JAMES CHOWDARI

• Served as Scrum Lead and Project Manager for Apple Maps initiatives, owning end-to-end delivery across project identification, backlog creation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure, within Agile and SAFe frameworks.
• Led SAFe-aligned Agile execution, coordinating across multiple vendors and internal Agile teams within Apple, ensuring alignment with portfolio objectives, PI cadence, and enterprise governance.
• Governed large and complex backlogs, driving prioritisation based on business value, quality standards, risk, dependencies, and delivery timelines, with backlog health and readiness as a primary accountability.
• Facilitated Scrum ceremonies and scaled coordination forums (Scrum, cross-team syncs, backlog refinement, reviews, and retrospectives), ensuring disciplined Agile execution and predictable delivery outcomes.
• Acted as the primary Scrum Lead interface between Product Owners, engineering support, operations, quality teams, and external vendors, managing cross-team dependencies and delivery risks in a SAFe environment.
• Drove cross-functional collaboration across operations, quality, engineering support, documentation teams, and leadership, enabling seamless execution of Apple Maps document development initiatives.
• Established and tracked SLAs, KPIs, milestones, risks, and dependencies, providing transparency into sprint and program performance and enabling proactive risk mitigation.
• Planned, led, and delivered Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) over multiple consecutive quarters, presenting delivery performance, risks, mitigation plans, and forward-looking roadmaps to senior stakeholders.
• Produced executive dashboards and Agile metrics, supporting data-driven decision-making, stakeholder confidence, and SAFe governance requirements.
• Received formal client appreciation for rapid stabilisation of delivery, effective backlog planning, and accelerated execution within the first few months of engagement.
• Ensured strict adherence to Apple’s delivery rigor, quality benchmarks, confidentiality standards, and governance expectations, operating within a highly controlled enterprise environment.
• Successfully managed multiple concurrent initiatives by prioritising work based on urgency, resource capacity, dependency impact, and alignment with organisational goals.

L2 Scrum Lead / Portfolio SAFe Scrum Master – Verizon Enterprise Programs

• Demonstrated exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, acting as a trusted interface between business leadership, portfolio stakeholders, Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and delivery teams across Verizon Enterprise, including Verizon Consumer and Verizon Business.
• Operated at a portfolio and L2 Scrum Lead level, facilitating Scrum, Scrum of Scrums (SoS), and cross-ART alignment discussions, ensuring transparency, dependency resolution, and synchronized delivery across multiple Agile teams.
• Led continuous communication forums with other Scrum Masters and Product Owners, proactively identifying cross-team dependencies, risks, and delivery constraints, and driving timely resolution through SAFe-aligned escalation paths.
• Partnered closely with senior stakeholders and leadership teams, delivering clear, concise updates on PI objectives, sprint progress, risks, milestones, and delivery forecasts, enabling informed decision-making at the portfolio level.
• Played a critical role in portfolio-level coordination, aligning multiple Agile teams with shared objectives, enterprise priorities, and release timelines, while maintaining adherence to SAFe governance and cadence.
• Enabled effective collaboration across internal and external cross-functional teams, including Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Technical Support, SMEs, and external partners, ensuring consistent communication and execution standards across enterprise programs.
• Acted as a key communication bridge between technical teams and business stakeholders, translating complex technical dependencies into actionable insights and business-aligned outcomes.
• Supported Change Management and Agile transformation initiatives by coaching teams and stakeholders on SAFe principles, Agile best practices, and enterprise delivery expectations, improving overall Agile maturity and engagement.
• Facilitated portfolio-level alignment during PI Planning, backlog refinement, and Inspect & Adapt sessions, ensuring all teams, Product Owners, and stakeholders remained aligned to enterprise goals and value delivery.

• Managed day-to-day operations with a strong focus on SLA compliance, productivity, and quality metrics. For Verizon, AT&T global clients, both for consumer and business customers. (Internal and External)
• Conducted daily scrums, sprint reviews, and retrospectives, ensuring they are productive and time-boxed. Conducted weekly and monthly operational reviews with client stakeholders, presenting performance insights, and action plans.
• Worked with Analytics and Process Development Teams, including process developers, SMEs, internal quality teams, and training teams.
• End-to-end product support for external groups, like the Product Owner and stakeholders, building knowledge base articles based on Agile methodologies. DDLC
• Handled high-impact, ticket-based escalations and crisis, ensuring minimal business disruption.
• Worked with internal teams for the improvisation of KPIs like average handle time (AHT), customer satisfaction (CSAT), and first call resolution (FCR). Cross-functional.