Ravi Kandala
Program Manager/ Operations Leader
Hyderabad
Summary
Senior Operations Leader skilled at People Management, Program Management, leading complex initiatives, managing infra and people costs, leading training, knowledge management, workforce management and operations teams.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
3
3
Languages
Work History
Site Leader
AWS Monetization
12.2022 - Current
- Lead operations in India for AWS Monetization spread across Hyderabad and Bangalore
- Hired and built Operations team including Operations Analysts, Program Managers and Training Program Managers
- Standardised KPIs for all roles within AWS Monetization teams
- Reduced SL failure for escalation tickets from 40% to less than 5%
- Lead processes with past due impact of $200 million per year for AWS
- Launched Retrocharge process to collect outstanding amounts from active customers – helped collect ~$100 million in six months
- Hired Knowledge Management experts to streamline and migrate Knowledge Base to a new platform
- Built continuous improvement processes to eliminate process defects on a real-time basis
- Built Quality Audits to ensure the entire team works at the highest standards and is coached continuously on any errors.
Program Manager
AWS Commerce Platform
05.2021 - 12.2022
- Created charter for newly formed Training and Knowledge Management team
- Launched Knowledge Sharing mechanisms for team to propagate a culture of learning
- Incharge of training for the Business Operations team in AWS Commerce Platform
- Created training framework to reduce training time from >3 months to 4 weeks
- Revamped team’s training content and knowledge base
- Standardised intake and publishing process for team’s knowledge articles.
Program Manager
Paid Services – Vendor (EU)
01.2021 - 05.2021
- Collaborating with EU Brand Specialist Academy to build training program for offshore Brand Specialists
- Built ramp up plans for offshore Brand Specialists to decrease time to proficiency
- Launched new initiatives to promote practical learning
- Mentored summer interns in designing Brand Specialist Training Academy
- Reduced training and ramp time by 50% from 3 months to 6 weeks
Program Manager
Amazon Data Services
11.2017 - 01.2021
- Lead the Training Program for Alexa Data Services, India
- Scaled up training team across Hyderabad and Chennai from six training specialists and one training manager to 18 training specialists (full time and interim) and four training managers
- Launched a new four-week training program for new-hires which was adopted globally
- Launched various cross-and up-skilling training programs in co-ordination with sites across the globe
- Worked with ADS customers to address escalations around Quality
- Lead efforts with Tech and Product teams to build, test and deliver tools for Training Delivery
- Worked with Global Leadership to redefine training goals for ADS across the globe
- Worked to revamp content consumption methods across ADS India
- Created L4 IC roles within the Training Job Family to allow for individual growth
- Leading effort to align associates in training with Production goals to ensure smooth transition
- Managed on-boarding of non-devices customers.
Program Manager
Amazon India
01.2017 - 10.2017
- Head the content strategy division of CS India and steer towards aligning Amazon India policies with Amazon India business goals and customer experience
- Lead a team of five content developers working on content for Amazon India and five affiliated websites
- Streamline and report processes for the Knowledge Management program
- Handle communication with internal and external business stakeholders and ensure in-time project delivery
- Worked with legal and business teams to establish KM processes for launch of Amazon in Australia and Singapore
- Worked with local teams to define customer experience for the new country launches by defining policies with the best customer experience in mind
- Drove technology projects with interns hired from top B-Schools in India for the KM program.
Freelance Movie Reviewer
Fullhyd.com
10.2012 - 05.2017
- Review movies on release day – mostly Telugu, occasionally review Hindi and English movies.
Content Strategist
Amazon India
10.2014 - 12.2016
- Hired and developed the team of content developers for Amazon India with zero attrition
- Work on developing content strategies for Help pages and Knowledge Centre for Amazon India
- Established communication processes between CS and Business teams to ensure smooth conduct of Peak events
- Worked on establishing a standard process to drive CS updates and post mortems for peak events to ensure learnings are propagated across events
- Fulfilled role of Onboarding manager for the CSI and KM teams and onboarded Program and Product managers
- Worked to protect Customer Experience for all new projects/ programs launched for Amazon India since inception
- Drive periodic business review updates to be shared with senior leadership across organisation
- Established a weekly review process to gauge performance of content and drive continuous quality improvements
- Worked with CS Operations to identify learning opportunities and launch periodic refresher content training.
Content Developer
Amazon India
06.2012 - 10.2014
- Member of launch team for Amazon India
- Built the Knowledge Management team for India from ground up
- Defined customer experience for Amazon India since inception
- Developed over 1000 pieces of content for the Knowledge Centre prior to launch
- Travelled to Seattle to learn DITA and XML style of authoring
- Carried out Transition of Amazon India help content to the DITA style of authoring in a two month period
- Worked with business partners to establish and standardise processes for project and promotion intakes for new launches for Amazon India.
Editor
Progressive Digital Media
05.2010 - 06.2012
- Incharge of a team of 6 writers and 2 associate editors
- Responsible for content of 2 websites with over 20 network sites on construction, design and clean energy technology
- Handled online editions of nine print magazines published in the UK
- Prepared newsletters for international magazines, websites on a daily and weekly basis
- Responsibilities include editing content, writing blogs and assisting writers in finding stories fit for the websites
- Co-ordinated with editorial team in the UK regarding quality of content
- Co-ordinated with marketing team in UK regarding promotion of products on website and promotion of premium content websites in association with other companies
- Prepared press communiqués for research reports prepared by premium content team
- Handled communication with PR agencies to ensure content on sites is mutually beneficial
- Hired and trained fresh content writers.
Correspondent
News 9
12.2008 - 05.2010
- In-charge of packaging in general shift in the channel headquarters
- Worked in channel headquarters in Bengaluru in both input and output departments
- Responsible for producing national news packages for prime time bulletins
- Worked on condensing day long developments in news to comprehensive scripts
- Trained several fresh content writers on the basics of writing for the screen
- Co-ordinated with editorial department to ensure that crux of writing is not lost during visual translation
- Worked on several on-field reporting assignments and covered major news in the interim period.
Content Manager
123telugu.com
05.2008 - 12.2008
- Worked on the website from scratch including designing various sections on the site
- Provided content for the site on a daily basis
- Interviewed film stars and other technicians from the film field
- Wrote movie reviews of most of the big films released during the working period
- Managed the India office of the website
- Publicised website aggressively on several social media interfaces like Orkut, Facebook and Twitter
- Promoted site amongst US-based film audience by arranging tie-ups as web partner with several big releases.
Manager
HEM IT SOLUTIONS
02.2007 - 05.2008
- Set up and managed HEM IT SOLUTIONS, a medical transcription unit for a business house
- Worked on setting up workplace so as to maximize utilization of available work area
- Secured projects keeping in mind the limitations of the work force
- Recruited people for the unit by conducting tests and interviews
- Prepared and made presentations and secured clients
- Set up procedures and policies for the unit that would help handle the pressure of daily deadlines in a better manner
- Devised work distribution methods to increase efficiency
- Team strength increased from 6-14 in a short span of six months
- Handled all the HR and client issues.
Process Associate
Ivy Comptech
10.2005 - 11.2006
- Work involved collection of outstanding amount from customers who owed money to PartyPoker, the world’s largest online Poker Room
- Work was delicate in nature as the amount had to be collected without losing customer in the process
- Player had to be convinced that we were there to help him with the payment of his outstanding amount
- Work would necessitate calling player and sometimes, the bank or credit card company regarding transactions
- Each conversation had to be summarized in reports
- Also, details of the payment plans arrived at had to be sent to the customer in the form of concise emails without missing any of the finer aspects.
Education
Bachelor of Technology - Chemical Engineering
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University
Skills
Team Management
Program implementation
Workforce Planning
Organizational Development
Operational Excellence
Key Performance Indicators
Stakeholder Management
Cost Reduction
Written Communication
Adaptability and Flexibility
Marital Status
Married
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 05/17/1982
- Nationality: Indian
Timeline
Site Leader
AWS Monetization
12.2022 - Current
Program Manager
AWS Commerce Platform
05.2021 - 12.2022
Program Manager
Paid Services – Vendor (EU)
01.2021 - 05.2021
Program Manager
Amazon Data Services
11.2017 - 01.2021
Program Manager
Amazon India
01.2017 - 10.2017
Content Strategist
Amazon India
10.2014 - 12.2016
Freelance Movie Reviewer
Fullhyd.com
10.2012 - 05.2017
Content Developer
Amazon India
06.2012 - 10.2014
Editor
Progressive Digital Media
05.2010 - 06.2012
Correspondent
News 9
12.2008 - 05.2010
Content Manager
123telugu.com
05.2008 - 12.2008
Manager
HEM IT SOLUTIONS
02.2007 - 05.2008
Process Associate
Ivy Comptech
10.2005 - 11.2006
Bachelor of Technology - Chemical Engineering
Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University