Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Work Availability
Timeline
Accomplishments
Certification
Hi, I’m

Umesh Deshpande

San Jose,CA
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.
Walt Disney

Summary

Experienced Senior Manager and Servant Leader with over 20 years in engineering and program management, skilled at leading cross-functional teams and executing large-scale technical projects. Proven track record in optimizing processes, driving continuous improvement, and aligning initiatives with corporate goals. Combines technical expertise in cloud platforms, SaaS, and Agile methodologies with strong leadership, ensuring efficient project delivery and high stakeholder satisfaction. Known for fostering an open, high-performance culture and pursuing new challenges with growth-focused organizations.

Overview

29
years of professional experience
1
Certificate

Work History

Cisco Systems Inc. (Full Time)

Sr. Manager IT, Cloud Platforms
01.2022 - Current

Job overview

  • Leadership and Team Management : Led high-performing global engineering teams, fostering innovation and collaboration, which resulted in a 25% increase in productivity and improved employee retention by 10% through effective coaching and mentorship.
  • Project and Program Management : Managed the full lifecycle of large-scale projects using Agile and Waterfall methodologies, achieving a 95% on-time delivery rate, reducing project timelines by 20%, and driving a 25% increase in customer satisfaction.
  • Stakeholder and Client Relations : Served as a strategic liaison between technical teams and stakeholders, facilitating alignment with business goals, which strengthened client partnerships and boosted repeat business.
  • Automation and Process Optimization : Automated critical workflows across Salesforce and Oracle, reducing manual effort by 40% and cutting task completion times by 2 minutes, leading to a 20% improvement in operational efficiency.
  • Data Integration and Systems Architecture : Developed scalable data pipelines and led Salesforce and Oracle integrations, achieving 99.9% uptime, tripling data capacity, and providing actionable insights for 2,000 users.
  • Risk and Compliance Management : Implemented comprehensive risk management strategies, achieving a 30% risk reduction, maintaining GDPR compliance, and enhancing resilience with data backup and migration strategies.
  • Operational and Financial Management : Managed over $5 million in project budgets, optimizing resource allocation to reduce costs by 10%, which saved $500,000 annually, while maintaining a high standard of operational efficiency.
  • Customer-Centric Initiatives : Launched feedback-driven quality improvements, enhancing product features, increasing customer satisfaction, and maintaining high development standards across all project phases.
  • Staff Development and Performance Management : Designed and led training programs for junior managers, driving leadership development and improving individual and team performance through regular feedback and goal-setting.
  • Change and Transition Management : Directed successful change management initiatives, facilitating the adoption of new systems and expanding into new markets, which increased brand recognition and adaptability.
  • Strategic Planning and Goal Setting : Led strategic planning sessions, aligning departmental goals with company objectives, leveraging market insights to make informed investment decisions, and achieving higher ROI.
  • Cost Optimization and Vendor Management : Consolidated vendors and renegotiated contracts, streamlining supply chain and reducing costs while maintaining quality and improving profit margins.
  • Diversity, Sustainability, and Corporate Responsibility : Championed diversity and sustainability initiatives, creating a supportive work environment, reducing waste, and implementing eco-friendly practices that align with corporate values.

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Full Time)

IT Senior Technical Program/Product Manager
10.2010 - 12.2021

Job overview

  • End-to-End Project Delivery and Methodology : Led end-to-end delivery of 10+ large-scale projects using Agile and Waterfall methodologies, achieving a 95% on-time completion rate, reducing delivery timelines by 20% over two years, and effectively managing $3-$5 million budgets.
  • Scrum and Team Coordination : Managed and coordinated 8 Scrum teams as Scrum of Scrums, facilitating program increment planning with stakeholders and IT teams to maximize delivery efficiency and ensure alignment across projects.
  • System Architecture and Performance Optimization : Facilitated cross-functional technical discussions to optimize system architecture, achieving a 25% improvement in system performance and ensuring scalability and alignment with long-term business goals.
  • Risk Management and Compliance : Implemented comprehensive risk management strategies, reducing project risks by 30% and ensuring full compliance with GDPR and data privacy regulations to mitigate project delays.
  • Offshore Team Management and Center of Excellence (CoE) : Established and managed offshore teams, increasing project capacity by 30% and creating a Center of Excellence that improved issue resolution speed by 20% and enhanced global collaboration by 15%.
  • Data Integration and Scalable Architecture : Developed scalable data solutions for ERP and BI projects, utilizing Oracle, INFORMATICA, TERADATA, SAP HANA, SNOWFLAKE, and Big Data technologies, supporting 2,000 users and enhancing data flow accuracy by 25%.
  • Salesforce and Oracle System Integrations : Directed complex integrations of Salesforce and Oracle, achieving 99.9% uptime, tripling data capacity, and increasing scalability by 30% while maintaining budget constraints.
  • Workflow Automation and Operational Efficiency : Automated critical workflows across Salesforce and Oracle platforms, reducing manual tasks by 40% and improving operational efficiency by 20%, enabling seamless collaboration across onshore and offshore teams.
  • Financial Management and Budget Optimization : Oversaw and optimized project budgets exceeding $5 million, reducing cost overruns by 10% through strategic resource planning and saving approximately $500,000 annually by leveraging offshore resources.
  • Stakeholder Engagement and Product Documentation : Acted as a strategic liaison between technical teams and stakeholders, aligning project goals, managing scope, and ensuring milestone delivery; developed product documentation and user guides to support product adoption and internal training.
  • Product Roadmap and Feature Prioritization : Developed and prioritized comprehensive product roadmaps, setting clear vision and measurable milestones, conducting market research, and driving new feature development based on customer needs and market demands.
  • Data Analytics and Decision-Making : Created optimized data pipelines for actionable insights, delivering dynamic realtime dashboards and reports to senior leadership, supporting data-driven decision-making, and enhancing analytics with scalable data integration.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration and Customer Success : Fostered cross-functional collaboration with engineering, marketing, and sales to deliver high-quality products on schedule; enhanced customer satisfaction by incorporating feedback into continuous product improvement.

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Full Time)

IT Project Manager
01.2005 - 09.2010

Job overview

  • End-to-End Project Lifecycle Management : Spearheaded delivery of six high-impact technical projects, overseeing all phases from planning to deployment, utilizing Agile methodologies to streamline timelines, enhance team collaboration, and achieve a 95% on-time delivery rate.
  • Technical Integration and System Optimization : Led a team of 25 engineers to implement and integrate Oracle ERP modules with Primavera, Oracle HRMS, and custom applications, ensuring seamless data flow and high-performance system interoperability across platforms.
  • Data Integrity and Operational Efficiency : Reduced support costs by 20% by implementing robust data integrity protocols, minimizing system downtime, and optimizing operational workflows across critical IT services, enhancing reliability and customer satisfaction.
  • Advanced Risk Management and Quality Assurance : Developed comprehensive risk mitigation strategies to minimize project risks and ensure quality standards, coordinating detailed QA testing phases that upheld organizational compliance and reliability before deployments.
  • Strategic Resource and Budget Management : Managed project budgets for multiple concurrent projects, reallocating resources strategically to stay within budget constraints, achieving $500,000 in cost savings through effective vendor negotiations and resource optimization.
  • Technical Project Planning and Roadmapping : Developed technical project roadmaps defining clear objectives, timelines, and performance milestones, aligning them with organizational goals and continuously tracking progress to meet evolving project demands.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement : Fostered strong cross-functional partnerships with engineering, sales, and customer support teams, ensuring alignment on technical requirements and maintaining transparent communication with stakeholders for seamless project execution.
  • Technical Escalation and Problem Resolution : Owned and managed technical project escalations, providing operational direction and resolving complex technical challenges swiftly, ensuring minimal disruption to timelines and consistently meeting critical deliverables.
  • Mentorship and Continuous Improvement : Mentored junior team members in IT project management best practices, promoting a growth-oriented culture and fostering continuous process improvement within the team to boost productivity and technical expertise.

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Contract)

IT Engineer
01.1996 - 12.2004

Job overview

  • Feature Prototyping and Innovation
    Rapidly prototyped and tested new features to drive innovation, leveraging Oracle and modern web technologies like AngularJS and Apache Tomcat, leading to increased agility in feature rollout and feasibility assessments.
  • Efficient Data Processing and Automation
    Engineered a flexible commission calculation engine using Oracle, reducing processing time from 72 hours to 3 hours; built a Business Rules Engine (BRE) that automated resource assignment, cutting project setup time from 12 hours to 2 hours.
  • Advanced Systems Integration and Application Development
    Developed robust web applications by integrating Oracle ERP (AR, AP, OM, CPQ, CR) modules with Salesforce CRM, enhancing functionality through technologies like AngularJS and Apache Tomcat, and driving business efficiency. Architected, Designed and Developed Sales Crediting, Goaling, Territory management, Customer registry customization using Oracle tools and UI technologies
  • Complex Issue Resolution and Documentation
    Resolved complex technical issues quickly to minimize operational disruptions, creating in-depth documentation for knowledge sharing and streamlining team troubleshooting efforts.
  • Network Infrastructure and Database Optimization
    Improved system performance and efficiency by optimizing network infrastructure, performing database tuning, and implementing advanced index and query optimization techniques for Oracle databases.
  • System Monitoring, Maintenance, and Uptime Management
    Reduced downtime and boosted system reliability through proactive system monitoring, regular maintenance, and implementing custom scripts to enhance performance, ensuring highest levels of availability.
  • Data Security and Recovery Protocols
    Designed and implemented robust data backup, recovery, and system security measures, safeguarding critical information and reinforcing data assurance standards across IT environments.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration and Seamless Integration
    Collaborated with stakeholders and cross-functional teams to ensure seamless system integration into existing workflows, reducing disruptions and enhancing operational continuity during transitions.
  • Mentorship and Knowledge Transfer
    Led junior engineers in project execution, conducting training sessions on new software applications and promoting best practices to encourage professional growth and effective technology adoption.

Education

San Jose State University
San Jose, CA

Master of Science from Software Engineering
06-2006

University of Pune
Pune, MH, INDIA

Master of Science from Computer Information Systems
06-1993

University of Pune
Pune, MH, INDIA

Bachelor of Science from Computer Science
06-1990

Skills

  • Data-Driven Decision-Making
  • Cross-Functional Team Leadership
  • Project Planning and Management
  • Agile Project Management
  • Stakeholder Management
  • Product Vision and Strategy
  • Goal Setting and Strategic Planning
  • Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
  • Process Improvement and Development
  • Technical Roadmap Design
  • Operations and Resource Management
  • IT Governance and Compliance
  • Budget Management and Oversight
  • Client and Business Relationship Management
  • Data Analytics and KPI Tracking
  • Product Lifecycle and Backlog Management
  • IT Risk and Incident Management
  • IT Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
  • Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
  • Gen AI Tool Implementation (eg, Github Copilot, Einstein Copilot)
  • User Story Creation and Prioritization
  • Requirements Analysis and Gathering
  • Presentation and Facilitation
  • IT Service and Asset Management
  • Critical and Analytical Thinking
Availability
See my work availability
Not Available
Available
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
swipe to browse

Timeline

Sr. Manager IT, Cloud Platforms

Cisco Systems Inc. (Full Time)
01.2022 - Current

IT Senior Technical Program/Product Manager

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Full Time)
10.2010 - 12.2021

IT Project Manager

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Full Time)
01.2005 - 09.2010

IT Engineer

Cisco Systems, Inc. (Contract)
01.1996 - 12.2004

San Jose State University

Master of Science from Software Engineering

University of Pune

Master of Science from Computer Information Systems

University of Pune

Bachelor of Science from Computer Science

Accomplishments

  • Salesforce Platform Optimization
    Managed and optimized Salesforce performance, resulting in a 20% increase in efficiency and 15% faster response times.
  • User Adoption & Training
    Enhanced user adoption by 25% through tailored training programs and continuous support initiatives.
  • Customization & Configuration
    Led Salesforce customization efforts, reducing manual processes by 30% and increasing data accuracy by 20%.
  • Automation of Business Processes
    Implemented automation solutions (workflows, process builders), cutting manual work by 40% and boosting team productivity by 15%.
  • Data Integrity & Security
    Ensured 99.9% data accuracy and 100% compliance with data integrity and security protocols.
  • System Integration
    Managed Salesforce integration with internal systems, improving cross-department collaboration by 15%.
  • Reports & Dashboards
    Developed custom reports and dashboards, reducing decision-making time by 20% through actionable insights.
  • Salesforce Release Management
    Achieved 100% success in adopting new Salesforce releases, ensuring minimal downtime and seamless transitions.
  • Team Leadership & Collaboration
    Led a team of administrators and developers, enhancing collaboration and reducing project delivery time by 10%.
  • Cost Management
    Optimized platform usage, resulting in a 10-15% reduction in annual Salesforce costs.

Certification


  • PMP, George Washington University, 2006
  • CSM, Certified Scrum Master, 2010
  • SCPM, Stanford Certified Program Manager, 2015
  • Certified Salesforce Admin, Salesforce, May 2024

Similar Profiles

CREATE PROFILE
Umesh Deshpande