⭐ Head of IT and Head of Product

🗓️ Dec 2022 - Sep 2023 | Berlin

M3E GmbH and Charge & Co GmbH

As the Head of IT and Head of Product at both M3E GmbH and Charge & Co GmbH. In my role, I've been pivotal in leading talented teams and spearheading strategic initiatives that have significantly enhanced IT operations and product development.

🚀 Head of IT:

Technological Innovation:

  • Trend Monitoring: Kept a close eye on emerging technology trends, especially in AI, positioning the organisation at the forefront of innovation.
  • AI Integration: Introduced AI tools that streamlined operations, reducing task completion times.

Vendor Management:

  • Relationship Building: Fostered robust vendor relationships, securing favorable terms and ensuring vendor accountability.

Infrastructure Enhancement:

  • IT Infrastructure Optimisation: Led initiatives to upgrade and expand our IT infrastructure, achieving enhanced operational capabilities.

Data Security and Protection:

  • Security Protocols: Prioritised and strengthened data security measures, deploying advanced solutions to protect sensitive information and maintain compliance.

IT Project Planning and Execution:

  • IT Projects: Orchestrated the planning and execution of various IT projects, consistently achieving successful outcomes.

Expansion or Optimisation of IT Landscape:

  • IT Landscape Refinement: Enhanced the organisation's IT landscape, focusing on increased efficiency.

Configuration, Optimisation, and Operation of Standard Software:

  • Software Management: Expertly configured, optimised, and maintained standard software solutions, both independently and collaboratively.

Technical Leadership of Software Administration Team:

  • Software Administration: Headed a team responsible for administering standard software solutions, managing both operational and support systems.

Reporting IT Security Incidents and Violations:

  • Security Vigilance: Diligently reported and participated in the resolution of any IT security incidents or breaches, adhering strictly to regulations.

🚀 Head of Product Development:

Innovation and Methodologies:

  • Agile Development: Spearheaded Agile practices to enhance flexibility and responsiveness in product development. Facilitated regular sprint planning, retrospectives, and stand-ups to ensure continuous improvement and team alignment.
  • Lean Startup Methodology: Adopted Lean principles to validate product ideas quickly, minimizing waste and focusing on creating value for customers.
  • Continuous Integration and Delivery (CI/CD): Implemented and managed CI/CD pipelines to automate testing and deployment, significantly reducing lead time and improving product quality.

Leadership and Team Collaboration:

  • Team Management: Built and led a multidisciplinary team of Developers, Designers, and Product Owners, nurturing a culture of innovation and open communication.
  • Mentorship and Training: Provided mentorship and professional development opportunities for team members, enhancing their skills and engagement.
  • Cross-Functional Teamwork: Fostered collaboration between product, design, engineering, and marketing teams to align goals and streamline product delivery.

Technological Advancements:

  • AI Integration: Led the integration of AI technologies into product features, improving user experience and operational efficiency.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilized data analytics and user feedback to inform product development, ensuring decisions are based on real user needs and trends.
  • Emerging Technology Research: Kept abreast of the latest technological advancements and explored their potential application in current and future products.

Product Execution:

  • Project Planning and Execution: Oversaw the end-to-end process of product development, from ideation and market research to execution and launch.
  • Product Lifecycle Management: Managed the entire product lifecycle, continuously iterating and improving the product based on user feedback and market changes.
  • Product Optimization: Conducted thorough user testing and feedback sessions to identify areas for improvement, leading to enhanced usability and customer satisfaction.

User-Centered Design:

  • UX/UI Collaboration: Worked closely with UX/UI designers to ensure product designs are intuitive, user-friendly, and aligned with customer needs.
  • Customer Journey Mapping: Developed detailed customer journey maps to understand user interactions and pain points, guiding targeted improvements.

Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Regular Stakeholder Updates: Provided transparent and regular updates to stakeholders on product development progress, challenges, and successes.
  • Stakeholder Feedback Integration: Actively sought and incorporated feedback from internal and external stakeholders into product development cycles.

Major Projects Executed:

  • Key IT Implementations: Drove the successful implementation of IT solutions and frameworks, enhancing operational efficiency and ensuring seamless functionality.
  • Network and Backup Solutions: Designed and deployed internet and intranet networks, telephone systems, NAS backup solutions, and cloud solutions.
  • Security Policies and Manuals: Developed comprehensive security policies and employee procedure manuals, fortifying data protection and standardising operations.
  • Software Tools Introduction: Introduced essential software tools like project management, communication, documentation, CRM, and coding spaces, streamlining team collaboration and processes.
  • Software Project Oversight: Successfully steered more than 15 B2B and B2C software projects to completion, effectively managing time and budget constraints.
  • Continuous Integration (CI): Implemented CI practices to integrate code changes automatically and frequently, enhancing development speed and early issue detection.
  • Continuous Delivery (CD): Established CD pipelines for swift and reliable software updates, significantly improving deployment processes.
  • Agile Methodologies: Employed Agile practices, including Scrum, for iterative development, adapting quickly to changing project needs and maintaining stakeholder engagement.
  • Cross-Functional Teamwork: Orchestrated collaboration among teams, ensuring effective communication and quick problem-solving.