Michael Pate, CSM,CSPO

As a Senior Project Manager at Kimberly-Clark, I lead the end-to-end implementation of the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) across seven personal and family care mills in North America. My role ensures seamless alignment of project objectives with organizational goals by managing timelines and resource allocation to support each site. I oversee detailed project phases—including initiation, planning, design, build, testing, and release—within Microsoft Project Plan, making adjustments as needed to meet strict deadlines. I facilitate key project meetings, from daily stand-ups to resolve bottlenecks to technical meetings for system and integration issues, and lead preparations for User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and System Acceptance Testing (SAT) to confirm readiness and compliance. Collaborating closely with business teams and external vendors, I work to identify and implement solutions for new gap requirements, ensuring the smooth functionality of MES. I liaise regularly with mill personnel, Global Supply Chain teams, and business stakeholders, providing weekly updates on progress and vendor budget status to keep all parties aligned and informed.

As a Project Manager at Genuine Parts Company, I led the development and enhancement of multiple internal enterprise applications, including ERP store systems, inventory management solutions, employee identity management, and internal communication platforms. I coordinated with third-party vendors to implement SSO/SAML integrations, ensuring seamless access across systems. Collaborating closely with business stakeholders, I gathered requirements and ensured alignment with project goals, documenting user stories and acceptance criteria to maintain a clear and prioritized Jira backlog and product roadmap. Leading a team of onshore and offshore developers, I facilitated daily stand-ups, sprint planning, backlog grooming, retrospectives, and review meetings to drive project momentum and foster continuous improvement. I provided weekly and monthly progress reports to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and keeping all parties informed on project developments and achievements.

In my role at Scientific Games, I collaborating with multiple state lotteries, I spearheaded the development of native iOS and Android mobile applications that enabled lottery subscription purchases through mobile e-commerce and digital wallet integration. I ensured strict compliance with state regulations and industry standards to maintain secure transactions. Working closely with technical leads and managers, I gathered and documented backend data integrations and workflows, ensuring seamless system integration and accurate data flow. As Scrum Master, I facilitated Agile ceremonies such as daily stand-ups to address progress and obstacles, sprint planning sessions to prioritize work, and sprint demos to present completed features. I coached teams on Agile best practices to boost efficiency and collaboration. In partnership with product managers and lottery business teams, I gathered and refined requirements to align with state regulations, ensuring each feature met both business needs and regulatory compliance. This role honed my expertise in strategic planning, Agile development, and secure project documentation, reinforcing my skills in user story development, project coordination, and effective team communication.

As a Business Analyst overseeing the Drupal 8 migration for TNT, TBS, and TCM, I managed the product backlog, defined user stories, and collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure project deliverables aligned with business goals. My responsibilities included contributing to application analysis, design, and quality assurance testing to support both project needs and broader business objectives. I led Agile ceremonies, such as daily Scrum meetings for team communication, sprint planning to set project goals, and demos to showcase completed work. In managing the QA team, I oversaw test case documentation, ensuring comprehensive test coverage that met functional requirements. I also documented business and functional requirements, facilitating clarity and understanding among stakeholders. To drive project momentum and foster continuous improvement, I facilitated sprint planning, daily scrums, reviews, and retrospectives. Working closely with the business team, I gathered and documented requirements through Joint Application Design (JAD) sessions, interviews, and brainstorming meetings, providing regular updates to senior team members to ensure alignment and transparency throughout the project lifecycle.

As an Agile Project Manager at Randstad, I led the Internal Apply and Spherion conversion projects across web and mobile platforms, collaborating with internal and external engineering teams to drive product development from inception through to launch. I prepared and maintained comprehensive design and requirements documentation, aligning project deliverables with overall goals. Leading key Scrum ceremonies, I facilitated backlog grooming to prioritize product items, sprint planning to set clear objectives, daily standups for tracking progress, and retrospectives and demos to support continuous improvement. Working closely with the Product Owner, I documented epics, product backlog items, and tasks in Team Foundation Server (TFS), ensuring the development team had detailed and accessible records. I created Business and Functional Requirements Documents, providing clarity and alignment with stakeholder expectations. By actively identifying and removing impediments, I enhanced team productivity and morale. Through regular documentation and reports, I provided senior management and project sponsors with transparent updates on project status, risks, and milestones, supporting informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.

As Project Manager and Scrum Master for a social mobile app, I led end-to-end product development in an Agile environment, enabling users to share photos, chat, discover local businesses, and access local offers. I oversaw the development of e-commerce and reporting software, empowering local merchants with tools to create offers, coupons, gift cards, and loyalty campaigns. My role encompassed product planning, rollout, technical design, UX/UI, development, QA, and release management, ensuring clear direction and achievable milestones across mobile and web platforms. I managed Sprint and Kanban workflows to drive project momentum and quality, while acting as the U.S. liaison with development teams in Asia and India, fostering strong working relationships and quality output. Through quarterly on-site visits to Vietnam and daily Scrum meetings, I aligned team efforts and resolved issues efficiently. Working closely with business teams, I implemented new requirements to ensure seamless integration with business objectives and collaborated with creative teams to maintain high design standards for an enhanced user experience. Additionally, I partnered with copywriters and legal to develop terms of service, ensuring compliance and clear policy communication. Using tools like Jira, Pivotal Tracker, QTest, and Bugzilla, I tracked project efficiency, achieving success in project goals and fostering key relationships with third-party vendors, from initial contacts to executive negotiations.