Sama Taku

SAMA TAKU - •-• PMP, CSM, PSM, ITIL 4 Foundation SAFe 6 Summary Seeking program management roles where I can lead large, complex initiatives, leveraging my extensive experience. I am a highly motivated, dedicated, detail-oriented individual with a multifaceted background. With years of exceptional experience in customer service, constructive teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership, I excel in one-on-one interactions. Known for developing innovative procedures that ensure client satisfaction and retention, I am a dedicated team player with outstanding communication skills and an unwavering commitment to exceeding organizational goals. I have a proven record of building reliable professional relationships and am highly skilled in coaching, mentoring, and leading teams in adopting Agile best practices such as Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and XP, consistently achieving strong business results. Experience Technical Program ManagerPortland, OR Lithia MotorsAugust 2022 – Present Led multiple work streams by partnering with product owners and cross-functional stakeholders, ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery. Collaborated with business managers/directors and technical leaders to plan, build, and execute programs involving cross-portfolio technical teams (Data Warehouse, Data Visualization, Systems, Networks, Security, and Operations). Developed and implemented project governance frameworks aligned with organizational objectives and industry best practices. Oversaw tactical planning and day-to-day management of technical projects or programs. Summarized input from business project managers to report overall program status to technology leadership. Collaborated with technical and business leadership on annual strategic planning for projects and programs. Developed a deep understanding of projects and teams involved in program delivery. Built strong relationships with technical and business stakeholders. Assisted in managing project and program budgets and contributed to strategic fiscal year planning. Managed financial aspects of cross-functional projects, coordinating with multiple departments to align spending with strategic goals. Integrated ServiceNow solutions to streamline IT service management, improve incident tracking, and enhance workflow automation. Performed core project management duties, including developing technical project plans, detailed budgets, program roadmaps, and maintaining RAID (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies) logs. Ensured status reports were relevant, transparent, and added value to core teams and technology leadership. Program Manager Atlanta, GA Fusion Connect July 2019 – August 2022 Led cross-functional teams in the successful delivery of several programs/projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and objectives. Developed and executed program strategies, including scope definition, resource allocation, and timeline management, resulting in on-time delivery, cost savings, and quality improvements. Established and maintained effective communication channels with C-level executives, stakeholders, senior management, and team members to provide regular updates on program progress, risks, and issues. Managed program budgets, ensuring financial discipline and adherence to budgetary constraints. Implemented program governance frameworks and standardized project management processes to ensure consistency and efficiency across initiatives. Conducted risk assessments and implemented mitigation strategies to proactively manage potential project risks and minimize their impact on deliverables. Facilitated decision-making processes within program teams and across stakeholders to resolve issues and achieve consensus on critical project matters. Monitored and reported on key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to track program success and inform strategic decision-making. Mentored and coached project managers and team members to enhance their project management skills and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Successfully launched new products/services through effective program management, contributing to revenue growth and market expansion. Program ManagerBeaverton, OR NikeNov 2016 – July 2019 Strategized and regulated end-to-end implementation of mission-critical projects, ensuring achievement of milestones and final deliverables through effective collaboration and rapport building with project teams. Coached and mentored team members in Program and Project Management, emphasizing Agile processes and tools. Partnered with team leads to define project scope, goals, and forecasted milestone dates, facilitating alignment and accountability. Developed processes and prioritization systems in collaboration with leadership, identifying risks and proposing mitigation plans to overcome obstacles. Drove adoption of DevOps CI/CD technology to enhance efficiency and deployment capabilities. Advocated for continuous improvement and innovation within the organization, leveraging historical data analysis. Created Project Plans of Record (POR), dependency matrices, risk mitigation strategies, and supported project teams by coordinating tasks and removing roadblocks. Project Manager Tucson, AZ ADP Apr 2015 – Sep 2016 Coordinated vendor interfaces and activities independently for ADP's $4 million Total Source platform, supporting small business owners. Organized and led project planning, daily stand-up meetings, reviews, retrospectives, sprint and release planning, demos, and other Scrum-related activities. Proactively removed team impediments daily to ensure the achievement of sprint goals and deliverables. Led Agile adoption retrospectives with leadership, driving enhanced team performance and organizational agility. Reduced project management costs and improved departmental performance through operational streamlining, tracking automation, and reporting enhancements. Monitored project quality, implemented metrics for issue mitigation, and utilized burndown charts to communicate progress effectively to stakeholders. SKILLS Analysis Tools: MS Excel, Google Analytics, Excel Analysis. Operating Systems: Windows, Linux, UNIX, IOS Cloud Systems: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud. Software: Microsoft Office Suite, Virtual Box, Skype Business, MS Access, MySQL, SQL, Certifications: CSM, PSM, PMP, ITIL 4 Project Management: MS Project, Azure DevOps, Jira, Confluence, Adobe Workfront, VersionOne, Project Server, MS Visio, Trello, Asana, Slack Language: English (Native), Spanish, French EDUCATION Minot State UniversityMinot, ND M.S. in Information SystemsJan 2019 – May 2020 Graduate Coursework: Project Management, E-commerce, and Enterprise Architecture University of Pacific, Eberhardt School of BusinessStockton, CA B.S. in Human ResourcesAugust 2012 – May 2014 Undergraduate Coursework: Leadership, Human Resources, and Marketing Awards: Big 8 Conference First Team Selection, Big 8 Conference MVP, Big West Conference Champion, Team Captain