IT Program & Operations Leader with Cross-Functional Delivery

Chiara Thomas

*************@*****.*** 502-***-**** Oklahoma City, OK

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiara-thomas/

IT Program and Operations Leader with 8+ years of experience managing cross-functional technology initiatives across infrastructure, application, digital, and service delivery environments. Proven ability to serve as a central liaison between business partners, IT teams, and leadership to plan, coordinate, and deliver complex programs across the full lifecycle—from requirements and sprint execution to UAT, release, and post-production support. Highly skilled in program governance, dependency and risk management, executive communications, and portfolio-level reporting to ensure transparency, predictability, and on-time delivery. Known for driving process improvements, strengthening operational controls, and enabling data-driven decisions that improve time to market, service quality, and stakeholder confidence.

Certifications & Education

Project Management Professional (PMP) Project Management Institute Professional Scrum Master (PSM) Scrum.org

Salesforce Administrator Salesforce

Security+ CompTIA (Expected June 2026)

Bachelor of Science: Business Communications DeVry University, Addison, IL Security Clearance Secret

Key Skills

IT Program & Portfolio Management Cross-Functional & Vendor Coordination IT Infrastructure Project Delivery Program Governance & Controls Master Project Planning & Dependency Management Scope, Schedule & Risk Management Budget & Forecast Tracking Executive & Stakeholder Communications Agile & Hybrid Delivery (Scrum, Sprint Coordination) Sprint Planning, Velocity & Roadmap Tracking Requirements Gathering & Documentation UAT Planning & Go-Live Coordination Change & Release Management Risk Identification, Mitigation & Escalation Process Improvement & Operational Efficiency KPI, Metrics & Program Dashboards Resource & Capacity Planning Post-Production Prioritization (Defects, Features, Enhancements) Jira Confluence Power BI PowerPoint Visio Microsoft Project Excel SAP Salesforce ServiceNow Professional Experience

Release Project Manager Microsoft, Oklahoma City, OK (Remote) Mar 2025 - Jun 2025

● Managed IT infrastructure program delivery across 6 initiatives by creating project plans, tracking dependencies, and facilitating stakeholder alignment sessions.

● Reduced delivery delays 22% through risk management protocols and vendor coordination while maintaining scope, schedule, and budget compliance.

● Led executive business reviews and sprint planning by translating strategic objectives into operational roadmaps with 98% milestone predictability.

● Improved decision speed 25% by implementing governance frameworks, RACI models, and performance dashboards for cross-functional IT teams. Development Project Manager Paycom, Oklahoma City, OK Jan 2024 - Feb 2025

● Coordinated IT scrum teams across sprint execution and quarterly planning cycles, reducing project lifecycle time 33% through standardized processes.

● Delivered 98% forecasting accuracy by developing KPI dashboards and operational reports tracking capacity, velocity, and service delivery trends.

● Implemented RACI/DACI decision frameworks and UAT planning processes that clarified accountability and eliminated execution churn across engineering teams.

● Facilitated product owner collaboration and client-facing reviews by collecting requirements, documenting functional specifications, and coordinating go-live activities. Program Manager Microsoft, Oklahoma City, OK (Remote) Aug 2022 - Feb 2023

● Managed IT program portfolios by facilitating strategic planning sessions, retrospectives, and steering committee meetings, aligning execution with enterprise priorities.

● Saved 8 hours weekly by designing automated operational reporting workflows, providing leadership visibility into milestones, dependencies, and delivery risks.

● Coordinated vendor relationships and technology implementations by collecting requirements, maintaining documentation, and ensuring seamless program start-up across teams. Program Coordinator Department of the Air Force, Travis Air Force Base, CA Aug 2020 – Jan 2022

● Established IT governance structures across 6 digital initiatives by creating SOPs, deployment plans, and release checklists, ensuring 100% compliance.

● Reduced escalations 20% by facilitating cross-functional working sessions addressing systemic risks, defects, and post-production issues with stakeholders.

● Designed performance dashboards tracking budget versus actual, scope changes, and velocity metrics supporting resource allocation and prioritization decisions. Business Operations Analyst CSAA Insurance Group, Fairfield, CA (Remote) Jan 2018 – Jul 2020

● Managed high-volume IT service delivery operations, resolving complex multi-system issues, achieving 88% customer satisfaction across distributed teams.

● Improved service timeliness 22% by analyzing operational metrics, diagnosing workflow inefficiencies, and implementing process improvements with quality leadership.

● Launched escalation paths and performance expectations, reducing repeat issues through standardized documentation, UAT coordination, and continuous improvement initiatives. Project Manager Miller-Valentine Construction, Fayetteville, NC Jul 2016 - Oct 2017

● Led a $12M portfolio by managing vendor relationships, tracking budget compliance, and coordinating cross-functional planning across stakeholders.

● Reduced execution delays 30% by implementing governance frameworks, risk management protocols, and decision-making processes, ensuring delivery predictability.

● Established operational reporting mechanisms providing leadership visibility into performance, scope changes, and resource constraints supporting strategic decisions. Project Manager United Management II, Fayetteville, NC Jun 2013 - Feb 2016

● Developed portfolio-level business operations framework coordinating planning, execution, and performance tracking across 750+ units with distributed teams.

● Built Excel dashboards and analytics tools tracking budget versus actual, resource allocation, and cost optimization, informing leadership decision-making.

● Facilitated recurring business reviews, surfacing trends, defects, risks, and continuous improvement opportunities, ensuring transparent communication with stakeholders.

Contact this candidate