Manoj Pillai
Head of Operations, Vice President Operations
Trivandrum
Summary
Proven leader, board member & executive signatory with a track record of strategic planning and team leadership at Zafin, where I spearheaded initiatives that transformed operations and enhanced productivity. Expert in operations management and contract negotiation, client delivery management & support, I've driven results through innovation and effective human resources management, achieving significant cost savings and on-time commitments while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President - India Operations
Zafin
07.2010 - 06.2024
- Board member and Authorized signatory for Zafin, India.
- Enhanced company profitability by implementing strategic business plans and optimizing operational processes.
- Leveraged technology to automate workflows and streamline processes, resulting in increased productivity and cost savings across the organization.
- Negotiated high-value contracts while mitigating risks for the organization.
- Commissioned a new 100+ seater office space in Chennai in a span of 3 months.
- Transformed employee experience by designing and executing comprehensive service improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing satisfaction levels.
- Achieved significant cost savings through supply chain optimization efforts such as strategic sourcing initiatives and logistics improvements.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement, fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth across the organization.
- Cultivated strong relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, vendors, regulators, and community leaders to promote collaboration and long-term success.
- Built high-performance teams through effective recruitment practices focused on competency alignment coupled with ongoing performance management processes.
- Drove corporate social responsibility programs that created positive social impact while delivering tangible business benefits, such as enhanced brand reputation and employee morale.
- Led cross-functional teams for the successful completion of major projects, resulting in increased efficiency and client satisfaction.
- Managed financial planning and budgeting processes, ensuring fiscal responsibility and maximizing return on investments.
- Spearheaded organizational restructuring initiatives, streamlining operations and reducing overhead costs.
- Championed talent development programs, promoting employee engagement and retention while enhancing overall workforce capabilities.
- Ensured regulatory compliance at all times by implementing robust internal controls systems coupled with proactive monitoring mechanisms.
- Demonstrated proficient leadership skills to motivate employees and build competent teams.
- Collaborated with senior management to develop strategic initiatives and long term goals.
- Employed optimal safety practices to reduce worksite complaints and hazards.
- Developed program to promote new managers from within, building and maintaining cohesive leadership structure.
Assistant Vice President/Sr. Project Manager
Mashreq Bank -United Arab Emirates
02.1998 - 06.2010
- Led cross-functional teams for successful IT project delivery within scope, schedule, and budget constraints.
- Collaborated with business analysts to gather requirements, ensuring projects met client needs and expectations.
- Presented regular status reports to executive leadership, providing insights into progress made toward achieving key milestones.
- Managed budgets exceeding $500k while effectively controlling costs through diligent financial oversight.
- Spearheaded process improvement initiatives that resulted in increased productivity and streamlined workflows across departments.
- Implemented change management processes to accommodate evolving project requirements while minimizing disruptions.
- Conducted post-project evaluations to identify areas of improvement and implement corrective actions for future endeavors.
- Delivered high-quality results by fostering a culture of accountability among team members and setting clear performance expectations.
- Nurtured strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, building trust and credibility that facilitated smooth collaboration on shared goals.
- Mentored junior project managers and team members to enhance their skills and career growth.
- Optimized resource allocation by closely monitoring project progress and adjusting team assignments as needed.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors and suppliers, securing favorable terms for the organization''s benefit.
- Ensured compliance with industry regulations by staying current on changes in legislation or guidelines relevant to projects'' scopes.
- Oversaw large portfolio of projects to support teams, report progress, and influence positive outcomes for key stakeholders.
- Directed changes to project scope and cost and implemented appropriate change management processes to keep project on track.
- Maintained schedules to meet key milestones at every project phase.
- Monitored contracts and service level agreements to identify potential risks and implement mitigation actions to protect development process from unforeseen delays and costs.
- Partnered with project team members to identify and quickly address problems.
- Communicated project plans and progress to key stakeholders and project contributors.
- Developed and maintained project budgets to control costs and meet organizational and project goals.
- Monitored project progress, identified risks and implemented corrective measures to acquire success.
- Developed and led multi-disciplinary team to redefine problems and reach solutions based on different perspectives.
- Crafted and maintained project plans and schedules to meet organizational objectives.
- Sourced, vetted and managed vendors needed to accomplish project goals.
- Facilitated workshops to collect project requirements and user feedback.
Systems Analyst Programmer
The Kuwait Reinsurance Company
04.1994 - 02.1998
- Assisted in the development of project plans, including scope definition, timelines, resource allocation, and risk assessment.
- Enhanced system reliability by proactively monitoring performance metrics, addressing potential issues before they impacted users or performance.
- Developed custom software solutions for clients, enhancing their business operations and overall efficiency.
- Kept abreast of industry trends by attending conferences and participating in professional development activities that contributed to my ability as an analyst programmer.
- Provided technical support to end-users, troubleshooting complex issues and resolving problems in a timely manner.
- Conducted code reviews for peers which improved overall code quality while also fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Conducted thorough testing of new software releases, identifying bugs and working closely with developers to resolve any issues before deployment.
- Worked closely with business stakeholders to gather requirements for new system enhancements, ensuring that the final product met their needs and expectations.
- Designed comprehensive documentation for internal systems, facilitating knowledge transfer among team members and promoting best practices.
- Presented technical solutions to non-technical audiences, effectively communicating the benefits and value of proposed projects and initiatives.
- Spearheaded the migration of legacy applications to modern platforms, ensuring seamless integration and minimal downtime.
- Streamlined system processes by identifying inefficiencies and implementing improvements, resulting in increased productivity.
- Optimized database performance through regular maintenance procedures, reducing downtimes and improving query response times.
- Defined and documented scope of projects for distribution to team.
Software Engineer
Atlaz Technologies Ltd.
06.1992 - 04.1994
- Designed robust testing frameworks to validate functionality and ensure a high level of quality assurance.
- Enhanced user experience with intuitive interface design and responsive web applications.
- Developed reusable components that significantly reduced development effort on multiple projects.
- Conducted thorough code reviews to identify potential areas for improvement, ultimately enhancing code quality across all projects handled by the team.
- Consistently met project deadlines by effectively managing time and prioritizing tasks according to importance.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of software components.
- Developed scalable and maintainable code, ensuring long-term stability of the software.
- Improved software performance by identifying and resolving bottlenecks in the code.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science And Programming
Bharathiyar University
Coimbatore, India 04.2001 -
Skills
Team Leadership
Timeline
Vice President - India Operations
Zafin
07.2010 - 06.2024
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science And Programming
Bharathiyar University
04.2001 -
Assistant Vice President/Sr. Project Manager
Mashreq Bank -United Arab Emirates
02.1998 - 06.2010
Systems Analyst Programmer
The Kuwait Reinsurance Company
04.1994 - 02.1998
Software Engineer
Atlaz Technologies Ltd.
06.1992 - 04.1994
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