Satya P Kancharla
Ashburn,VA
Summary
Summary: Engineering Executive with 18+ years leading $16M software portfolios and 200+ globally distributed engineers across high-scale application and middleware platforms. Deep expertise in modernizing legacy systems to cloud-native architectures, delivering 10–20% cost efficiencies while sustaining 99.99% availability at scale.
Leadership Philosophy: Trusted to remediate unstable platforms and institutionalize operational discipline. Known for customer centric mindset, people-centered leadership, data-driven decisions, and embedding continuous improvement into delivery, risk management, and platform governance.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Lead Engineering Director
Walgreens
08.2024 - Current
- Lead a $16M portfolio overseeing 15+ software products across legacy and cloud platforms, directing 200+ global resources.
- Strategically assessed and delivered 90-day, 180-day, and 2-year operating model roadmaps, driving transformation across People, Process, and Technology to strengthen workforce capability, improve operational efficiency, and accelerate technical modernization
- Established and executed portfolio-level OKRs aligned to the operating model, with focus on Agile adoption, DevOps maturity, and technical debt reduction; institutionalized quarterly progress reviews to strengthen execution, ownership, and delivery accountability.
- Institutionalized a Platform Stability & Operate-First mindset through:
- Quarterly business reviews enforcing vendor management guardrails and release readiness assessments, improving accountability and SLA adherence, reducing vendor escalations, and accelerating resolution of long-standing incidents and security remediation.
- Implementation of non-functional and service-readiness checks across Development and Production Support teams, significantly reducing post-implementation defects and warranty-period issues.
- Led cost containment initiatives delivering 10–20% savings (~$2M) through:
- Software rationalization and retirement of legacy products
- Automation-driven optimization of staffing and support models
- Introduction of a factory delivery model for repeatable, low-complexity work, enabling scalable offshore uplift and a revamped staff-augmentation model
Chief Product Owner
Freddie Mac
03.2023 - 08.2024
- Manage Product Lifecycle, Accountable for setting the vision and roadmap for platforms to deliver value by partnering with Chief Dev Leads and Stakeholders
- Accountable for setting yearly objectives, OKR and KRI for the department that align with Corporate IT Strategy
- Invest in customer needs and Return on Investment (ROI) and are accountable for content decisions that drive prioritization.
- Manage Program Increment Planning and Ceremonies for Quarterly Prioritization and Backlog Grooming
- Demonstrate Service Reviews and Technology Roadmaps with executives, customers.
- Manage Risk and Issues, Vendor Relations and 3rd party risk management and provide audit support.
- Achieve lowest unit rate possible across all Products.. Deliver value through contract negotiations and incentives.
- Accountable for Program Technical Debt and Version Ladder to promote product sustainability.
- Led cross-functional teams to define product vision and roadmap.
- Prioritized backlog items based on stakeholder feedback and market analysis.
Engineering Dir for Middleware and OpenShift
Freddie Mac
08.2020 - 03.2023
- Led ~40+ member team being accountable for managing product life cycle for Middleware and OpenShift technologies.
- Develop 1-3yr product specific roadmaps, deliverables that align departmental Objectives
- Lead program delivery with-in set budget tolerance, schedule commitments as well manage organization environment hygiene within availability and resiliency thresholds.
- Invest in strengthening continuous improvement opportunities to optimize operational efficiencies and capacity / demand management.
- Drive Automation First mindset where possible to introduce more self-serve capabilities and minimize manual interventions.
- Enhance Business Relationships and enrich customer experience by conducting quarterly stakeholder kick off sessions, open communication channels, enable continuous feedback loops.
- Develop executive level dashboard inclusive of technology roadmaps to present service reviews on bi-Quarterly basis with Sr Management and CIO / Leadership presence.
- Oversee and manage ~$10M+ portfolio budget for IT, business, operational driven initiatives.
- Enable Cost Optimization by managing capacity engineering for owned platforms by reducing infrastructure and license overheads.
- Invest in growth, development high performing, diversified teams, groom talent from bottom up with minimal Key Person Dependencies across department
Development Manager
Freddie Mac
10.2016 - 08.2020
- Owned delivery of Call Center Technologies, eGain, ODS, MISMO Transformation, and Post-Fund Data Correction platforms for SF Servicing & Operations.
- Led modernization of call center platforms by migrating from legacy on-prem solutions to NICE inContact (hosted), improving scalability and retiring technical debt.
- Managed a $5M+ IT portfolio, including business case development, roadmaps, prioritization, budgeting, forecasting, application health, risk management, and remediation.
- Built and led high-performing teams through coaching, continuous learning (IDPs), stretch assignments, and talent retention; managed HR and procurement models including contractors, fixed-price, staff augmentation, and outcome-based SOWs.
Service Technology Transition Lead
Freddie Mac
10.2004 - 10.2016
- Led the enterprise transformation from BMC Remedy to ServiceNow, institutionalizing ITSM best practices across Change, Release, and Incident Management.
- Established and governed an NFR-driven Release Management framework that integrated delivery lifecycles, Agile methods, and permit processes—reducing duplicate change evidence, strengthening control compliance, and lowering audit effort.
- Provided release leadership for Servicing and Platform portfolios, leading a 10+ analyst team and managing enterprise releases (SFSR, SF Platform, FRE–CSS). Built strong executive partnerships to align IT change with business outcomes and drive continuous improvement
Sr. Middleware Engineer
Fannie Mae
10.2002 - 10.2004
- Automated build and deployments for various applications thus saving time and eliminating human errors. Worked on WebLogic integration to Various applications.
- Upgraded WebLogic and middleware environments.
Intern Engineer
SoftPro Solutions
10.2000 - 10.2002
- Managed a team of frontend UI developers. Presented the flash-based applications, UI screens to the customers. Lead the team for resolving production issues and handled customer issues.
Skills
- Program Ownership & Cost Discipline
- Application Engineering & Reliable Delivery
- Architecture, Engineering Standards & Delivery Automation
- Delivery Planning & Execution Governance
- Operational Excellence & Productivity Lift
- Technology Strategy & Roadmap Realization
- Strengthen Vendor Management
- Customer & Executive Partnership
- Talent Systems & Leadership Development
Websites
TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE
Languages: Java, Python, SQL | Platforms: OpenShift, AWS, Azure, WebLogic, webMethod, Apache, Tomcat, Apigee, Kafka, Qlik, Talend ServiceNow | Tools: Jenkins, Ansible, Terraform, Dynatrace
Certification
- Masters in Computers (IT), Osmania University, India -2002
- Certifications: PMP, CSM, ITIL Expert; SaFe Agilist
- Stanford Leadership (LEAD) Q4 2024-Q3, 2025
RECOGNITIONS
NOW Award for establishing Release Management Processes from ground up (2013), Now Award for SD Control Process Improvements (2015), Now Award for Enable InContact Platform (2016), Now Award – Code Hackathon (2016), Nominated to receive Executive Coaching Sessions from Thrive Professional LLC across Single Family (2020)
Timeline
Lead Engineering Director
Walgreens
08.2024 - Current
Chief Product Owner
Freddie Mac
03.2023 - 08.2024
Engineering Dir for Middleware and OpenShift
Freddie Mac
08.2020 - 03.2023
Development Manager
Freddie Mac
10.2016 - 08.2020
Service Technology Transition Lead
Freddie Mac
10.2004 - 10.2016
Sr. Middleware Engineer
Fannie Mae
10.2002 - 10.2004
Intern Engineer
SoftPro Solutions
10.2000 - 10.2002