Product Management Change

*

BARBARA S. EDWARDS

**** ***** **** **** • Cumming, GA 30041 • 678-***-**** • **************@*****.*** www.linkedin.com/in/barbarasmithedwards

PROFILE

Creative, results-driven professional with extensive experience in operations, program/project/product management and financial consulting. Extensive background in designing and implementing policies, procedures, metrics and process improvements as well as developing annual business plans and overseeing day-to-day operations. Dynamic, enthusiastic, motivational leader with proven abilities in guiding the efforts of cross-functional and interdepartmental teams; works effectively both independently and collaboratively with all levels of associates and executives. Adept in initiating and developing client relationships. Strategic thinker with ability to design and develop detailed delivery plans. Exhibits solid organizational, analytical, problem solving and oral/written communication skills. Expertise encompasses: Strategic Planning Project/Program Management Operations/Change Management Financial Analysis/Management Process/Performance Management Customer Engagement Relationship/Product Management Audit/Compliance/Internal Controls Budgeting/Business Planning HIGHLIGHTS

• Led projects to create/deliver ticket management software system (SaaS) for requesting and distributing entertainment assets exceeding $60M to clients and employees of The Coca-Cola Company as well as childcare curriculum software

(SaaS) to educate childcare centers/parents in the ECE industry on education best practices for children under age 6.

• Managed multiple service areas and served as interim Director, Creative Business Solutions responsible for management and operations of five distinctive internal groups within The Shared Services Division of Coca-Cola; namely, Strategic Meetings & Events, Travel & Expense Management, Entertainment Asset Management, InfoSource

(research, content and subscription management), and CreativeSource (creative design, web design and development services, print and video production). Responsible for operations and multi-million dollar operational and capital budgets

• Identified and implemented opportunities worth over $75 million in revenue over a two-year period for a southeast US banking client implementing policies, procedures, controls, and systems supporting organizational change.

• Led a team of consultants and managers in implementing staffing/scheduling software and related policies, procedures, controls and communication/change initiatives for the retail banking divisions of multibillion-dollar financial institutions; implemented standardized transaction timings and opportunities for reducing operational inefficiencies in both the teller and platform service areas. Designed new sales/marketing platforms to improve sales and enhance customer experience. Implemented change initiatives, developed and conducted training to executives and power users. Reduced staffing expense by almost 20% while simultaneously achieving double digit revenue. CAREER TRACK

CHILDCARE EDUCATION INSTITUTE (CCEI), A STRAIGHTERLINE COMPANY WWW.CCEIONLINE.COM Chief Operating Officer May 2019 – Nov 2023

• Led all daily activities of the Operations, Compliance, Admissions, Marketing, Education/ Curriculum, and Information Technology departments within CCEI including, but not limited to: o Orchestrating double digit revenue growth year over year o Preparing strategic plans, annual budgets, misc. reporting, RFPs and BOD presentations o Conducting business operations reviews, developing cadences, KPI development, tracking and monitoring

o Leading project planning, new product delivery rollout and implementations and accreditation renewals o Developing and managing relationships to optimize customer engagement in the ECE / EdTech industries o Improving process efficiency/effectiveness to ensure operational excellence and industry best practices

• Managed all personnel related duties including annual performance reviews, onboarding and new hire processes as well as teambuilding, coaching and on-going feedback. 2

BASE CONSULTING

Principal, PMO & Operations Jan 2015 – Apr 2019; Mar 2024 – Present

• Established PMO for clients, including routines, metrics, KPI’s, project agendas, budgets, documentation and timelines.

• Led program/project/change management activities for multiple clients in the financial services/FinTech arena including identification/implementation of “quick hit” process improvements within the back-office support group for a Fortune 500 broker/dealer and related retail banking group. Created/documented new and streamlined current/future state processes and procedures to enhance client service, analyzed data and developed business cases for approval, and implemented new routines, metrics and reporting to provide management with timely actionable feedback. Restructured departments organizationally to appropriately align future state environments with optimal skills and talent by partnering with clients to implement appropriate change management initiatives. Cut overall inefficiency/waste by more than 17%.

• Led process improvement initiative for a major logistics client to convert the vendor payment process from highly manual to automated process/approval flow. Documented current/future environments including approvals and escalation procedures and remediated payment time to vendors from 120-day average payment time to 30–60-day turnaround time. Implemented audit controls to eliminate existing fraudulent activities. Streamlined/documented all related vendor payment processes from RFP to purchase order/invoice receipt, approvals and timely payment.

• Led project planning and execution activities for teams within Information Systems at a major Atlanta hospital, responsible for management of entire project lifecycle from project definition/scope through implementation. Created/implemented complex process improvement initiatives including strategic plans as well as documented processes, procedures, process designs/maps, gap analyses, and requirements utilizing healthcare industry best practices. Created structure/routines/controls/approvals for IT infrastructure projects (Purchase Order Optimization, Critical Incident Reviews, VoIP Optimization Process, Enterprise VPN System Conversion/Process Enhancements)

• Conducted meetings with stakeholders, business partners, technology teams and vendors to identify and document recommended process improvements and best practices and developed tracking/monitoring/reporting for management. THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

Manager, Performance Management & Operations Mar 2007- Jan 2015

• Led the preparation and delivery of the annual business planning process for Creative Business Solutions (CBS).

• Provided oversight and program/project/change management to multiple initiatives across the lines of business, leading cross functional project teams, providing direction, leadership and coaching to ensure successful delivery of all projects, including implementation of a global travel policy, strategic meetings management tool and ticket management tool.

• Managed day-to-day operations; developed, implemented and monitored the use of appropriate standardized processes, tools, metrics, technologies, communication strategies, routines and project management disciplines across each service area within CBS. Responsible for audits, compliance and implementing effective internal controls.

• Provided end-to-end project support in organizational restructuring through developing change plans, gaining support, and developing future state organizational hierarchies, managing the change process and providing tools/templates to monitor/track sustained change.

• Managed the Entertainment Asset Management team responsible for vendor management and fulfillment of more than

$60 million worth of entertainment assets for business and personal use.

• Managed the Performance Management and Project Support teams, responsible for human resource management, metrics, vendor set up, and payment processing, management and tracking of purchase orders.

• Managed Event Production Managers as well as Information Management department (InfoSource) which provides secondary research, news, and subscription services to internal clients within the Company; responsible for overseeing the hiring, training and evaluation of associates as well as account relationship management with outside vendors.

• Served as CBS Change Champion, executing change management initiatives, for Procure to Pay project and maintained department Business Continuity Plan.

WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP (A MARKETING DIVISION OF AEGON INSURANCE), JOHNS CREEK, GA Provisional Marketing Director 2003-2006

• Identified client needs and assessed consumer and small business financials to market appropriate investment solutions; provided expertise in savings products, investments, insurance, mortgages, mutual funds, and annuities.

• Top 10 producer who recruited and trained licensed sales reps in marketing products and services to the client base. 3

CARREKER CORPORATION (NOW FISERV), DALLAS, TX

Principal Managing Consultant 2001-2004

• Led consulting engagements for top tier financial institutions nationwide to boost revenues and savings, eliminate waste and increase customer service.

• Identified and capitalized on revenue enhancement opportunities to improve each client’s bottom-line performance; prepared comprehensive best practice and business case analyses for each opportunity;

• Guided cross-functional project teams in managing projects from planning through implementation and compliance. Conducted interviews with key stakeholders and made final recommendations to senior leadership and board members.

• Supported key change initiatives when recommendations resulted in organizational restructuring and alignment, including identifying the need for change, implementing the change across the corporate culture, and providing training, support and reward initiatives for sustaining change. ACCENTURE (FORMERLY KNOWN AS ANDERSEN CONSULTING LLP), ATLANTA, GA Manager, Financial Services Consulting 1998-2001

• Provided leadership to diverse matrixed teams representing varied functional and technical expertise.

• Established overall firm wide priorities for local and regional competency unit activities, including capability development, content delivery, knowledge management, communications, status reporting, and issue resolution, to ensure consistency in process delivery among the firm’s executives.

• Provided oversight and program/project/change management to multiple initiatives across the lines of business, leading cross functional project teams, providing direction, leadership and coaching to ensure successful delivery of all projects.

• Guided a team of consultants and clients in researching, identifying, and documenting business requirements and enhanced process workflows for developing a new business model to transform a private bank area by transitioning non-sales related functions from the sales office to newly created middle offices with supporting technologies.

• Headed the development and delivery of internal/external speaker presentations for two global executive meetings; functioned as the primary contact for 40+ global partners, external guest speakers, and production companies to ensure the quality, seamless delivery of presentations in accordance with the firm’s global branding guidelines.

• Participated in the recruitment of college graduates and experienced hires. Fostered strong mentoring relationships with peers, subordinates, and clients, providing career development guidance, training plans, and formal written evaluations.

• Functioned as the Global Director of Process Excellence for six months. CREDENTIALS

Bachelor of Science in Mathematics / Business Administration (magna cum laude) – Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, NC Certifications – Previously licensed in Southeast US for Life, Accident & Health, Series 6, 63,and 65; Operational Excellence Associate Certification; Operational Excellence Apprentice Certification Technical Skills and Methodologies – MS Office, Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, Outlook, Office 365, Visio, MS Project, PMBOK, Six Sigma, Lean, Operational Excellence, ITSM, ITIL, Agile, SDLC, Waterfall, SOC 2, JIRA, SAP, AI Tools Social Media – LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram

Contact this candidate