, Planning, Working group engagement, PMO (Project management), Regulatory compliance, Risk and Compliance, Project Charter, API, Postman, Qlik Sense